But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received… the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:18-19
Overview of the trip
Hello dear friends, I’m writing from Spain after our 11-week trip to the US. My family was with me for the whole adventure. Here are some fun statistics to share:
- 21 churches preached/spoken in
- 8,300 miles driven
- 56 meal engagements with non-family, almost all with 4 little kids (plus 17 meals at conferences)
- 7 plane trips, 10 flights, 15,000 miles flown
- 26 sleeping locations
We are overall tremendously grateful to the Lord and to the friends and churches we met along the way. Everywhere we went, people were kind and generous, and we were always treated better than we deserved. We’re grateful for the friends who let us borrow their van, for the nursery workers who cared for the kids, and for so many who went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable. God kept us safe on the road, and we never missed an appointment or a flight.
Video of the stops on our trip
Goals for the trip
Our primary goal for the trip was to visit new churches and increase our monthly support. We were given the opportunity to share our ministry in 5 new churches on this trip, and (praise the Lord) all 5 have either committed to or expressed interest in taking us on as missionaries. There have additionally been other indications from other churches and individuals about taking us on or increasing support. Before our trip, we were at 65% monthly support, and right now we are at 74%, but we believe it will continue to increase in the coming months. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us!
Family singing in church
Our second goal was to visit churches that have taken us on in recent years without meeting us. We met 6 such churches on this trip, some of which have been supporting us since 2021! We’re so grateful for those who’ve invested so much in our ministry without even waiting for us to meet them in person!
Presenting the ministry in a new church
Back to work on the field
I’ve only left the pulpit a couple of times since we joined the Keisers at the seaport church in 2018. But this time away, it was a real joy to see how the work went on in our absence. For the first time, we had church members opening doors, preparing breakfast, running livestreams, and assisting the visiting preacher each Sunday. We stayed in communication throughout the trip, and they showed a spirit of service.
That being said, everyone welcomed us back with much excitement! Our first service back was on a Wednesday, and we had fantastic attendance and participation; the same goes for this Sunday. We’re back in full swing on all our church activities as we head into the summer. We’re even starting a new Bible study on Saturday mornings to complement my next preaching series on the book of Hebrews.
First Sunday back in our church
And if you’d like to receive more regular updates and prayer requests, please join my ministry update group on WhatsApp, where I communicate (a bit more) regularly. Thank you as always for your prayers for us and for the ministry!
God bless,
David
Psalm 34:3
Participating in a pastor’s conference with over 80 pastors held at Montecito Baptist Church
Sofia helping her great grandfather clean the deck
The hotel life
The kids got to meet their great Oma
At the airport
Everyone helping with luggage