One thing we've learned while preparing for this mission is that leaving for 18 months involves much more than packing suitcases.
As we've worked through the practical side of getting ready,
we've realized just how many parts of everyday life need a plan before we leave.
One of the biggest decisions was what to do with our home. We
were fortunate to find renters through friends at church, which has given us a
lot of peace of mind. Because we'll be leaving the house furnished, most of our
preparation has focused on packing away personal belongings and making space
for someone else to comfortably live here while we're gone.
Over the years we've tried to stay on top of home maintenance,
taking care of both major and minor repairs as they came along. We've replaced
the water softener, installed a new hot water heater, updated roofing paper,
replaced the air conditioner, and installed a new garage door opener. While
there's never a guarantee that nothing will go wrong, we've done our best to
leave the house in good condition and hope it serves our renters well during
the time we're away.
We're also planning to sell our vehicles before we leave. That
process has been slowed down by one unexpected challenge: locating the titles.
We know they're somewhere, but at the moment they seem to have disappeared into
one of those "safe places" that no one can remember later.
A surprising amount of preparation involves things that most
people never think about. We're reviewing subscriptions that need to be
canceled, confirming our banking and financial accounts can be managed online, setting up autopay for bills, and moving most statements to paperless. Utilities
will largely remain in our name, although the gas and electric service will be
transferred to the renters once they move in.
We've also been working through several administrative tasks
that are important before living overseas. We're renewing driver's licenses
that would expire while we're gone, obtaining international driving licenses,
reviewing insurance coverage, scheduling dental appointments, and meeting with our
financial advisor to make sure everything is prepared for the next 18 months.
One change we're making is switching to the Church's health
insurance plan. Our current insurance provides limited overseas coverage, while
the Church plan offers better protection for the time we'll be serving abroad.
Along with all the practical preparations, there are still
important experiences ahead. We have family members we want to spend time with
before we leave, mission training courses to complete, and eventually we'll be invited to give our farewell talks to our congregation at church before beginning this next chapter.
Sometimes it feels like every time we cross one item off the
list, two more appear. But little by little, things are coming together.
The mission itself still lies ahead, but many of the
preparations that make it possible are happening right now.
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