I just wanted to send out a brief update from Sweden during my short visit here before returning to South Africa to sail across the Atlantic to Brazil. I have been thinking this morning about a common theme that we have encountered on virtually every step of our journey to this point. It's probably best illustrated by a few scenes in a movie from the 90s about Shakespeare and the theatre, in which things always seemed to be utterly falling apart. One of the main characters, played by Geoffrey Rush, is always able to calmly keep faith that things would work out. The introduction to this repeated theme in the movie came when a couple of strongmen and his creditor, Mr. Pennyman, to whom he was quite indebted lifted the character played by Rush by the arms, held him against a pole and literally were going to hold his feet to the fire again.
Rush said: "Mr. Pennyman allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster."
Mr Pennyman: "So what do we do?"
Rush: "Nothing. Strangely enough it all turns out well."
Mr. Pennyman: "How?"
Rush: "I don't know." ... "It's a mystery."
Beatrice and I found it no great stretch to replace "theatre business" with sailing around the world in this context and have repeatedly used these words to comfort and encourage one another as we've time and again come up against challenges and obstacles that from all worldly vantage points seemed insurmountable. It's become abundantly clear to us that God has quite deliberately cloaked Himself in mystery in a very intentional effort to get us to trust Him unconditionally, with all our hearts and on every occasion.
This last leg of the journey was no exception. In Richards Bay the motor inexpicably would not start. Outside the harbor in Durban it failed again, our batteries were not charging and we needed to be towed several miles into the port. Rounding Cape Agulhas (also known as the Cape of Storms, where over 140 ships have come to a sad end) we encountered headwinds of 30-40 knots, high and steep seas and were quickly running out of fuel as the westerly and even more favorable southwesterly winds, which had been forecast and which we could have sailed with, never developed. Yet, as always, it all "turns out well."
Right now Elin lies peacefully in a safe harbor in Simonstown, just over the hill from Cape Town, with two reliable crew working on her to prepare her for the next stretch over the Atlantic to Brazil and, God willing, beyond. Meanwhile, due to the unexpected generosity of some good friends, I was able to come for a short visit to surprise Gabriella on her sweet sixteenth birthday and to reconnect with the family after being away for nearly two full months. I will go into more detail about this in the future, but I feel I need to mention here that we have decided to stay in Sweden another year. The reasons are too many to discuss now, but, in short, Beatrice and the kids are so obviously thriving on so many fronts and have gotten so connected with school friends, church friends, work colleagues etc... and then of course Beatrice's family, that it became apparent God was actually directing us to stay longer.
With that in mind would you please join us in praying for the following issues: That Gabriella will do well on her math test on April 29th and be accepted into the International Baccalaureate program, a prestigious school for which there are very few spots available, here in Örebro. That Josh will continue to excel in school and be prepared for university level studies which he wants to do in Sweden and that Beatrice will continue to enjoy her work with Open Doors and continue providing much needed expertise in regard to their computer programs and support networks and that she will have a wonderful trip with them to Eygpt later this summer. That I and my crew would have a smooth and uneventful sail across the Atlantic and that God would again provide abundant opportunities for ministry there most likely focused on the personal relationships and connections that He creates virtually everywhere we go. Lastly please pray God would provide the funds needed so that we can visit and reconnect with family and friends in Colorado this summer and that we will find a safe, secure place to leave Elin for a long and much deserved rest!
As always we eagerly welcome and await your news and prayer requests and want to, although wholly inadequately, express our deep and heartfelt gratitude for all of the prayers, support and encouragement so many of you have so generously poured out on us. Please know that we fully comprehend this has been very much a team effort and without all of your help and prayers it very literally would not have been possible. Hopefully we have, in some small way, been able to recompense you somewhat by showcasing a clear and definitive example of God's unwavering faithfullness. Again and again He has shown us that if we'll just dare to trust Him and cast off those bow lines one more time to venture out into the unknown, one more time, He will most certainly provide all that we could anticipate needing and all that we didn't even know we'd need and will see us safely to the next safe harbor. Whatever your station in life, if you will trust Him wholeheartedly, be assured, though "how" may be a "mystery," He will certainly do just the same for you.
In Him,
Kenny, Beatrice, Joshua and Gabriella Shoemaker
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