Reentry
As I was preparing to move to Ecuador to serve as a missionary more than five years ago, I wrote blogs like “Leap of Faith”, “Preparing to Launch” and “Taking Flight”. In early July, I moved back to the U.S., so this blog post will reflect the process of “reentry” into the orbit of my native culture after living in South America.
The very first night that I returned to Texas, a terrible flood occurred on the Guadalupe River here in the Kerrville area. Other rivers also flooded around the Hill Country of Texas. You may have heard about it or seen photos and videos on the news. After heavy rains, the river rose an unbelievable 26 feet (8m) in just 45 minutes! This took place in the early morning hours, and the devastation and loss of life were catastrophic.
First responders, volunteers, and donations quickly started pouring in from all over Texas and the rest of the nation. It was amazing to watch! Even now, huge trucks are still hauling away the tangled masses of trees and debris from the river. Our communities have come together to heal, and with a renewed resolve, the process of rebuilding continues. Personally, my son Jacob and I were not close to the river, so other than the heavy rain (and my suitcases left out on the uncovered front porch), we were not directly affected.
My reentry process back to the U.S. continued. I quickly began to readjust to speaking English all the time, to the people and customs here, driving instead of taking public transportation, and the much higher prices for everything. I soon realized that the challenge of walking by faith and trusting God for my provisions was about to take on a whole new dimension!
God has been faithful in so many ways since I returned. I have been able to help Jacob in many ways, and he has truly been a blessing to me as well! Since I cannot afford the rent prices here, the Lord opened the door for me to purchase a travel trailer to live in. Then a spot opened up in the same park where Jacob lives, so we are now neighbors! Since I was starting from scratch again, he has also provided many household items that I needed to get settled in my new home.
As soon as I returned, I began to join Jacob and another brother in a weekly meeting where we are exploring and discussing the need for, and possibilities of forming a new, very different type of church. As I mentioned in my last blog, the Lord had already been leading me in this direction, so I would really appreciate your prayers about this. At the same time, I have been reconnecting with many friends here in Kerrville, including the pastor at my old church and the director of my missionary group. I have also been visiting a few of the other churches here to get a better flavor of what is now going on.
Please continue to pray for me also for God’s direction concerning my finances and personal budget. I will need to supplement my Social Security benefits with other sources of income. I am considering teaching both English and Spanish courses, but I may need to find a part-time job as well. Tomorrow I will be traveling to New Mexico to visit my daughter Rachel and to pick up her old car, which she is graciously selling to me.
I have received several confirmations about our new ministry direction, and I am excited to see how all of this will unfold in the days to come. Thanks again for your encouragement and prayers.
Blessings to you in the love of Christ Jesus,
David Batcheller
