And They Are Off...

Hello to all. Well, after much preparation and packing (and repacking to redistribute weight per airline regulations), they are off! Their flight was delayed some, but they will be flying from DFW to London for a quick transition then off again to Nairobi, Kenya. Here are some prayer points as you continue to pray.

• Long flight with little rest, except on plane. Please pray for restful sleep, when they do try to rest.
• Flight left DFW late, please pray that getting onto their connecting flight will not be a problem.
• Please pray for unity of this team. That they will grow closer together as a group. Pray that they will be a source of strength and encouragement to each other.
• Pray for their continued preparation for the conference that they will lead.
• Pray for the hearts of the Masaai people that are coming to the conference.
• Pray that each member will seek God in all that they do, and that God will use each person immeasurably more than expected
• Pray for safety and health of each member. Long travel and no sleep can sometimes be enough to get you not feeling well.
• Pray for the families and loved ones here :) That everything will go smoothly.
• Pray that God will be Glorified in all!

Amen

Nitty Gritty in Details

So, begins the countdown. Our team is leaving for Kenya this Friday. Thank you for returning to this blog and reading through all. We created this as a way to partner with you. We believe that as you read, you feel more and more connected with those going, the cause behind why they are going, and the heart and passion behind this trip. By being connected, we hope that this will help you remember and better know how to pray for the trip and the Masaai people.

It was only about 6 short weeks ago that Amber, Bobby, Carlos, and Lindsay affirmed by stepping out in faith to go, and the group was formed. This interim time has been busy. With each person from our group, life has kept going and all the hecticness that it contains. People are still working their jobs, spending time with their family, and traveling. With the regular monotony of life comes the all the other stuff too- A/C units going out, refinancing your home, and illness. Despite ALL THIS, these guys have still been preparing for this trip. They have been faithfully trying to prepare for the conference that they will be leading. They have worked at raising the $2500 financial obligation required by each to go on this trip, which is indeed a step in waiting in faith. They have had to update vaccinations- including Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Hepatitis, Tetanus, and Malaria prevention. Ouch- nothing like some shots to get you all excited and the low-grade fever that came with the Yellow Fever vaccine.

THEY ARE EXCITED THOUGH! They are serving in faith!!! They have faith that God will use them despite their inadequacies. They are having faith that God can and will work through them to touch and enlarge the hearts of the Masaai people. They faithfully know that God does all this to reach and grow His kingdom for His Glory!

Please continue to pray for each person going. Pray that all their preparation will continue without any surprises or upset. Pray that the each person attending the conference will be Blessed and grow for God, and that He will continue to prepare their hearts even now.

Lindsay's Blog

Please check out a recent post by Lindsay on her blog. She has written several great entries about Spiritual preparation for the Africa trip. The group leaves in a week and could really use your continual prayer. Her blog is...


http://www.lindsayoconnor.blogspot.com/


Be sure to check out the entry, "If you say go..." Read and enjoy! Keep coming back to the this blog too for more information as we begin countdown to leaving for Kenya, next Friday on July 9th!

Seeds for the Harvest

Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies; it remains only a single seed. But it it dies, it produces many seeds. - John 12:24

Is there some desert, or some boundless sea,
Where You great God of angels, will send me?
Some oak for me to rend,
Some sod for me to break,
Some handful of Your corn to take
And scatter far afield,
Till it in turn will yield
Its hundredfold
Of grains of gold
To feed the happy children of my God?

Show me the desert, Father, or the sea;
Is it Your enterprise? Great God, send me!
And though this body lies where ocean rolls,
Father, count me among all faithful souls.
-Leonard Woolsey Bacon

God Can Do More Than I

Our team has received their curriculum and has begun their preparations on their individual topics. Like it was said last time, there can be so many thoughts of being ill-equipped for the task at hand. When you go to serve God, many times there is a general feeling that someones salvation hinges on what you do. It is easy to feel that your readiness might affect how God moves or what He is capable of doing. Really?? Do you ever read the Bible and think God's word is so good?

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:9-11

Praise God that salvation is not dependent on man. We are a creation that is fallen. God WILL move in the Maasai people group despite our efforts. He WILL bring people to Him. He does all this and gives us the opportunity and invitation to be a part of His perfectly-timed plan. AMEN!

Pray now for our group. Pray that each member will be as prepared as they can- emotionally, Spiritually, and physically. Please, pray that we will trust our faith, serve in faith, and faithfully wait for God to do exceedingly more than what we could ever expect. For as the scriptures say, He will accomplish what He desires!

They are doing what????

So, we have talked about who is going on this trip and we have talked about where they are going. Next, let's talk about what they will be doing. This group will meet up with the three interns that are already there, and together with the help of ALARM, they will put together a youth leaders' conference. Youth there is not the same as here in the states. When you think of youth, typically some kid comes to mind. In Kenya, youth means includes young people up until their thirties, all unmarried. What a large age range! We will help train the leaders that work with this age group. This training is vitally important for this tribe to help solidify the essentials of faith. As part of the conference, each leader will receive a Bible in their own language. For many, this will be the first Bible that they will receive. Can you imagine being a leader in the church without owning a Bible?

ALARM has given the curriculum for the conference which is quite encompassing. It includes covering topics of (get ready for this is a heavy list)- discipleship, false teachings, worship, evangelism, christian leadership, Bible exposition, devotions, peer pressure, HIV/AIDS, peer pressure, youth sexuality, and conflict resolution. WOW!!!! Take a moment and think about what each one of these topics include and how you would approach teaching them to a group of people from a completely different culture. They are expecting between 80-100 attendees. Most of the classes will be large, but some will be smaller for better discussion.

These guys have a huge task in front of them and want to serve God in this way, but this task does seem quite a bit daunting, right? Can you imagine the emotions that each one of these guys are experiencing now as they begin preparation? The insecurities and doubts begin to creep in and at times they can be crippling. You start to hear the thoughts...you do not know anything on this topic...who will listen to you... you do not have enough training... you will not be prepared... you will not be relevant.... you are not a good enough Christian... you will be a failure.

This is all the more reason that our group needs and covets your prayers NOW! They need your prayers over their time to prepare, over their insecurities, and over the hearts of those attending. They need prayers now for strength, encouragement, and ability!

Who Where ?

Over the last couple of years, our church, FBCR, has partnered with ALARM, which stands for African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries. They have a great outreach for much of Central Africa. Please reference their website link for more information. This year, our church sent three young people as interns to do partner work with ALARM. They left about a week and half ago, and will be serving many locations throughout Kenya for seven weeks. Their incredible blog link is to the right. Our team will be leaving mid-July to join for their last week. So, who are these people going? In alphabetical order, they include...

• Amber R.- phys Ed teacher/coach
• Bobby D.- technical trainer
• Carlos R.- chemist
• Lindsay O.- elementary Ed teacher

Kind of a random group of people to be put together. Yet, even before they knew about this trip, God knew their abilities would be just what would be needed. More importantly, God knew that their faith in Him was just what this trip needed! This team came together rather quickly, about two weeks ago to be exact, and now through their preparation, they are learning more about each other and becoming more united.

They are beginning preparation for their trip. They are heading to Kenya, a country on the East side of Africa, right on the Equator. This country is predominantly Christian (~80%) with about 120 different ethnic people groups. Kenya is crippled by leadership that mismanages and at times is corrupt with power, as well as the rising AIDS epidemic where about 15% of the population will die from HIV. This country is poor with average middle-class family earning $340 per year. Our group will be working with Maasai tribe. There is much information about this group on Wikipedia link. This tribe, made of many, many villages is nomadic and lives off the land. When you think of a stereotype for African tribes off National Geographic, these are your people! Most of this tribe are Christ followers. Yet, there is a constant struggle with development of sound faith mixed with tribalism and tribal customs. This is a struggle for us too, right? How often is the development of our faith hindered by the culture in which we are? Sometimes the things that we struggle with as believers are similar, whether here in this developed nation or in a rural nomadic tribe of Kenya. You can start praying now for unity based on Biblical truth that transcends culture, and that this people group would hold firm to these Biblical truths!

Coming next time- what our team will be doing.....