Sorry that it has been so long since we have given an update. The last couple of months have been very busy times of wrapping things up, saying goodbye, and preparing for the new journey ahead of us.
The first real goodbye came as Tina stepped down from her position as director at PMI Pregnancy Resource Center’s Greencastle Center on April 16. After seven and a half years of serving alongside this incredible group of women, it was a very difficult first step, but one that we knew had to be taken in order to move ahead in this journey that God has called us.
A few days later, Josiah and Tina left on a charter bus with his 4-H Robotics Team, Biohazard 4050, for their FIRST Robotics Championship in St. Louis, MO. The team finished 30th of 76 teams in their division, since the team is only four years old, we felt like this was a great accomplishment. It was a great way to finish out Josiah’s last season with the team, here in PA.
In the weeks following the competition, we finished up the boys’ schoolwork and did a lot of packing, sorting, and cleaning to prepare for the packing of our container. In addition, we were finishing up the last few weeks of ministering alongside Calvary Bible Church in Greencastle. On May 17, we shared our last official Sunday with this congregation that we have been privileged to serve with for two years. When we stepped into this position, we never expected to be with them that long. We have been incredibly blessed to be able to grow with them through some very difficult and challenging times, but have been encouraged to see God do an incredible work in individuals and the congregation, as a whole. We look forward to seeing what God has in store for them in the coming years.
On May 20, we woke up to a 25 foot Penske truck waiting to be filled with all of the items that we are taking to Haiti with us, parked in our driveway. This task seemed extremely daunting on that morning, but we had some incredible friends and family who came alongside of us and worked tirelessly to put this massive puzzle together with room to spare. Talk about a huge sigh of relief:)
The next morning, we woke up and started on the journey to Cape Coral, FL with Tina’s parents, in preparation for the packing of our shipping container. A caravan of the Penske truck, Tina’s parent’s pickup and trailer, and our minivan made its way with few delays to our destination in Cape Coral on Friday evening, where Tina’s cousin allowed us to stay in their comfy vacation house. Over the Memorial Day weekend, we took some time out to rest and relax and do some last minute shopping before the container packing on Tuesday, at the RMI office in Lehigh Acres, FL. Tuesday was a HOT day in Lehigh Acres, Florida!!! Which meant for a very hot day for those packing inside the 40 foot container!!! We started the morning by unpacking the Penske truck and starting to move those items onto the container. When we finished the container packing on Wednesday afternoon, we had successfully loaded three four-wheelers, two motorcycles, miscellaneous furniture and household needs of the other missionaries that we will be working with, the five skids of food to be distributed for those in need, 28 tires, freezer, fridge, washer, dryer, stove, all of our belongings, a van load of paper towels and toilet paper, and miscellaneous other items that are needed for the ministry in Haiti. 
We finished out this trip to Florida with an enjoyable evening with the RMI staff, enjoying some delicious Mexican food at the home of RMI president, Dan Shoemaker, as they prayed for us and encouraged us in this next step on the journey to Haiti.
