In the Air

Last report we heard was that the CO and IA crew were in the air on their way to Frankfort to connect to Brussels and Eric and Luke were ready for take off out of Chicago heading for Brussels.

Arrival time for Eric and Luke in Brussels is approximately 1 am (but may be 45 minutes late because their text out of Chicago was 45 min after they were supposed to have taken off).  Eric said they should arrive 2 hours before the rest of the team.  If we don't hear from them in Brussels they should arrive in Monrovia just before noon tomorrow (6 pm there).  I hope I have that all correct (and I hope they start posting soon!).

Thanks for praying!

update from KCI

Eric and Luke were able to get on a different flight from KC to Chicago (leaving just before 2 pm) and will skip the Frankfort leg, taking a different flight that goes straight from Chicago to Brussels.  They will meet up with the team in Brussels instead of Chicago and will arrive 2 hours before they were originally scheduled (Eric says "good buffer").

Please pray for:

• luggage to follow them
• Chicago flight to stay on target

Thanking God they were able to figure out a new route!

And thank you for praying!

KC update

Please pray for the team!  Eric just texted and said the Chicago flight was cancelled because of weather.  Eric and Luke made it to KCI safely but are now in line to rebook.  The KC boys are hoping to find a flight through DC today.

Ready... Set... Pray!

OK prayer warriors, in a matter of hours, team members from Colorado, Kansas, and Iowa will be converging on Chicago, where some of us will meet for the first time.  From there, we will fly to Frankfurt, Brussels, and then onto Monrovia.  Including flight time and layovers, total travel time will be approximately 25 hours.

Praise:

• We have a diverse and talented group of men going
• The team has a dedicated group of prayer warriors supporting us.
• The financial generosity of so many people.

Prayer Points:

• We are traveling through Chicago, Frankfurt, and Brussels, flying three different airlines.  Please pray for all the connections to be smooth, weather to be cooperative and for all of our luggage to arrive when we do.
• Pray that the team personalities mesh well.
• Pray for our spiritual preparations. Please pray that we will have servant’s attitudes and be focused on Christ and aware of God’s leading when it happens.
• Pray for quick recovery from jet-lag
• Please keep our families in your prayers as they keep the home fire burning.
• Please pray that God continues to lay the groundwork for us in Liberia and is scheduling some divine appointments.

We will add more praises and prayer points as the trip proceeds.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support!

I have arrived at the Buller's house. Please pray that our flights will go out on time, because it is snowing very nicely here.

-Luke

The Schmidt family

The picture to the upper left is of my family still at home. From upper left, Angie, Luke, (lower) Jacob and Ben. The bottom picture is one of my granddaughter Isabel, Ben and part of Jacob. Isabel is my daughter Jacqie's little 2 year old. As you can see she melts me with her smile. As you might be able to tell, we are big Kansas State fans. My boys like all sports and keep Angie and I hopping. I have two other children not at home, Steven (Salt Lake City) and Jacqie (Hutchinson). I will try to get updated pictures of them soon.

It's January 1st, 6 more days till we leave for Liberia and It's like waiting for Christmas or a birthday (at least when I was younger). My support is in place, most of my packing is done and the clock is ticking. I'm praying daily that our Savior blesses all the team and gets us ready for the trip, please pray also.

Trusting in God.

Luke

The Critical Role of Prayer

My wife recently organized the prayer support for a team sent from our church (Olathe Bible Church) to South Asia. With over 300 participants, it was mazing to see the number of prayers lifted up on behalf of the team as well as for those that the team was serving in South Asia. In a short thank you note to my wife, one of the prayer supporters stated that she “really felt a part of the bigger team”. Later, she added “I have always known that the prayer coverage for those that go is vital to their endeavor, but somehow your emails really made that more of a reality for me with this trip”. In the same way, each of you has the opportunity to play a vital role in this team. Your prayers of protection and provision will be indispensible over the next few weeks.

“Through prayer you can accompany any missionary to remote reaches of the earth. Through prayer you can walk through crowded bazaars, minister in steaming jungles, feed millions of starving men, women, and children, hungry for bread for their bodies and for the Bread of Life.”(pg 11, Touch the World Through Prayer by Wesley L. Duewel)