God at Work

Do you believe God is always at work?  I do.

The question is, do I see him at work.

It has been 5 short days since we bought our tickets to Africa and started sharing the news of our trip.  I have seriously been blown away by seeing God work.  Already. 

Shortly after we shared with some people we received an email that said, "As soon as you said you were going I knew what I needed to do. I didn't want to share right away because I wanted to talk to my wife."  That amazes me.  As soon as we shared...they knew.  Well, he did talk to his wife and she felt the same way.  Come to find out they are giving us their entire tax return to use however we/God sees fit!  Rob and I were in tears.  Rob and I are pretty sure exactly where that money will go.  (We will share more on that later.)

I have received emails, Facebook comments, and phone call of people saying they wanted to help either financially or by donating items for us to take.  Someone even stopped me in the grocery store today to tell me they wanted to help! 

I also have friend who is going to do a Zumbathon to help us raise money for Ebenezer.

This one blows me away too...
Our family has been serving at a place called Hands Against Hunger the last couple months.  (Awesome place.  If you live in our area we would LOVE for you to join us!)  Anyhow, they pack food and ship it all over.  If you have ever helped at Apex for Haiti bagging day...same thing.  It is a bag of food with rice, dried veggies, protein powder and soy.  Rob thought, let's ask them if we can buy some boxes to take with us.  Well...no need to buy them.  They are giving us over 100 pounds of food to take!  100 pounds of food!  I can not wait to pass it out!

In the book Tales of the Not Forgotten the author, Beth, says, " All mission opportunities start like this - looking at what we have in our hands and asking who needs it, then figuring out the best way to build a bridge between the two."  Our family has received so much joy by all of you looking at what you have in your hands and asking who needs it.  We feel so blessed that God is allowing us to be the bridge.

Back to Africa

A little over 2 years ago God began a work in our family that we never thought would lead us to where we are today.

It didn't seem like a big deal at the time.  It just seemed like a way to do something for someone else.  We started sponsoring 2 children in Kenya, Africa.  We sent money monthly, wrote the occasional letter, sent Christmas and birthday gifts, prayed for the children each night.  Didn't seem like a major deal, but God was using this simple act of obedience to care for the orphan and oppressed to plant a seed in our lives.

                                                  Rita                                                             Micheal



That summer we took a family missions trip to Pikeville, Kentucky.  It was a wonderful experience to serve others as a family.  The seed began to get watered.

Friends of ours had gone to Africa and shared their experiences with us...roots began to form.  When they returned we started to help them with small projects while they were there and support their trips...a little sprout grew.  Rob went to Africa with Equip 1 ministries in March of 2013...sprout grew larger.

We felt God nudging us to step out of our comfort zone and take another family missions trip.  This time to Mexico...more growth.

Rob and I, after much prayer, travelled to Uganda in October with Hope Grafted In.  We visited the same orphanage Rob went to in March...deeper roots.

We feel the next natural step for our family is to travel to Uganda, together.  So that is what we are doing!  We are taking a spring break missions trip as a family.  Just the four of us.  We could not be more excited!  The kids ask everyday when we are going.  They can't wait to play with all the kids at Ebenezer.  Rob and I are so excited to take them to a place we love and to meet our family in Africa!

 

Carys says, "I am most excited about meeting Evelyn and Georgie and all the children at Ebenezer.  I am really looking forward to jumping rope with Evelyn and playing catch with Georgie.
I am not nervous or worried about anything."  (Gotta love child-like faith!)  We sent Evelyn a locket necklace fore Christmas, Carys has the same one with Evelyn's picture.  She is excited to wear it and show Eveyln that they have matching necklaces!  Such a girl.

Broderick says, "I am most excited about finally seeing Georgie and all the children at Ebenezer.  I would like to teach some of the kids some basic karate moves!  (Oh my...the joy in my heart right now!)  I am a little nervous about the time difference and adjusting to sleeping on a different schedule."

Every time I think about my kids meeting and playing with the children they have prayed for and sent letters and gifts to, I get a ginormous grin on my face!  This is going to be GREAT!!!

There is much work to be done at Ebenezer.  A few things we will be working on while there are...
-Planning and discussing construction of school and dorm on their new land.

-Possible construction and working on the new school if donations come in.
-Assessing and meeting needs at the current location of Ebenezer. (food, temporary school structures, possible malaria prevention, and whatever else God reveals while we are on the ground.)

-Visiting and speaking to a few local schools about the importance of education and staying in school.

-Encouraging current Ebenezer staff on loving and nurturing the children.
-Visiting families in their homes in the village around Ebenezer.



-Possible discussions around discipleship.
-And, of course, loving on A LOT of children!!!!!!

If you would like to help us here is what you can do...

-We REALLY need your prayers.  I read some of these things above and literally laugh because I have NO idea how or why God would allow me to do some of this work.  Please pray over each thing.  Also pray we would be sensitive to the Lord's prompting for whatever else he has in store for us.  Prayer is the number one most important piece to this trip.  I know from going before it is what gets us through.  More than anything, prayer is the key to His work.

-Help financially support our trip or donate money to the work we will be doing while on the ground you can email me at robnamy2000@gmail.com and I will give you an address to mail it to.  Or you can go to Equip 1 website ( http://equip1.org/donate/) and donate and enter Ebenezer in the project line.

-Donate items for us to take with us to give to the children at Ebenezer.  (More info on this to come or you can email me for more details.)

 

And to think...this all started with sponsorship!

Two Copper Coins

There are so many small little moments that I witnessed in Africa that I have not shared.  With anyone really.  It seems like daily there are little glimpses of my brief time there that God reminds me of.  I sit, ponder and unpack what I saw.  Take today for instance... I read Luke 21:1-4 "Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting in their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.  And he said, "Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.  For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." 

Let me set the stage for you:

It is my second day in Uganda. 

We show up at Sangaalo Babies to get 20+ kids ready for church. 

(Gosh I miss those little naked black bottoms! Aren't they so cute!?) 

We load up in a couple cars.  Literally, a couple cars...I think 3 to be exact. 

 

We drive through town...

 

 

Then through a little more remote area.  I would call it the bush.

 

We passed miles and miles of houses just like this...

 

We pulled into the church driveway and saw their sign.

Got out of the car and walked to where we would be having church.

 

This was the view...pretty incredible, huh?

 

I watched parents drop their kids off at "children's church."

Then we sat down, sang, and heard a message.  After that the pastor said they were going to take an offering.  A what!?  Do you remember the town we drove through?  Do you remember the miles of house we passed.  An offering?  These people don't have anything to give.  I was kind of offended that the pastor even asked for an offering.  What happened next, I will never forget.  (And now, I am a little offended at what I thought.)  All the people at the church began to get up and carry things to the offering bowl.  See that stool in the front of the tent?  That is where the bowl was.  I can still picture it overflowing with offerings. 

When I say things, I don't mean money.  I am sure there was some money but what I noticed was bags of rice, fruit, anything they had.  Two small copper coins.  They gave out of their poverty.  I witnessed Luke 21 with  my own eyes.  Except, I was the rich giving out of my abundance.

As we drove back to the orphanage with babies on our laps (some of us getting peed on), looking at the mud houses, the kids walking with no shoes, I couldn't stop thinking about the people giving what they had. 

We didn't meet in some fancy building, with the best children's program, and the greatest worship band.  We met in a field, on hill, with a tarp, 4 people singing with one drum, and people giving ALL they had.  Best church service I have EVER been too.  (And still one of my favorite days of my time in Uganda!)