I have a rather big and personal prayer request to share at this time. As many of your may know, last summer (2021) I lost the rental property in Talysarn, which had been my home since my return to Wales in 2017. It was simply a matter of the landlords’ wanting to sell the property (it is definitely a “sellers’ market” in Northwest Wales at the moment).
I tried to find a place to move into before leaving in early October last year for this furlough back in the USA. However, because of the housing market at the moment, there were simply no appropriate rental properties available before returning to the USA. I generally require much more room in housing than most single people would, because of several ministry factors (storing our research/learning materials in addition to my own library, in addition to having enough room to house interns and others for varying lengths of time, hosting fellowship and small groups, etc.). Consequently, all of my earthly possessions are currently in storage.
Since returning to the USA in October, I’ve been checking weekly (sometimes more often) for rental properties that might be available in that area of Wales. There have simply been no viable options, given all the needs, and even those that are listed have increased their monthly rent by anywhere from an additional £200 to 400 per month over what I was paying previously (which might require that I do more personal fundraising to raise that additional monthly support for housing). In addition to the other issues I’ve mentioned, I’ve also been trying to be in or as near as possible to the area, where I was living previously (the Nantlle Valley), as we have local ministry initiatives going on there. However, there is absolutely nothing in the area, and I’ve even extended the search to a 20-mile radius out from that area, and I’ve still not seen anything available that’s even remotely what we’re needing.
My time in the USA is quickly coming to an end. I’m due to fly out from Chicago to Dublin on the 6th of April, arriving very early in the morning on the 7th. I might spend the night in Dublin before heading over to Wales on the ferry, in order to recover a bit from the flight, but I might just go on to Wales on the 7th (haven’t decided). However, at this moment, I do not have a place to move to on the 7th. In fact, at this point, I don’t really know where I am going to stay on my first night back in Wales.
I probably should be a bit more concerned about this than I am (I figure the Lord will provide something in His timing). However, I think that this uncertainty regarding my situation makes friends and family here in the USA and elsewhere a bit concerned for me. I would like to ask that you, please, pray for the Lord to provide a place to live in this very basic need related to my return to Wales.