Missions update....................

Well......just when I thought things were going well just when I thought I had figured out what God was wanting me to and thinking it was going to be smooth sailing.....God decided to shut that door, and I am now opening other doors to see what is behind each door.

Mission Ventures decided that I could not serve with them because of a theological difference. Some gifts of the Holy Spirit are not acceptable. To me that is something that still boggles my mind! I have also had some contact from Sim. I am not sure if I will qualify for them either because my husband does not have a heart for missions and they will not send anyone married out on a trip without their spouse. Also, I have been divorced (before Christian and he divorced me!) and it was Biblical. I have to write a letter explaining. I just did not know that it was all that hard to find a place to serve.

I am in the process of filling out two applications to see where God wants me to be. One is for Launch Out Ministries and one for Lemis. Both cost so I am not sure if I should pay for both. The first one is $50 and the other one is $100. Both of them require the approval of my pastor which is not a worry for me at all.

So yeah I am not sure what God has in store but yeah I am just opening the doors and seeing what is around the corner.

Oh I heard some really good news today! One of my favorite people ever is running for public office!! Rick Dancer is running for Secretary of State for the State of Oregon! Finally someone in office who could make a difference and is not in it for HIM.... He for sure has my vote!!!!

Another smile from God!

Yep He has done it again! It seems like everyday! oh man!!! So yeah I got an email today from NWCC letting me know that he was going to be canceling our appointment because he has to meet with a minister that is coming in from Africa. I have been invited to go and listen to him and you will never believe that it happens to be at the same time as my lunch!!! Yeah hmmm

We bummed into someone the other day when my husband and I were at Kmart that we had not seen for 3 years. It is someone that he used to work with... and guess where his homeland is....AFRICA...I just can't wait to see what he is going to bring tomorrow.

WOW another Whirl wind of a week!!!

Man I am telling you it has been a VERY revealing week. I don't have time to write much now but I am going to just put the high points and then come back this weekend and expound on what is going on!

Yesterday I talked with JJ Harding and we are going to interview on Monday at 11 (my lunch). I am a little nervous but the doors are just opening left and right.

Tom has been supportive of my non-stop talking about this trip. He went to the OSU Library and got me a book on Customs in Mozambique.

I also got an email from North West Christian College and the campus pastor had lead a 21 person group last year to Mozambique. We are going to get together some time next week and talk. Man do I have ALOT of questions.

I got a call on the way home today that there are three ladies that want to talk with me when I can get their numbers to call them. There is also a lady that has been a missionary in Mozambique and she is here on furlough. They will be having a brown bag lunch so that we can hear her talk! It is all coming together!

It is so awesome to be in God's will and just giving myself to him has been awesome!

Missions Details.

I have been doing some research and this what my trip will consist of:

Purpose:
Jesus understood that spiritual need does not exist in a bubble. Jesus met people on their level. He showed compassion. He cared for physical needs in addition to spiritual needs. He understood His culture, and he worked to change it from the inside out. His heart broke for those in need.

As Christians, we are called to be like Christ.

Mozambique is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world, with 90% unemployment. Ancestor worship and animistic religions are the prevalent belief systems. In addition, it also is ravaged by AIDS, commonly viewed as the leprosy of our generation.

In Mozambique, we will intentionally research the following topics:

- Disease (visits to hospitals, cemetery, orphanages)

- Spiritual darkness (visit to a service from another religion, conduct street interviews, possibly attend a funeral, etc)

- Poverty (tour residential dump, arranged home stays)

Then we will respond:

- We will spend numerous days working in an AIDS orphanage

- We will run a VBS, engage in or lead church services, bible studies, and conduct prayer walks

- We will help build a home, dig a well, or plant fields for the severely underprivileged in Maputo

The goal of this trip is to learn how to love like Jesus in a culture in need, when that culture is different from your own. In order to change a world for Christ, we need to understand the culture first. Treat this as a vision trip for future ministry in Mozambique.

Your heart will break in Mozambique, and that is good. Brokenness leads to action, and God desires action.

Uhh I can't wait. I am trying to do some research now and today at church I got a couple good leads! God is opening doors one by one!

January went out with a bang!!

Well January has ended with a bang. I what chatting with a friend of mine online the other day and was telling him my heart felt desire to go on a missions trip. I had told him that I would love to go to Kenya but because of the war that is going on right now my family is saying no. So then I had told him that I would also like to go to Mozambique. As I was telling him this I got an email from MissionVentures telling me that they had two people drop out of their Mozambique trip and that he would like me to go through their process. Oh my goodness I was so excited and I still am! I can't wait to see what God is going to do with this! Tom has been gone do a Men's retreat for church and he is having a great time. He has been gone for about three days and it seems like a lifetime! I can't wait for him to come home!!!

I have contacted the African Students association at the University of Oregon in hopes that I can volunteer or work with their group. I am just so hungry to learn about the African culture!