Everybody Loves Raymond (Desiderio, that is)

Hey, my friends!  This is gonna be a short post tonight, I'm whooped and it's late here.  Today was a day of hangin' with Ray. I started my day out at 8:45 am by eating a home cooked meal!  Thin sliced ham, eggs, apple juice and coffee.  I GOT TO EAT EGGS FOR JESUS!  I was praying the whole time God would turn them into a doughnut on the way down, that I wouldn't gag on them, and that my gut would handle them.  I'm not any fluffier, so they didn't turn to doughnuts, I was able to smile and talk my way through breakfast, so I didn't gag, and they stayed put after breakfast, so my gut was a-ok!  Praise GOD!  I love being a missionary.  Mike, these eggs were for you, Pastor!  I was havin' me some flashbacks, baby!  Really though, if I loved eggs, this would have been a breakfast for the books.  I am eating like royalty here, and this family is amazing.  They have treated me like one of their own from the first time I stepped over the thresh hold of their front door!   Back to Ran and I....we ran all over the country side (literally and figuratively) and everywhere in between.  I left the house I'm staying at around 10:30 this morning and got back at 9:59 tonight.  It was an eventful day.  He's working on a job site that has caused him more greif than joy.  Pray for him, he's stressed, and the guy signed a contract at the beginning of this job about the cost of the job and such, and now is not honoring his word in regards to when he would pay Ray.  I can't really go in to specifics, but Ray is stressed and is trying to do the right thing and trust God.  So, pray for him, and pray that he can be a testimony and witness to this man, who also claims Jesus as his savior.  It's definitely a different world over here.  People are just wired different.  It's funny to me, how they get wound up, and THAT'S funny, cuz I get wound up pretty easy.  These people make me look calm, cool and collected at my worst.

Ray and I talked about the kids (Staten Island variety yout's) today a lot, and tomorrow is the big day.  I get to meet them, and I'm beyond excited.  Be praying that they actually show up.  The group is scattered right now, and that on top of work stress has Ray about over the top.  He has such a heart for these kids though.  Most folks would have packed it up and ditched them a long time ago.  He said he has a core of about 5 kids who show up, whenever, on Friday nights, and as long as they keep coming, so will Ray.  Hmmmm...that sounds like another youth guy I used to know.  (now he's a pastor :)) Ray gave me a list, literally a page long, of things he's got for me to do as far as the ministry in S.I. goes, and a lot of it is just connecting with these kids and hanging out with them.  I get my wheels, probably Saturday, and that will make things a bit easier.  I don't know about being able to go eat lunch with them, because the kids are spread out over 3 different schools.  So, when I spend time with them, it will probably be after school.  Ray also wants me to get the young ladies together to hang, whether it's a mall day or a movie or bowling day.  He said they aren't really the "frilly" type, which was and absolute relief to me!  No offense to the frilly types reading this and those "out there", but I have a hard time to relating to what type of foundation to buy or what shade of eyeshadow matches my lipstick (that I don't own).  Sports, shoes, jeans, that I can do.  Struggles with body image, thought patterns, depressions, etc, that I can do.  Be praying about that.  See a pattern developing???

I'm also going to be helping Ray organize a youth winter retreat/mission trip for kids from the Staten Island group, Pennsylvania and maybe Ohio, too.  The tentative dates are 12/26/11-1/2/12.  It's in the works, so cover that in prayer too.  They did this last year and it was an absolute hit with all involved, from the parents and leaders all the way down to the youngest participants and the people from the churches that helped locally.  So, this may become an anual event here.  Also, Edge Impact is the new name for Ray's ministry in Staten Island, and he is mailing off the 501 c 3 paperwork to the IRS tomorrow.  Pray it goes through without a hitch.  It would be a huge asset to Ray and the ministry to have this title for contributions that come in, and his ability to have it be connected to churches in New York and in New Jersey as far as getting info out there.  He's excited about it, and has a board of directors, etc for the ministry now.  This is a huge deal.  You know what I'm gonna say....Pray for it.

OK....I'm gonna hit the sack.  I'm beat and it's midnight.  Big day tomorrow.  I'll probably post Saturday about it because it's likely I won't be in until the weeeeeeee hours Saturday morning.  Until then....keep praying.  Love you guys!