Prayer Requests for Africa

It's been a whirlwind over the past week or so as I've finished prepping for Ethiopia. I still don't feel entirely prepared (I'm sure everyone feels like this when they leave to go on missions!). Nonetheless, I'm excited to go and excited to meet my team.

I'm at home in Ohio with my family today and tomorrow and am so thankful that I get to spend Christmas with them before I leave. I fly to Washington DC on Saturday morning to meet up with my team and we leave Saturday night from DC around 8:30 pm to head to Ethiopia. Please keep us in your prayers:

• Pray that we would all be able to make it to DC without any major issues. We're coming from all over the country and weather is, of course, a bit of concern at this point.
• Pray that we would have safe travels to and from Ethiopia and that we would be safe traveling around the country.
• Pray that we would be able to see past cultural differences to see that Christ is Savior for all nations and all people.
• Pray that even through exhaustion we would be able to love with the love of Christ and to give all that we have.
• Pray that we would be free from illnesses while we are there and when we return.
• Pray that this experience would not end after 2 weeks. Pray that when we return we take action from what we have seen and learned.
• Pray that we are reminded that even though there is injustice around the world, God hates injustice and will one day come to rescue all victims of injustice and redeem this world. (I'll be honest...I think this is the one I probably need most prayers for right now. I've already thought to myself multiple times "How can just 2 weeks possibly make a difference? There is so much injustice all around the world and no matter what I do, it won't be enough." My heart is heavy thinking that even as I type this to you there are children dying from malnutrition and preventable illnesses and there are women giving their bodies to provide for their families. But I know that all will be redeemed and given new life when Christ returns. I pray that my team and I can find peace in knowing this.)
  
• Pray that we would stay hopeful and keep our heart and eyes open to the work that God is already doing in Ethiopia and has been doing for many, many years.
• Pray that we would be able to learn from the people of Ethiopia. I keep thinking about everything we're going to share with the people of Ethiopia when we go, but I have this sneaking suspicion that I have an awful lot to learn from them, too.
  

If you'd like to be praying for our specific projects, here's the schedule of where we'll be on each day:

Monday 12/28 - Little A Hope in Addis Ababa
Tuesday 12/29 - Women at Risk in Nazareth
Wednesday 12/30 - Women at Risk in Nazareth
Thursday 12/31 - Women at Risk in Nazareth
Friday 1/1 - Travel to Ambo
Saturday 1/2 - School time and activities with children in Ambo
Sunday 1/3 - Church and activities with children in Ambo
Monday 1/4 - School time and activities with children in Ambo
Tuesday 1/5 - Classroom time and activities with street children in Ambo
Wednesday 1/6 - Classroom time with children in Ambo
Thursday 1/7 - Fistula Hospital/Hannah's Orphanage in Addis

Christmas. Music. Nombres Quatre.

Honestly I wish it were Christmas all year long. Amidst the craziness of shopping and prep and such it somehow always feel peaceful to me. The Truth of Christ comes alive for me.

A baby.

Sent to save the world.

To die.

For me.

For you.

To fulfill the law.

And we don't deserve it. At all. But He loves us. More than we can ever fathom. He cares about our every step, our every breath, every hair on our head. He's not a far away God, but a real, personal savior.

It doesn't make sense. Why God would give his perfect son for a world of imperfect people. But he did. And all we can do is accept it freely.

This song really speaks to my heart...for reasons I can't totally explain. In any case...listen to it. And be reminded of the love of Christ for you.

Women at Risk Ethiopia

16 days from today I'll be leaving for Ethiopia! SO thrilled! And I already have so many many stories to share.

In the meantime, watch this video about Women at Risk Ethiopia (W.A.R.E). It's one of the organizations we'll be visiting while there. So excited to hang out with these women!

Christmas. Music. Numero 3.

As I was in my car today, I had the local Christian radio station playing because they've been playing some pretty good Christmas music lately. I heard a new song and the lyrics just really hit me. I ended up buying the entire Christmas Album from Downhere (I've actually never heard of them before...hmm). The album is new this year and I definitely recommend it.

The song I really like is called "How Many Kings?" You can listen to the song on their Myspace page here.

"How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
How many Gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that has torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?
Only one did that for me"

Pray Boldly

Just a short, quick post. I'll be leaving for Africa this month! Plans are coming together nicely and I'm getting really excited for it. I was having a discussion recently with another girl (Sarah) who is going on the trip. She said something that really struck a chord with me and I've been thinking about a lot lately. First she said "I know the trip is a few weeks away still, but already I feel as though I have so much to tell about my trip to Ethiopia." The funny thing is, I feel the same way. I haven't even left yet already I feel like I have stories to share about how God is using this experience.

Later, the whole team was on a conference call and we were discussing a book we are all reading together in preparation for our departure called "Mack and Leanne's Guide to Short Term Missions." We were talking about praying for our trip and how we expect God to show up in our work and ministries while we are in Africa. And typically, mission trips do result in life-changing experiences because we experience God so intensely. But the thing is, typically we pray pretty boldly for mission trips. I know for this particular trip I've been praying a lot!! So the thing is, why don't I pray with that same boldness about the missions I'm involved with here...right here in my community? Why don't I pray boldly about the children I work with at the rescue mission? Why don't I pray boldly for my small group? Why don't I pray boldly for my colleagues? Why don't I pray boldly for my family? Why don't I pray boldly for my friends? Why don't I pray boldly for my roommate? Why don't I pray boldly for my city? Maybe if I were in constant, never-ceasing prayer for the every day things of my seemingly ordinary life I would experience God in a powerful way right here. Maybe I need to be praying that he would awaken my heart to the work he is doing around me. Every. Single. Day.

I believe in the necessity of international missions. Obviously, I do--I couldn't be more anxious and excited to go to Africa. But at the same time, my eyes are being opened to the reality that God is calling us to be bold in our faith here. That God is calling us to be missionaries here. That God's work needs done here.

So I'm challenging myself (and you!) to pray boldly. Pray boldly that your heart will be awakened and you will experience God in your ordinary, everyday life. Pray that His love and His Truth would be evident through your actions to the people you come in contact every day. Pray that you would see the needs of the people immediately around you and that you would rise up to meet those needs with love and compassion. Pray that God would come and fill you with hope for this nation and all nations.

Pray Boldly.
And have faith that He hears.