Giddy

That's definitely the word. Giddy. Listening to the chatter back and forth on Facebook and in emails and the odd telephone conversation (yes, some of us still actually speak words to each other) you'd have to say the whole team is a little off-balance.

I guess it's only fair. We've been planning, plotting, fundraising, scheming, agonizing, and pondering this trip for how many months? Now in less than 36 hours we'll be in the air. East, first, to Detroit ... then taking one of those great circle routes -- probably over the arctic -- to Japan, then to Manila, then to Iloilo where we'll finally try to get used to the eastern hemisphere.

Bags almost packed. Alpha resources wedged into suitcases (thanks, Sharon and Heather, for doing that!) and the to-do list keeps getting shorter and shorter. At least that's the theory. In reality, for every item you cross off three more jump up to take its place. At some point you just crumple up the to-do list and leave for the airport.

Jason's got that under control. He's planning the early morning Thursday bus run to get us all collected and sent off to Tom, who takes the final leg of ground crew work before we leave. Then we're on the plane, and we're really the flight crew.

We're counting on our ground crew -- counting big time. We need your prayers. You've already amazed us with your financial support and your emotional support and the incredible job so many of you did coming out to the Pizza Ranch the other night. (Makes me really sad I missed it!) Now we just need you to pray.

You can pray for our safety if you need to -- that's fine. But in the Bible they don't often pray for safety. In the book of Acts they pray for boldness. So pray for boldness for us, for diligence to prepare our materials and our presentations. Pray for receptive hearts for those who will be attending the seminars. Pray with great thanksgiving for this opportunity and the resources to pursue it. Pray with joy for each of the team members who have given so much of themselves to bring Alpha to the central Philippines. Pray that the seeds planted on this trip might grow into communities of people -- what Alpha does best -- communities of people bound to each other in love, rooted deep in Jesus' death and resurrection, empowered by his Spirit to reach out to their neighbors with his love.

Thanks for your prayers!