WHAT THE NEW YEAR HOLDS

What do the Cranes have planned for the new year?  Well, Kevin is presently working on a MAPS project in Waxahachie TX, while I am preparing for our trip to Spain in March.  It is a lot more work getting ready for a 3 month trip then I thought.  I have to get my taxes done for one.  Blah! 

The first 3 months of this year will be spent working at Lakeview Camp and Conference Center in Waxahachie TX.  The next 3 month will be spent in Spain.  The first 6 weeks will be walking the Camino de Santiago and the next 6 weeks will be working on an overseas MAPS project in La Carlota, Spain.  We are anxious to leave, but too much to do yet to prepare.   

Most of my friends and family know about our past bed bug experience from our last European trip, and because of how horrible and expensive that was to get rid of them, we will be packing light and bringing back nothing.  So planning what to take that we can leave behind is a challenge.  But leaving things behind is cheaper than the possible expense if we bring back bed bugs.  

We are not backpacking it across 500 miles, just walking.  We are having our bags transferred from town to town.  I'm not up for lugging 50 lbs 500 miles. Neither is Kevin.  We have our hotels reserved.  We are also not up for staying in hostels and sharing a bathroom with who knows how many people.  Although the company would be nice, sleep is something I enjoy and need each night, especially if I am walking all day! 

We are hoping and praying to meet a lot of people who we can give a good word to and pray for on our walk.  So everyone be praying for God to show us those people and give us words that God would have them hear to help and encourage them.

Our second half of our trip is to refurbish a Bible school.  We don't have a lot of details about the job yet, but are again hoping to meet students that we can encourage and pray for.  We want to do more for the kingdom of God than just build while we are there.  Our work in MAPS consists of a lot more than just building buildings to give pastors and other leaders a place to lead, but we are there to build lives as well.  We hope to bless people along the way, and we always get blessed in the process.  We seem to do better at this with strangers than with family.  

After we get back in June from our trip, only God knows where we will go from there.  But I'll keep you all informed as God informs me.  

I miss my kids and grandkids.  I hope to see all of them sometime this year.

Written by Angie