It has been 6 months since I updated the website. I have to go back and document the happenings over the past six months. We finally met our fundraising goal for Liberia, but it turned out to be bitter-sweet.

We made a lot of build-your-own frame kits for the Art Fest this year. We also made a few 30×40″ frames to demonstrate the size of picture we can frame. 30×40″ is just a round number. Our setup can now basically accommodate any size frame. Going into the Art Fest I felt like I shouldn’t have any expectations; that I should focus on trying to find Christmas gifts for other people. I largely had Aaron run the tent while I shopped and talked to other vendors. Finally, we didn’t sell a whole lot, but we got some donations. This was also the night we got the news that the Liberia trip may not be happening at all. There weren’t enough people that could go. The trip never got off the ground. What do I tell my sponsors? What do I tell my son? What do I do next?

Be patient. Trust God. That’s the answer I got so I went through Christmas with the assumption we still might go. I put supplies on my Christmas list. We finished fundraising. We got our yellow fever vaccines. We practiced riding dirt bikes in the AZ sand. And the trip didn’t happen. A year of fundraising. A year of building frames. A broken finger, two surgeries, and ongoing physical therapy. A year of uncertainty, doubt, self consciousness. And the trip didn’t happen. Now what?

I had to discuss with Paul at the church. I had to discuss with my son. I had to discuss with my sponsors. The church goes to Malawi every year, but I have a conflict and can’t go this year. There are some other trip options, but none that my son is interested in. Finally, we’re going to wait a whole year more and go in 2026. If Liberia doesn’t happen by then, then the new plan is Malawi in June, 2026. Be patient. Trust God.

I don’t know what God has in store for us. I can’t fully comprehend how the situation impacts my son. However, for me I feel like the past year has a been a year of growth. God showed up. It wasn’t in the way I was expecting. It was in the opposite way I was expecting. He showed up in the doubt, uncertainty, self consciousness. He showed up in the pain and struggles. He hasn’t revealed His plan yet, but He revealed Himself. That has to be enough for now. What do I do next? Be patient and trust God. That’s all I can say for now.