Fundraising

One of the things I least enjoy is asking for money. That is why the first thing I ask for is prayers. Prayer opens the heart and allows the Holy Spirit to talk. Going abroad and helping out those who are less fortunate while spreading the great news of the Gospel is both life changing and exhilarating. Unfortunately, the reality is that it costs money when travelling is involved. Many people think that when churches send people on mission trips that the church pays for the trip. That is usually not the case. As with my trip to Africa, every member that goes on a mission trip is responsible for raising the funds themselves and then paying whatever remainder is left.

The cool thing with that is it forces you to give it up to God and to trust Him. That is a hard thing to do especially in today's weak economy. Not many people have money laying around that they are waiting to get rid of. I understand this, which is one of the reasons why I hate asking for money. When you truly feel led by God to do something or to go somewhere the last thing that should stop you is money. I don't think God starts something He doesn't intend to finish.

Right now that is where my prayers are going. I pray first and foremost that His will be done. I also pray that God uses me not only in Malawi, but to have some kind of impact on my family and friends as well. I am eager to share this adventure with anyone who wants to be a part of it. I will gladly accept prayer support for me and my family, financial support to get there, and the support of just following along with this amazing journey.

Thanks for reading.

Garage Sale Time!

This whole journey to Malawi began with garage sales so it only seems fitting to have another one to help me get to Malawi. My team is going to have a fundraiser garage sale on March 21 to help raise funds to get us to Africa. 100% of everything we make will be put towards our Africa trip. If you have any items in sell able condition that you would like to donate to the team please feel free to contact me.
It would be awesome to see God's glory be magnified through the generosity of others. Pray for a fundraising miracle!

The journey begins

This blog is about my journey to Africa! I am excited and nervous at the same time. This is truly going to be a life changing experience. I look forward to what God is going to show and teach me. I have never traveled out of the U.S., so that alone will be new to me. I will do my best to keep you up to date on everything I am doing, learning, and experiencing. I invite and encourage you to keep checking back.

Our team leader, Cindy, also started a team blog. The link is under the "Trip Link" section, as well as links to the groups we will be visiting!

We have had our first team meeting and it was great to begin getting to know the other team members who are going. Annie and I sent out support letters this week so we are praying that they arrive safely and that everyone else enjoys seeing exactly what will be going on!

Where is Malawi?

Many people ask me where Malawi is. It is a small country in Africa located next to Mozambique and Zambia on the southern half of the continent. Here is a map for you to see.