Missions

I can clearly remember a night during Missions Conference at my church when I "answered the call" and went forward to show my church that I was willing to be a missionary. I think I was maybe 10 or 11. That was a TERRIFYING moment...seriously. I hate altar calls because I struggle with the fear of am I doing this for other people or for God...but I definitely know that God has placed missions on my heart.

I was driving the other day and remember an EARLY age...like before I was 10 that I would tell people that I wanted a "black baby" some day. I have always wanted to work in an orphanage and love children that are desperate for love and human touch.

The main reason I chose to go to Prairie Bible College, after MUCH deliberation and consideration(I had tons of pamphlets and information on my ULTIMATE dream of YWAM schools) was their missions heart. I was touched and blessed in my four years there to interact with MANY missionaries and beyond that so many of my close friends have hearts for missions too. All of my best friends are in ministry whether it is under a Christian organization or their heart for Jesus in every day life.

And one of my most treasured memories in my adult life was living in Dominican Republic working with Haitian children who lived in a village that was supported by a beautiful mission called Children of the Nations.

The past ten years since Prairie Bible College....(EEK...10 years????)....have not looked like I would have imagined. I actually remember getting a call from Prairie who was checking in on Alumni across the world to see what we were "up to" and I told them I was a waitress in a local Pizza shop....um....the call ended pretty quickly after that. It didn't hurt me (that much) but it definitely caused me to wonder why things turned out the way they did. Even when I made plans to travel to Japan to teach English with my best friend KT at an amazing Christian organization that I had felt reflected my heart perfectly....it didn't work out. I ended up at a school 3 hours away that was not Christian and only stayed for a year instead of the 2 or 3 I had planned for.

All of this to say,
I have been lead down a path that has ended me about a km from where I grew up...and most of my family is a 2 or 3 minute drive from where I live. I married a man who has traveled to Africa, Australia and lived out West. And although we are not working full time in an African orphanage, he has supported an African boy named Isaac for the past couple years. We have a little orphan on our fridge that we can love and pray for daily. I have not traveled to the foreign lands that I have dreamed that I would go (although I do hope and pray that someday I can) but my heart is connected to so many countries right now: Japan, Bangladesh, Papa New Guinea, Africa, Canadian Native Reserves, Camp Joy/Hope in New York City, Halifax, churches all across North America, Egypt, Spain, Camp Seggie in PEI...to name a few. I also have recently been encouraged by praying for the children that my friends are raising. Praying for their relationships with Christ and their needs and knowing that God is already doing amazing things in the heritage of faith. What a privilege!

I just had this feeling this morning of the huge blessing it is to be connected to people who love Jesus. Who have hearts to serve in the place God has called them. To humbly ask for support and prayer, and to trust in faith that God will supply all their needs. For me: I also have to ask for prayer and trust that God will lead me where I should be and supply all my needs. I am not a rich girl by any means, and when I married Danny, his life changed financially because of my debt. We can't give as freely as we wish....but I love hearing needs and doing what I can. There is SO much to give to these days. SO many things that are worthy and excellent and things I want to be part of. I have surrounded myself with people who WANT to serve God and who need partners to do so. I have been the receiver of kindness over and over and over in my life and I WANT to be part of the blessing of giving to others too. There is so much that I can't do because of finances...but there is so much I can do if I listen and open my heart to how Jesus loves.

I am so honored today to have lists of people on my prayer notecards, pictures up on my fridge and to receive emails/prayer letters all the time of people sharing their stories and hearts of love.  It is EXCITING to be part of it!
Some of the people I pray for:

Sean in Papa New Guinea (the beard face)

Jonny and Holly in Bangladesh (both engineers, working on building a hospital)

April (and husband Travis) teaching in Egypt

KT teaching for over 7 years to Japanese Kindergarteners! (lucky kids to have her!!)

Paul serving with YWAM, currently raising support for Long Island, NY