Preparation underway!

---

For those who don't know what this is all about lets take you back a bit!

In January this year I placed an application to Samaritans Purse (well known for their ‘Operation Christmas Child’ project - shoe box distribution) to undertake a 5 month internship with themselves, through the North Carolina head office, that was due to start upon my graduation from university next month. This internship would have provided me with an opportunity to learn about the work of Samaritans Purse and different development approaches, all of which are responding to the blighting phenomenon of poverty. I was however unsuccessful in this application. I was initially really disheartened by this and questioned whether God was indeed, as I thought he was, calling me into a career in international development.

However, after speaking to a member of my church at university I learnt that the UK Samaritans Head Office runs short terms missions trips every year. I therefore went onto give my attempts to join a mission’s team a second shot and was this time successful in my application. I originally intended to apply for the under 25 s short term mission trip to Uganda. However, due to insufficient applications this trip was terminated and I had to prayerfully return to the drawing board and look at other destinations available. After studying Genocide as part of my degree in International Relations and my subsequent awareness of Rwandan history I went onto accept a place on the Rwanda mission trip and was delighted to be offered the Kenyan one too that would run the following week. I am therefore due to depart to Rwanda on the 1st August from where I will depart to Kenya on the 8th August, before returning to the UK on the 16th August.

These Discovery teams require me to travel as part of a team to both of these host countries. The trips aim to, through our hunger and eagerness to learn and serve, work alongside and build relationships with partners and friends of Samaritans Purse. This is an invaluable opportunity to learn how the church and local communities in both Rwanda and Kenya are responding to social issues surrounding the countries history, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and widespread poverty in both countries. Even more importantly is for us to get alongside them and encourage them and be there to serve them where they wish for us to do so, whether this is to plough a field, dig a bore hole, pray with someone, to do laundry for a family suffering from both the health, social and economic consequence of HIV/AIDS. These discovery teams have particular focus on ‘Positive Impact’, Samaritan’s Purse HIV/AIDS project, and ‘OVC’, their programme for Orphans and Vulnerable Children.

This is going to be a time of great spiritual learning for me and hope that through this trip a little more of the person of Jesus will be revealed to me so that I can set out to live a life that reflects his love and grace. I currently feel called into a career in International Development that utilises my servant heart. I wish to use this trip, God willing, to confirm this before undertaking a Masters degree in International Development. Your prayers would be therefore greatly appreciated.

My preparations for the trip, both spiritually and practically, are now well underway.

Practically - I am currently attempting to organise a charity auction evening to raise some of the £1750 funds needs and will begin gathering some of the practical necessities for the trip, along with gifts for the children and families we meet, soon. Please pray that I would secure the necessary support and lots to make this charity auction evening a success.

Spiritually - What a few weeks it has been!!! As the majority of the funds I need are still outstanding I began to question God's hand upon my decision to join these discovery teams. So I did what I should of done from the outset. Pray, pray pray! I then turned to my friend at church for some encouragement and prayer and low and behold God showed up in such amazing ways.

A week last sunday I attended the 11am church service at Parkland's church, my church at university. The leader of 'Children of Hope', a Kenyan project working with Street children and family reunifaction programmes, spoke to the church about his work, the different gifts God bestows on different people, and how to know when God is calling you into e.g. a particular career or place.

As like most other times, when I heard of the God led mission taking place in the international field, responding to the needs of the most vulnerable people, I got a gut wrenching feeling and soon my eyes welled up with tears. God was at work! I felt encouraged that he does want me to work long term with the most vulnerable and needy of society, potentially internationally. After the service I prayed with a friend and enjoyed spending some peaceful time in Gods prescence.

In the evening I returned to church to be met with another wake up call from God. A band was playing infront of what I can only roughly guess was approximately 20 young people. A few songs into the worship time the lead singer gave a bible verse to, what I soon discovered was me.

I had been given a bible verse a few years back. It was Matthew 28 vs 19 'Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'. I just first questionned if God was calling me into church leadership and then I had just taken it to fit in nicely with my love for travel and mission work in the international field. However, over the past few years I have become aware that this bible verse may potentially be providing an indication into Gods calling on my life. Therefore when the lead singer proclaimed he felt God wanted to give a bible verse to someone in the room, and that these were the last few versus of Matthew it was like God was giving me a little nudge saying that I was heading the right direction.

This calling upon my life is one that I am exploring and seeking Gods direction, guidance and knowledge. I can only pray that my participation in these discovery teams is part of the learning curve, jigsaw puzzle and Gods plan for my life.

Please pray for God’s hand to be on this trip. That he would prepare the team both spiritually, practically and emotionally before the trip and equip us to be his hands and his feet for the duration of this trip and continuing upon our return to the UK and also crucially that he would keep us all safe and well.

Many thanks and Godbless you all

xxx

---

Comments

[Ruth Sanders]

a foot in the right direction
He Steph. Thanks so much for sending me the link. Its great to read this entry and how God has been totally leading and directing you right up to this point. I look forward to reading more entries and will be praying for you and the team. God be with you. Ruth

[Vicky Moore]

:)
Great stuff stephanie! I'll be praying - God is soo good! Keep shining for Him. All the best! xx