child at heart

Dear Friends,

I pray this letter finds you in God’s blessings. As you may already know, I am planning to participate in a mission trip to Kenya in June or July of 2008. I will be one of many from Faulkner University who will be going to assist the local churches and mission areas chosen by churches there and the missionaries who are already following the Lord’s will. Throughout the 4 weeks we are there we will be teaching Bible studies, teaching classes designed for strictly men or strictly women, planning and conducting children’s Bible Schools similar to our VBS, and planning and conducting youth meetings. We are also planning on working at the Bible Training Center in Meru, Kenya where they are already preparing the Center to conduct more Bible courses and new areas of vocational training. Each day we will be visiting with the new churches and villages in the remote areas of Africa to teach and encourage the Christians there. Our mission team will be working with local leaders who will be attending courses offered by the mission trip sponsor who has spent countless years in Kenya as a missionary.

I pray that I learn so much from this experience and that the Lord will break my prideful arrogance and show me new ways to lean on His sovereign grace throughout this trip and my life to follow. The Lord has already worked great things in my heart in ways I never imagined, and I pray this trip changes my life.

I am humbly writing this letter to you to ask for your prayers, your godly guidance and wisdom, and if the Lord leads, your financial support as I go on this trip. The cost of my plane ticket and all my living expenses will amount to around $3,000. Any amount remaining will be given to the mission effort in assisting the churches and missionaries with the work there, as well as their continuing education on how to do missions, and the experience of becoming a missionary. I pray that through your help this mission trip will become a reality for me.

Throughout the last month I have been struggling with whether or not I should pursue this trip further because of financial reasons and my own feelings of worry and fear. I am strongly clinging to the scriptures and much needed prayer and trust in the Lord’s will. I understand that things may not work out for me to spend time in Kenya, and I humbly pray that no matter what I will follow the Lord in my life. Whatever may happen, I give all my cares and anxiousness over to the Lord and cling to Him knowing that I am following His plan for me.

I thank each and every one of you right now for all you are doing in my life and ultimately for the Kingdom of Christ. I look forward to keeping each of you involved and informed about this trip and pray there will be much to rejoice about when the trip is over. If you feel led, you may send any contributions, mission advice, and scripture to me. Anything given is greatly appreciated, even if it is just a scripture passage or a prayer. Friendship shares its love in prayers. Enclosed is a letter from the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies at Faulkner University endorsing our mission efforts.

Trusting in Him,

Bella