In the mean time between blogs....our team has been meeting, planning, praying, fundraising, etc. We finally have our trip schedules down and I am excited. We will be visiting 4 mission partners during the first part of the trip before leaving to Watamu for Wycliff conference. In case you're wondering, here's what our schedules look like:
Sat. 7/ 3 Fly out of Atlanta
Mon. 7/5 Arrive in Nairobi, Kenya (staying at the Anglican Church of Kenya guest house)
Tues. 7/6 Visit Maji Mazuri Center in the Mathare Slum
Wed. 7/7 Drive out to Nakuru to visit Paul Mina's organization that helps develop young professionals (staying at the Nakuru Sports Club)
Thursday 7/8 Drive to Kikuyu to visit Presbyterian of East Africa University (our church has a long standing relationship with the University) and visit organization called Child of Africa. This is a young program started by North Ave. members Fredrick & Christy Gituku. We will stay at the guest house at the hospital in Kikuyu
Friday 7/9 Drive back to Nairobi, catch a flight out to Mombasa. Head to Watamu for Wycliff Conference. (Staying at Turtle Bay Beach Club)
Sat. 7/10- Thurs. 7/15 Wycliff conference. We will be working with the Wycliff missionaries' kids youth group.
Fri. 7/16 Flight back to Nairobi
Sat. 7/17 Flight back to Atlanta
Now that you know what we'll be doing, this is how you can pray for us:
1) As you can see, we will be doing LOTS and LOTS of traveling within Kenya. Pray for safe travels.
2) For our visits to be beneficial and an encouragement to our mission partners.
3) For the ability to work with the youth group. We know that it isn't easy to live in the mission field, especially when you're a teenager. May God use us to be an encouragement to these youths as well as to the overseas missionaries who are in need of such a time in a community of believers.
4) For our minds to be opened to the Holy Spirit's teaching, for fresh eyes to see the thing that God is already doing in the community and the courage to be a voice for the Good News of Jesus Christ!
By the way, God has been so good. I've met & exceeded my fundraising goal today!! Thanks to the generosity of God's people (Bill & Nancy Watson, Mike & Stephanie Emry, Lori & Terry Mitchell, Stan & Ladda Reed, Bob & Beverly Akers, Warren & Suwadee Han, Ann & Les Dowdy, Debbie & Donnie Griffin, Erik & Kara Peterson and Mike & Karen Sinyard.) My heart is so full. I'm so grateful for these people and their support!
The "extra" will go to help other members of my team who haven't yet met their goals. In fact, we're working the church parking lot for a Neil Young concert at the Fox Theater tonight. Let's hope that it's a great night and that all of our team members will reach their goals soon!
In Jesus,
Gaan
