2 days away....

 

It's hard to believe that 24 hours from now, I will be in San Diego, California, in preparation for a trip across the Mexican border into Tijuana! This is the trip that I look forward to all year round. This is trip #4 for me. We will be working at an orphanage in Tijuana, and will be bringing carnivals to different parts of Tijuana. Carnivals consist of a water slide, face painting, making balloon animals, snacks for the kiddos, and a presentation of the Gospel message. It's hard work, but seeing how happy the kids are makes it all worthwhile. They don't get to experience something like this very often, so it's like Disneyland for them!

I could not have done this without good people like you! People like you, who bought goodies from me to support my cause. Good folks who bought a $5 plate of cookies, handed me a $20, and told me to keep the change. People who handed me money. There were a few people who realized that during the summer, due to all of my children's ministry activities, that there are about 4 weeks of no pay, so they gave me some funding to that aspect. A simple "Thank You" just seems so insufficient. I wish I could shake all of your hands and thank you personally for your generous prayers and support.  You have no idea how much you mean to me.

During my trip, I'll keep you posted as best I can. Internet can be sketchy and weak down there, but I've been able to post in previous years. Feel free to stalk my page for updates. If you see no updates, that's an indication that I wasn't able to get online. I plan to give a full update once I return (and have a long nap, Lol).

Please keep our team in your prayers. Specifically, for safety as different groups travel to the San Diego area and as we serve in Tijuana. Also please pray for our stamina, as I said before, it will be some hard work. Especially pray for the hearts of the people who will attending the carnivals and hearing the Gospel presentation, and that God moves their hearts.  

I'm going to jump off of here and get some more packing done. Oh, I pray I don't forget something! You understand the feeling before you leave on a trip?  Thanks for your prayers, and may God bless you awesomely!!

Updates

I know that "Updates" is not the most exciting word, but it fits the situation, seeing that I have not posted since April 3. That's not a cool thing, and I apologize for that. With school dismissed for summer, I have a bit of  free time to get things done, and this update is one of those things.

So, I survived Memorial Day. For those of you who have known me for a while, you understand that this is a major thing. For a few years, Memorial Day has brought chaos into my life, and I call it the "Memorial Day curse." Examples include: a broken ankle (mine), kidney stones (CJ), a foot getting severely torn up by being run over by a car tire (CJ), a broken and dislocated knee (me again).  I try to lay low on Memorial Day, and the past few years have been merciful to me.

There is no garden this year. On five different occasions, when I had someone lined up to come till up the ground, it fell through. I need to have tilled ground so that I can put down my compost, rake out the weeds, and other etc. I'm feeling that maybe God doesn't want me to have a garden this year, as He keeps putting up roadblocks to getting stuff accomplished. I'm sorry that I won't be able to give away veggies (especially tomatoes), and I won't have my garden therapy, but if God doesn't want it to happen, I'd better honor that.

When I see that the calendar shows June 1, it brings to life the excitement that summer brings. In about a week, I'll be taking a group of junior campers to camp. I just love camp. Getting the kids away from the technology and hustle of everyday life, and getting them into the quiet of the country and sharing Christ with them. I'm a firm believer in the power of camp. In July, I'll be taking a group of junior high kiddos to camp as well.

July 1 (just one month from today), I'll be flying to San Diego to team up with the Ocean View Church in preparation to travel into Tijuana, Mexico for my 4th trip, and I am pumped! However, God has been speaking to my heart. "What if I send you somewhere else other than Mexico?" I guess I would be OK with that. I need to go wherever God sends me. I know the story of Jonah, and the folly of doing your own thing, rather than obeying God's leading. Let me expand on that. In the last 2 weeks, I've had about 4 people approach me about a mission trip to the Philippines. I have to say, the prospect sounds exciting. I can't limit myself to one field, I feel that I need to look in other places. Nothing is set in stone, but the cost of travelling to the Philippines would be double, if not triple the cost of a Mexico trip. I'd have to bake a lot more cookies to fund that trip, but if that's where God wants to send me next, He'll provide. People have been so nice concerning supporting me. From buying cookies (some insisting on paying me more than the cost), people donating ingredients for baking, anonymous gifts in the mail, donations to my fund at the church, and some just pushing money into my hand. I've also been able to pick up some extra hours with Boys & Girls Club, and well as the ballfields selling concessions.  That's how I know that God will provide. He's done it before, He'll do it again.

It's time to get started on another project, rather than sit here on my computer. I'd like to thank you for taking the time to read my posts and for those who pray for me as well. I ask God's blessing on you all.