March Movement

Here are tidbits of news about Hines Goings-Ons in Texas:

Partner Development
Not too long ago, the good folks in the office of Global Teams and I had a long phone conversation in which we reviewed our budget one more time and looked at the financial numbers with regard to our pledging and giving partners.  Deep breath -- are now under $700 per month away from our goal!  A few more pledging individuals, families, and churches, and we are released to buy our tickets for Uganda.

We sent out a letter in February, visited a few churches, and had a wonderful gathering at my parents' friends' home.  We're still waiting for official responses from some of these.  Others, including some churches, have come right alongside us.  We are so grateful!  Please pray for the final completion of this part of our preparation.

Team Building 
One of the most enjoyable gifts of this season in Texas has been the time spent with our teammates, Aaron and Wendy Morrow and their kids.  The past couple of Thursdays Wendy walked us through a teaching on gifts, resulting in greater understanding of who we are as individuals and as a team.  We were using material new to me -- Given for Life, by Andy Raine -- which looks at the 7 gifts mentioned in Romans 7, presenting them not as "spiritual" gifts, but as "motivational" gifts.  In short, this approach explores how each of us are shaped at the core of our identities -- why we do what we do.  Some very interesting discoveries came out of this time.


We've also continued learning how to live together with our different personalities, values, approaches to parenting, ways of making decisions....  It's so good to begin working through these things here rather than on the field.

Continue to pray for their daughter, Emma Shae, who still has a blood condition that must be resolved before they are released to go to the field.  One of our next discussions is a timetable given these issues of health and finances.

Family and Farm

 

We continue to enjoy life on the farm with our family, with the recent added bonus of having my older brother's family with us.  The rain has let up enough that we've been riding horses, throwing hay into the hayloft, exploring the back pasture, and riding bikes.  The kids continue to do well in school, and Georgia has recently been enjoying a growing friendship with another girl at school  She has been the loneliest and saddest one among us, so this friendship is a gift.


Just last night we had the added bonus of a visit from a long time friend of ours.  Paul is one of the most amazing guitarists I've heard (and I mean amazing), and one who has a quiet, steady, compelling faith.  He is a joy to be around.  After a wonderful dinner of smoked salmon and salad (prepared by my dad and my wife), we sat on the back porch as the sun set and listened to Paul play everything from "Grandpa Hal Had a Farm, Ee I Ee I O..." to a beautiful guitar piece called "Mayim" to a haunting and contemplative melody on an Indian flute.

It's Spring Break in Texas, and our schedule is in flux, but it's a fun time.  Additionally, I preached at a friend's church this past Sunday on the Lord's Supper and the renewal of covenant (Restoration Anglican Church is a wonderful church, by the way, and folks in the Dallas area should visit it), and we'll be going to another church in Austin where I'll preach on John 9.  We're looking forward to be back in the capital of Texas and seeing whether Austin has remained weird.  If you're in the area, come see us at Christ Church Anglican on Sunday, March 21!