Colorado: Colt Ranch

On Friday May 22nd Andy and I left for our required training in Colorado Springs. Our training here at MTI begins officially today, but we decided to take a few days over the weekend to relax and reconnect after a busy and stressful semester. Andy picked out a wonderful bed & breakfast (Colt Ranch) in Southern Colorado, just North of the New Mexico boarder.

The couple who run Colt Ranch breed highland cattle and have several horses and burros. Their property also includes what is now the abandoned mining town of Primero. We had a beautiful view of the mountains from out window and went hiking between the rain showers. The local scenery reminded us a lot of Turvo with all the pine trees, hills and adobe-style homes.I had never been west of Missouri so I have been soaking up all the new scenery, we are definitely enjoying the diversity of God's beautiful creation.

This morning we drove our last 2 1/2 hours up to MTI. We'll have our orientation later on this afternoon.

Follow this link to more pictures.

Visa Drama

Finish school: check. Move out of our house: check. Begin fund raising: check. Turn in visa application: not quite.

Here's an update on our visa situation so far. Our applications have been turned down twice by the Brazilian consulate in Chicago. The first time we were rejected because applicants for a missionary visa much apply in person. After some last minute scrambling, Andy made the trip up to Chicago on April 24th. We were rejected again, this time because we lacked a necessary document from Brazil. Currently we are waiting for this necessary document to arrive. We were hoping to receive it on May 7th (yesterday) and go to Chicago today but that didn't happen.

Both Andy and I are frustrated about the visa situation, and even though we would love to just have deliverance we suspect God's trying to develop us. We hope we can get our applications turned in before we have to leave for Colorado on May 22nd. We covet your prayers.