Some of you remember that last summer our family went on a mission trip to Fiji (The Fiji trip just "fell into place". The money for all 5 of us to go came in right away. Our passports came in 2 weeks instead of 4-8. EVERYTHING worked out boom, boom, boom, and we all felt called to go!) Ever since then our hearts have leaned toward missions, and we (including our 3 children) have all been praying that God would lead us where He would like us to be. We have prayed to go as a family, and that we'd be willing to accept His call. God often works in ways we do not understand. Last Friday I got a call from a friend from college that I haven't heard from in a long time. She said, "I'm going on a mission trip to Africa, and I need you to go with me to help do a puppet ministry with the children! And since you sing, we need you for that too!" My initial reaction was NO! As much as I'd love to go, we want to go as a family! If I went by myself, what would we do with the kids? etc., etc. But I told her I would pray about it and talk with my dh and kids and see. Well, my wonderful family was gung-ho for me to go! My dh said, "For the Fiji trip I felt that we were all called to go. This time, I don't feel called to go (I had asked him if he could go, and our kids could go to his parents place). I feel like this is a call specifically for you, such as Paul got when he got the "Come over to Macedonia and help us" call! We can work things out here!" WOW! What a guy, huh?! So as strange as I still felt, I called my friend back and told her I was willing to go if it worked out. Then I found out that the time for the trip was really the ONLY time in the summer that I COULD go, yet when I went to look on the website, that trip said FULL. To make a long story a little shorter, we waited all week for word, and just got the word that they're opening a whole new area. Noone has ever held meetings or evangelized in this one area, and they have called us to go there! What an awesome opportunity we have to reach people there for God! I'm so excited, yet a bit apprehensive too, going without my dh. But we all feel so strongly that God has, for some reason (maybe I'm the one that needs the most work!!! ) called me to this mission at this time. Other things are already falling into place. The kids are taken care of, and we're working on flights today. The trip is for about 2 1/2 weeks in June. I am asking for prayer for the people who will be coming to the meetings, the children that we do the puppet show for, and the team of people going to speak to the people and do the other work we will be doing, that God will bless and help them make a decision for Him! Sorry this is so long, I just didn't know how to make it any shorter. It's amazing to see how God has worked in this already!
!!!! HOW EXCITING!!!! I'll have my kids pray for it. Phillip, right now, has to pray for a "missionary" every night for 5 days. Maybe I can talk him into praying for you trip!
Yes, I have room for you Brenda. Get ready to go!! I wish I could take all of you along! I have another part of the story that I wanted to share: While we were waiting (on pins and needles) for the week following my friend's call, I spent each morning really praying about it, and asking God to lead whatever way He felt was best. About the 3rd or 4th morning of not knowing what would happen, I prayed that if God had anything for me to help me have peace about this trip and what He wanted me to do, that He would lead me to it in the Bible. When I opened my Bible, it was in Proverbs, and the text I first looked at was Proverbs 25:25. This is what it says: "Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land." God DID lead me to that verse, and I felt sure He was leading me to go, and I did have peace about it! I shared this with my family, and they thought it was really neat. Later my 9-yo dd came running up and said, "Mommy, I put music to that text you told us about!" Then she sang it to a cute little tune. Now we have a special text and song that has great meaning to us. It shows how God is faithful and how He leads us and answers our prayers! I think it will always be special to us now and when we remember it, we'll think of how good God is and how much He's done for us and how He's led us in the past AND now! Thankyou all so much for the prayers and encouragement!!! I'm very excited!!! However, I'm NOT looking forward to the shots! I don't mind shots, but I haven't gotten a bunch all around one time either. Oh well, a small price to pay!
A small price to pay by comparison... and such a huge harvest ground. I am so excited for you. What will this mean in terms of finances (do you have to have a specific amount of money to go)? Is this something we should be praying about as well?
Good question Brenda. YES!!! Please pray about the finances, that is definitely something that I need that God will have to work out! I know He will, it's just that I don't see that part yet. It'll be neat to see how God leads in this area! The great thing about this trip is that it's all "last-minute", so if (I should say WHEN!) it all works out---it'll be all God's glory, cuz there's absolutely NO way it would work out otherwise! Thanks again!!!
Deena, What an awesome opportunity you have! I know God will work all the details out, as He already has begun to do so. I also know He is going to use you in a wonderful way...how exciting! Will be praying!
Wow this will be an adventure of a lifetime. Take lots of pictures. Go Go Go share Gods Word that is what he instructs us to do. Use your talents to praise and serve him. I know those who here it will be lifted up. Where abouts in Africa will you be going? Right now we are praying for a tribe in Africa they are called the Kanuri. There is 4.5 million people in this tribe and fewer than 50 of them are Christians. They live in Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad. Nearly 100% of the Kanuri are Muslims and have little exposure to Christ's Gospel. I wish you the best and will be putting you and your group on our prayer list.
CAMEROON!!! I know where that's at! It's at the "armpit"" of Africa! (You know...the place on the western coast where the coast heads east, and then makes a sharp southern dip). We read about Mary Slessor, who was a missionary in that area. That's the ONLY reason I know where it's located!
We read about Mary Slessor too, what a woman! We are going to Kenya, so the eastern side of Africa, but I'm not sure which village areas we will be going to.
I'll have the kids look up about Kenya! Rachael could probably tell me where it's at right now. She's into the one on-line geography game, and has learned whole continents on her own playing it.
I am so excited for you! My favorite missionaries are in the Congo. Where in Africa are you going? I will pray for your safety and for many souls to be added to the kingdom. I just get so excited when I hear about people doing the Lord's work. I would love love love to go on a missions trip. My dh is not as convicted in that area as myself. Maybe the Lord will allow me to take a trip someday. What an honor the Lord has given you!
We found out today where we are going. It's in Kenya, a village or small city called Sotik. If you draw a straight line from Nairobi to Kisumu (near Lake Victoria), Sotik is about 3/4 of the way Kisumu and a little south of you drew a straight line. Hey, I've learned a lot more about the geography of Africa since I found out about this than I've probably ever known! Yes, it is AMAZING to see God work! And I do feel honored!!! I am praying a LOT now that I will be and do what He wants me to do there! And I hope to learn, grow, and be able to share when I get back of how amazing God is! Another request to go with this---my friend that lives near me, that is going with me, and I are throwing together a yard sale for this weekend, cuz it's the last chance she'll have to do this. Besides, we'll soon need to be paying for our tickets. So, I am asking that you pray that God will bless our effort. We worked HARD today beginning the process, my kids helped a LOT, and now we're all pooped! But it'll be worth whatever we can get towards helping us get there. I know God will provide, since He has led us this far, but we feel we need to do our part as much as possible! Here's a neat story: She called her landlord about being able to have the yard sale because we're raising funds for a mission trip, and he's letting us use his barn (it's cemented and usually has some kind of tenant to store things there, but for some reason noone is renting it right now)! It's got a whole 1300 or more sf room that's inside that we are able to set up in and he's doing it because he wants to help with missions! It's going to be VERY nice! Isn't that cool?! I hope it goes well....even so, whatever we make is more than we had before!
Deena, This is great ! I will also be praying for you. Keep us posted as your preparations progress. Blessings, Sherry
Deena, That is so neat. Wish we were closer to help you out some. Maybe I could go with you and Brenda what do you think. Sounds like so much fun. We still have the post card you send us last year. My dd's talk about it alot yet. I wish you and your family the best. Keep in touch and let us know how things are going? Oh if I missed it I am sorry when are you leaving?
We're leaving in mid-June Kris, so start packing, you may have to share a suitcase with Brenda, but I'll be sure to throw some peanuts and water in for your trip! :lol: No, I wish you guys could come, it's so exciting to think I'm actually going to Africa! The funny thing is, when I was young, the astor of our church and his family had been missionaries in Africa, and told many stories about it. So from about age 5 to about 12, if you asked me what I was going to be when I grew up, I'd say, "A missionary in Africa!" No question about it in my mind then! So it's neat that I actually AM going!
