Lions

I bought a book on eBay. The title is: Gerard, The Lion Killer. It is a autobiographical sketch of a Frenchman's life from 1844 and lion hunting in Northern Africa among the Arab people. The book used to be in the reference section of the Brooklyn Public Library. It was ceded from the library inventory and lucky for me, I got it.

I bought the book specifically because of the time it was addressing. The 1840's were when muzzle loading guns with percussion ignition were being used. This was the best that they had at the time. So, with a lot of courage, and I mean a lot of courage, Gerard went after lions with a gun we would think today to be only marginally adequate.

I have less interest in lion hunting than I do in the technical information I glean about the guns and loading of them for such a dangerous animal. I remember aiming at a bear in a black forest and discovering that I couldn't find my front sight! A precision shot was not possible. Just then, a movement to my left caught my eye, I looked away from the bear, only to discover that I was being watched by a much bigger bear about 20 yards away. What did I do? I slowly backed out of the forest, watching both bears. After I survived that little episode, I decided I had to do something about the sighting system. Since then, I put a low powered scope, 1.5-4.5 power, on the gun, and I mounted a powerful flashlight under the gun barrel. Now, I can illuminate a bear in the deep dark forest and have positive sight acquisition, too.

Back one hundred and sixty years ago, Gerard didn't have optical sights or means to illuminate a target in the dark. He went out during the full moon and waited until the lion crept up to within six paces, and then pulled the trigger! Yikes!! He was using an underpowered gun, and poor sights, to engage one of the most dangerous beasts in the world. (Ha hah ha...I shudder to think of it.)

Gerard was despised by the Arabs because he was a Christian and a foreigner. Still, as a representative of Christianity and France, he chose to go face to face with lions that were in the habit of killing the cattle and sometimes, local Muslim people. The Arabs never dared to hunt the lion directly. They might build an armored box to hide in and shoot from, or build a trap, but they would not hunt eye to eye like Gerard. His courage silenced the bigotry of his Arab benefactors.

The book reflects on wars and politics of long ago. It has cultural facts that are fascinating, too. I am pleasently surprised about how much I am enjoying the read.

Peace

It has been several weeks since I last wrote. We found our selves in a tornado of activity. Besides our usual ministy activities, we had to do a host of things with regards to buying the house. There was the meeting with the bank, the house inspection, meeting with the lawyer, getting the water sample from the house and running it to the testing facility, and a final meeting with the realtor.

I found myself a bit stretched with the constant strain. Today was the first day I actually had free in three weeks. I didn't do any work and I took a nap. I wish the snow was gone so I could go for a walk in the mountains. We still have a lot of snow on the ground. I won't be walking in the mountains for a month.

Still, I am grateful for a day of peace.

Star Wars

I remember going to the movie theater to see the new movie, Star Wars. I was driving my used 1965 Chevy, the former cop car, as I recall. Well, seeing the movie on the big screen and all the special effects left me brain numb. I remember exiting the movie hall and going to my car. I sat in my car for 20-30 minutes while I processed it all and got a grip on reality again. Well, that is how I am feeling right now.

We prayed for nearly eight years about moving to a different house. I would go outside for a prayer walk and it nearly always came up in prayer. We knew that God provided this rental house, but we also knew in our hearts that it was temporary. So, we prayed for God to guide us to the right house at the right time, someday.

This morning, I found myself thinking, "I wonder how it will look when God answers more than seven years of prayers for our next house?" We started the house hunting process last Friday, with a visit to the bank. We talked to a mortgage expert and got pre-qualified for a house loan.

We visited a realtor after leaving the bank, since the realty office was right across the street from the bank. The realtor printed out some possible listings, and one that was expired.
We went from there to look around and learn about house hunting.

We drove past homes and one by one, ruled them out. We need convenient parking, for at least six cars. We have 10-16 people each Sunday night for a Bible Study. That eliminated many homes right away. Then there was the repossession home. Oh boy did we learn from that. We won't even go there! Then we drove out to see the expired listing. After all, it couldn't hurt, and we were still learning the area and market.

We drove out of town, into the country side, about 13 minutes from our present rental house. We found the expired listing and to our surprise, there was a realtor listing sign posted at the driveway! We met that realtor years ago, when we first arrived in Salmon Arm. She was a Christian and we thought that maybe one day, we would seek out her help in house hunting.

Well, we gave her a call and inquired about her listing. After prayer meeting at Church on Wednesday morning, which is our usual practice, we drove out to the house in the country to meet the realtor.

It was good to meet her again. She showed real interest in our work and encouraged us to keep on with it. It was also very good to have a Believer to deal with in this possible house search. We could be completely honest and transparent with the realtor, trusting God to direct her as she guided us through the house and around the property. This was Wednesday.

Thursday, we finalized our new relationship with the Canadian government. We changed from living here on a Visitor Visa, with a work permit, to being Permanent Residents. No house hunting on this day.

This morning, Friday, we emailed a formal bid proposal to the realtor. By 8:00pm, we learned that our offer was accepted. My son Tim reminded me that last Friday I said that I wanted to complete my house hunting in one week! I was joking, but God got the last laugh. God answered those seven years of prayers, and the prayers of many people like you, who have also joined in intercession for us on this matter. One day after becoming Permanent Residents, and now able to secure a house mortgage, we had a contract for a house. My head is spinning trying to take it all in.

One thing more, and this really has me in awe. I have a friend at Church who has cancer and may be facing the "end of his race", and God is with him. I have another friend who was rushed off to the hospital for an emergency surgery this morning, and God was with him. Our Heavenly Father is able to answer prayers like ours for something as mundane as housing, and do it with style and glory. He is also with those facing difficult times. He is the God of the mountains, and the God of the valleys at the same time! No other god in all of the world can compare with the Lord Jesus.

I am in awe right now. We have more work to do here, and God is helping us get a place that will compliment our work. The new house will be an asset to ministry. I am encouraged.
With tears in my eyes, tears of joy and humility, I say, "Blessed be the name of the Lord."

LANDED!!!

We have been waiting for three years on paper work we submitted with the Canadian government, to change our visa from a Visitor, to a permanant resident, otherwise known as a Landed Immigrant.

We had an appointment with the government office in Kelowna this morning. A meeting we weren't sure we were going to be able to keep. There was a snow storm last night. Boy, it came down, and just kept coming. It was windy and drifting snow, and all the while, we are thinking that the government office is about 2 hours away on a nice dry sunny summer day. Would we be able to make it? If we didn't, it would throw off the timing for getting a housing mortgage. The housing timing is already a bit on the tight side already, so we didn't want to delay the meeting in Kelowna.

We didn't sleep all that well, and the alarm was a shocker. The clock radio alarm greeted us this morning with a radio talk show host who was all excited about the impact steroids were having on the game of professional baseball. It worked. It forced us up if only to shut off the radio.

We gave ourselves 3 1/2 hours to get to Kelowna. The snow had stopped during the night, and the plows had been out. The roads were snow packed, and like ice in some areas. So, we took the 4x4 pick up truck.

We made our meeting with a half an hour to spare. By 11:00am, Jannie and I were Landed Immigrants. Yippie!!! Praise the Lord. :)

Tracks in the Snow

Looking for a house in the dead of winter is the best. You get to see the property loaded with snow. Does the snow shed from the roof? You get to see if the road is plowed. You get to walk around the property and notice animal tracks. Okay, for city people, this is probably not a big deal, but if you are looking at a more rural location, it bears consideration. Walking around a prospective house location and seeing cougar tracks would be something I would be interested in. Actually, I would be happier if I didn't see cougar tracks in the back yard. I would not mind deer or moose tracks, heh hee he.....

We looked at a property today which is 13 minutes driving time further north-west from our present location. It is a rural setting, with a mountain on the other side of the road in the front, forests and mountains in the rear. The house is large enough, and there is a shop building to set up my wood working power tools. The realtor is a Christian, and the sellers are Believers, too!

We think this property would be a better fit for our ministry than some of the other ones close to town. Our friends aren't going to feel at home in the city/suburban environment. Parking is very restricted for the city; and I think the city folk may object to seeing a moose being skinned and butchered in the neighborhood, (though it might keep the gang bangers at a distance.) :)

So, we prayed with the realtor and sent her back to the sellers to see if they could lower the price within our playing field. We aren't too far from a workable price, but the seller would have to be led of the Lord to come our way.

We want His best for the seller, and for our next house, too. So, God's will be done. :)

Keep praying. Answers are coming. :) Thanks.

Housing Update

We met with a financing expert at our local bank. We found out what mortgage limit we would qualify for. Oh, do you know where the word "mortgage" comes from? It is a combination of two words: mort you recognize in the word "mortality", or death; and gage meaning "grip". A mortgage is a contract, a "death-grip contract" with a banker. heh heh heh... :)

After our meeting with the bank, we went out and began looking for possibles in our price range. One which was quite close to our present location was disappointing. Looking for a house at this time of year is great. You get to see the house in the challenging setting of Winter. So, I can see if snow sheds from the roof, or if snow stays on the roof (hinting about insulation or lack of it). We can see if the road is plowed well in snow removal. In the case of the close home, the road was poorly plowed, and showed evidence of being a private road, not cared for by the regular road maintenance people. Ice had shed from the metal roof, but when it did, it ripped off the gutters! Nope, don't think I want to get involved with that house.

The next one has possibilities. It is about 5 miles from our present location. The taxes outside of Salmon Arm are WAY better. We drove past the house and contacted the realtor for an appointment to see the house next week.

Next Thursday, the 26th, we sign the final Landed Immigrant/Permenant Resident form with the government. Yippie!

Answered Prayer

Before we moved to Canada, we prayed. We prayed for a lot of things. We prayed about selling our house in Wisconsin. God answered and provided a private buyer, without ever listing the house on the market. We prayed for God to provide, if possible, a place to live in Salmon Arm, close to Pierre's Point. It was close to the Adams Lake Reservation, so it made sense to pray to be close. God answered a month before we were to move, and provided this house to rent, which is less than one kilometer to Pierre's Point.

We believed that this was a temporary living place right from the start; but we also were thankful to God for providing it. So, anticipating the need to move someday, we began to pray for the next location seven and a half years ago.

Recently, God graticiously gave a sign that we would be moving again. It seems, that our little Barn-House was built 38 years ago as a whim of the owner of the property. He wanted to prove that though he was 70 years old, he wasn't too old to build a house. You don't need city permits for a whim, do you? Well, he didn't think so.
So, he built the house...illegally.

Our landlord had a house fire last winter. He went to the city to get the proper permits. The city engineer came out and looked over the property. When he came to our little Barn-House, he said, "What's that?" The landlord explained that the former property owner built the house, and that it was grandfathered into the deed. The engineer promptly checked the records. The answer was, "No." So, the city lawyers told the landlord that before he can move into his new house, the barn house has to be vacated. I presume that it will be checked out later by the city building examiner to determine if it is up to code. Anyway, when the landlord told me that I had about six months to find other quarters, my heart stirred and I took it as a sign from God to get ready to move.

One thing preventing us from looking for a different house up to now was the fact that we couldn't get a house loan from a bank as long as we had a "Visitor Visa" from the government. A week before I got the notice from the landlord about moving, we got a letter from the government telling us that our two and 3/4 year wait on the government was nearly over. We would be granted the Landed Immigrant status (which is like the Permanent Resident - Green Card, in the States). That meant that we could get a house loan, when that was finalized!
Today, we received the official and final paperwork. We can expect to be in a position to apply for a house loan in anywhere from 1-3 months...I think. Anyway, things are coming together.

If we could, we would consider moving to Reservation land to be closer to our friends; but that probably won't happen. There are a fixed number of houses available on the Rez, and they are all occuppied. There is a waiting list of Native people wanting to move on the Rez, so without Native status, it is unlikely that we will be able to move there. But we can still pray! :)
I figure we have a couple of months for God to open a door of opportunity if He wants us on the Reservation. I wonder how He will direct...?