As of 12/12/12 we are officially one month away from leaving our home in Oregon to head to
Sierra Leone. Tyler and I have felt overwhelmed by the support of friends and
family. People have offered us their prayers, advice, clothing, dinner… one
sweet friend even offered to help clean and organize our belongings as we pack
up for the trip! It has been unbelievable to experience and humbly receive the
beauty and love of people as we have prepared for this journey of joy.
It has been especially humbling to
receive financial support. Friends we haven’t connected with for years have
given, acquaintances, our families, precious friends from middle school, high
school, college….so many have gathered and sacrificed of their own resources to
build the financial catapult to send us off. We
can’t find adequate words to express how this has forever changed our lives.
It doesn’t feel enough to say thank you. I’ve felt so often that I want to say
thank you by paying people back! These gifts have blessed us. Ultimately- ALL
OF THIS SUPPORT (whether prayerful, or financial)- we recognize as the literal
expression of God’s grace, love, and provision in our lives! We thank God for
all he has done for us!! We believe in Jesus, that He is God, and that He cares
for each individual so deeply and so passionately.
Ephesians 2 says “But God, being rich in mercy, because of
the great love with which he loved us, even dead in our trespasses (the bad and
selfishness that is in all of us), made us alive together with Christ- by grace
you have been saved—and raised up with him…so that He (God) might show the
immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus. For by
grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing, it is
the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
All that everyone has given
to us, all that God has done for us, is the most beautiful gift. We have done
nothing to deserve it. We can’t boast,
except of Jesus, and of our incredible friends and family!! We love you!
Children of the Nations is an incredible organization to partner with. The work
they’re doing, to raise children from within their own country- to transform
their own nation- this is good. It’s SOLID work. We’re proud to partner alongside them to
further the work already in progress in Sierra Leone- to fully restore their
nation that has been devastated by war. COTN (cotni.org) has been so great to
support us every step of this journey, and has been a family to us.
Please continue to pray for Tyler and I. There are two
HUGE requests we have:
1. We have raised 75%
of our budget! Woot! But! We
still need to raise about $3,000 more dollars (or more, Lord willing).
Please consider joining the work in Sierra Leone by financially giving. (If you
are considering, please call or email me! I’d love to talk with you)
2.
We are looking
for someone to sublet our apartment. If we don’t find someone ASAP, we’ll move
our things into storage. Please pray for all the right doors to open and close.
We know whatever is meant to work out will.
Well, we’re all vaccinated. Our Visa applications are sent
off. We’re studying to learn about the people of Sierra Leone. We’re praying .
We’re connecting with people. We’re studying nurse things. The process has been
AWESOME. We are STOKED to live with the people of Sierra Leone, to share of
God’s goodness and all He has done for us, and to do this through friendship
and delivery of nursing care. That Ephesians passage continued to say: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for
good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Tyler and I truly believe we are called to go on this mission,
and that in this season of our lives, this is the good works that God has
called us to. Thank you for joining and helping us in this!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We love
each of you!
Please PLEASE let us know how we can love and support you.
You’re in our prayers!
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