S - T - R - E - T - C - H - I - N - G I'm not sure what the Lord still has in mind for us with the training he's giving us these days. All I know is that it is just a faith- and flexibility-stretching exercise. As much as Jeremie has ever increasing training for his rowing, having to get up just about every morning at 4:45am PLUS more after school work-outs (and all of this to win regattas!), why should we escape rigorous training to win a prize far more valuable?! I have a feeling He's training us for greater challenges - maybe having to do with what he wants us to do for orphaned babies and children in Africa...???!!! Don't know. Anyways, we have 3 more days before our big move and are still not sure where we'll be moving to! We still feel quite strongly to pursue the purchase of the said home and could even move into that home IF we paid a 10% deposit and made an unconditional purchase agreement for the end of February. With the help of family, we could actually make the deposit (which is a miracle in itself!), but we would have no idea how the rest of the house would get financed. All we would need is a loan with 5% interest and we would end up paying as much in mortage repayments as we are spending in rent right now. Not bad, eh? The only challenge is to find this loan, since in NZ interest rates are 8%. We could do it, too, if somebody was to partner with us in the purchase of the home - with that part then belonging to them, including the capital gain etc. Enough said for that. Our alternative is to live at the "House of Prayer" student dormitory for some time and/or go camping. We have to bear in mind, too, that we are having long-awaited guests from Tahiti with us for Christmas... We may be crazy, but we turned down a rental opportunity last week because of the strong sense that the Lord wants to give us that home - somehow. It is stretching, to say the least., but the faith in our hearts for that home is so real that we can't imagine going into another (long-term) rental. Lord, please help us, guide us, strenghten us and provide the home that YOU have promised!!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!