The photo above is from my last Send-Off from Myrtle Beach.
I left the next day for Texas. Initially Texas was a trip to raise support but reaching 100% made it a family reunion also! Thanx David Sorrells, my friend and brother, for an amazing relaxing time in Austin where I had the best Brisket on the planet (Rudy's) even at the Airport (Salt Lick)!!!
And thank you Gateway Church in Austin for having your Missions Department and Prayer Teams pray for this ministry! And Congratulations Ruth Judd on your new job there!
David Sorrells, ME, Ruth Judd, Eric Fuentes...
Eternal Friends in Texas, Sunday after Gateway Church CALENDAR:DEPARTURE ???
I LEAVE NOW AS SOON AS MY VISA ARRIVES. The visa application required a departure date and a flight reservation which we expected to use. BUT we were warned not to pay until the visa arrives so this does not take us by surprise. It is disappointing that it hasn't arrived yet but not a sign of bad news. All we can do now is wait for word any day now. I expect to still leave in June, as early as the end of this week maybe? OR as late as the end of June. But exactly when God has ALREADY planned it!
IN THE MEANTIME..
1-I tie up loose ends like:
-Close old bank account
-Store what I won't ship to France
-Gift my car to a Nigerian brother at Christ United, who moved to Myrtle Beach to pursue his dreams and support his family back in Nigeria. Please pray for R. (He was discouraged and now rejoices that God has spoken to Him thru our friendship...reminding him that God has seen his struggle and has NOT forgotten him! R. has really encouraged me to be as generous to others as God is being to me!)
2-NO I'm not having another Send-Off. I literally maybe JUST recovered physically from crying for 3 or 4 weeks as I got that last hug from so very many loved ones.
I CANNOT DO THAT AGAIN. I WON'T.
3-SO I'm NOT staying in Myrtle Beach. I'll take the extra time to say more meaningful goodbyes with all my relatives and classmates back in Lancaster, SC and church family in Pageland South Carolina.
I will DEPART FROM CHARLOTTE AIRPORT because it's closest to my where my parents live , where I'll be staying.
I PROMISE TO GIVE THE ITINERARY DETAILS ASAP FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DRIVE THERE TO SEE ME OFF.
PRAYER Requests:
1-My intended departure date, June 11th, has come and gone. I returned from Texas empty-handed...
No Visa. No FedEx envelope. SO no departure, YET. In fact I am not even allowed to pay for my ticket until the visa, which includes my passport, arrives.
AND I can't leave and have it shipped to me either (but I like your thinking : ))
2-Commitment to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness. I'm tired...in all 3 of those ways.
3-VISA: Here's the complete version. The Embassy says 2-3 weeks is normal but that 4 weeks is not abnormal.
Today is day 28:that ends 4 weeks.
France has had a holiday/day off every week in May, plus the Embassy took our American Memorial Day 4-or-5-day weekend.
Several advisors in this process note that that really gives this process another week, or 2 before it has accrued the normal number of worked business days initially predicted ( most notably Chris Furr, American Teammate in Brie Church) (more on him next edition...great news!).
A French Church organization helping us from inside France says even the END of June is not abnormal! Forfend!
Now we wait some more for my visa and passport to be mailed back to me in that FedEx envelope.
I will actually be alerted by email as soon as the package is picked up and scanned into the system.
FINANCIAL UPDATE:100%!!!
I am dancing around about this as you read it!!! BUT that includes some pledges for only 1 year. I return home, mainly to raise support if needed, in 3 years for just a brief time and then I RETURN TO FRANCE.
MY commitment to this Church plant in BRIE and in all of FRANCE does NOT have an end or expiration date. So partners will ALWAYS be needed until Jesus comes back.
A combination of new pledges from all the traveling in May and June AND many increases from already-supporters put US at 100%!!! I still cry when I see those numbers in that box of my excel spreadsheet! Thank God for you! You can't know until heaven just how much this blesses me, Brie Church and the people of France!
I would just ask anyone who hasn't set up their increase to do so asap. Call UWM, Rilla Springstead at 704 357 3355 ext 104 or Toll free @1-800-825-5896 at ext. 104.Want to get on board?
To donate to this ministry online click HERE. Click GIVE, Create an account, and look for Walker, Ricardo Acct# 31348 in the drop-down menu of Missionaries.
Make your FIRST gift AND set it as recurring.
Thank you for the faithful time you took to read and pray! | 
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