It's About the Children: April 2007

Friday, April 27, 2007

COUNT DOWN TO AFRICA

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! I am now a $1,000 closer to Africa! I am just 3 months out from heading back to Africa for the third time. Every trip is a little more exciting and a little more of a faith building experience. Every year we take our left over VBS supplies with us. This year our VBS theme is Avalanche Ranch, we are wondering if the kids of Africa know about cowboys. This will be another interesting and eventful trip! Can't wait!

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My Testimony

I grew up in a Christian home where I was drug to church every time the doors were open. I spent my childhood trying to follow the Christian ways that my parents had drilled into my head, but when I was 10 I made a choice all on my own to accept Christ as my Savior and follow and serve Him for the rest of my life. I continued to follow after God, and when I was 15 I knew God was calling me into full time ministry. In my mind I believed their were only 2 options for me; a children’s pastor or a youth pastor. For 10 years I went around and around and around because I let fear stop me from doing what God created me to do. Finally I got tired of not going anywhere and I asked God what is it that you want me to do. He told me He wanted me on the mission field. This was very hard for me to hear because I spent my entire life with a fear of leaving the United States, I grew up saying I was never going to another country. I put aside all my fears and said O.K. God I will go. My first trip out of the United States God sends me by myself, I cried for a week before I left, I cried on the plane the whole way down to Honduras, but once I got there and I experienced what God had waiting for me it was greater than anything I had experienced in the States. After setting foot on foreign soil I knew thats where I was spending the rest of my life. I still was not completely open to what God had for me I still had some restrictions. We had a sermon series called The HPC Apprentice; 4 people out of the church were chosen and I was 1 of the 4, we spent several weeks just doing whatever was asked of us, serving the church, serving the community and then at the end the church voted on who they thought should win. I did not win, but the guy who did win won a trip to Swaziland, Africa. After finding out what the prize was I was so glad I did not win, because I had also spent my entire life saying I was never going to Africa. Well, over the next 6 months God begins to work on me and all of a sudden I am now telling my sister I really want to go to Africa. My sister had a friend who was going to Africa in 2 months so she called her up and told her I wanted to go to Africa, so she said let me see what I can do. Next thing I know I’m receiving a phone call saying I hear you want to go to Africa. Within a month I had raised every penny I needed for the trip and within another month I was on a plane to Africa. Do you know I made it to Africa before the guy who won the trip to Africa? When God has a plan He makes away. So 2005 was the first year I went to Africa, I went home from that trip with a calling on my life to reach, serve, nurture and love the children of Africa. I spent six months living in Mozambique, Africa I returned with an even greater passion to reach the unforgotten children around the world. After returning from Africa I co-founded Red Thread Ministries to help those who are without means to help themselves. We work with children domestic and international, sharing the love of Jesus. For more information and ways to get invovled checkout our website at www.redthreadministries.org