IN 24 days, Evie and I will be departing for our FIRST (of many) PIONEER VOYAGE to Ethiopia!! We have the opportunity to travel with two dear friends here who are adopting their second daughter from Ethiopia. I will be visiting an incredible ministry in Addis called AHope–bringing HOPE to HIV positive orphans, helping them into FOREVER HOMES…PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO CHECK OUT their website and PRAY for these incredibly precious children who are so in need of the touch of Jesus….
THEN I will be traveling South–6-8 hours (with my 8 month old!!) to SODDO…this is where we have committed our hearts to ministry before the Lord, so I am humbled and in total awe that I have this opportunity to go and SEE the people that God has burdened us with…I will be visiting the Hospital (Soddo Christian Hospital) where Lord-willing, Dave will minister love and healing in just a couple years. Also, where my heart has been for so long –I will be able to visit and love and pray over the sweet children in the orphanage and share Christ’s love and encouragement with some of the poorest of the poor…
I had a ‘rough’ day yesterday…just normal rough, but sick kids an maybe a bad attitude on my part. Then, God rocked my world with a HUGE dose of perspective…i LOVE HIM for doing that. Last night as I sat rocking Evie I was re-reading a blog (the precious woman who runs the orphanage in Soddo: http://thebowersinafrica.blog.com) I read stories of orphans being abandoned…some finding HOPE and LIFE and RESTORATION…some going home to Jesus. I read of their food distribution to some of the poorest people in their country…I read of a portion of a huge container shipment of ‘donated’ clothing and shoes being BURNED before the eyes of those who have NOTHING…How could this happen? How can such evil reign in a land where people KNOW of Jesus? My burden grew.
Will you PARTNER WITH ME?? Three years ago, Dave and I took our first ‘vision trip’ to Africa. We went to many hospitals and orphanages in Kenya. I was OVERWHELMED by the needs…some so basic and others were too huge to wrap my mind around. I left knowing you can either be so overwhelmed you do nothing…you turn your eyes away and pretend you didn’t see or know the pain….OR you ask the LORD what you can do…maybe they are small things, but it may be that your ACTION can change the world for one or two people, or a family, or a village. $5 seems like nothing…a trip to get a cup of coffee, a drive through–we don’t even think twice about it…but $5 can CHANGE A LIFE...this could be a surgery for a child or food for weeks for an Ethiopian family…So, here’s what I’m asking…would you GIVE out of the STOREHOUSES of what God has given to you?? Give what you can…give in JOY and obedience. Give as little as you can or AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. “To whom much is given, much will be required.”
(IF YOU TRUST ME
) I will take ALL the donations and give to where GOD LEADS. I will GIVE ALL OF THE MONEY sent to me to either the orphanage or the hospital (for their benevolence fund–to provide life saving surgeries) or to AHOPE or other established organizations (there is also a newly founded Food Distribution ministry down near Soddo Hospital that I hope to visit) that are seeking God’s heart to reach the poor in this country. I don’t want to go unprepared and unequipped like I did to Kenya…I remember standing in the orphanage longing for $100 they needed for simple repairs. I kept thinking of all the GENEROUS people and UNBELIEVABLE RESOURCES God has blessed us with…let’s SHARE SOME OF OUR ABUNDANCE with those who can’t even imagine where the provision will come from…What GLORY that will bring to our Father!!! I was just praying and I sensed God giving me a huge challenge…to raise $1000 dollars in 24 days… (it is NOTHING to God, I know that, but your gifts and sacrifices will be honored before our merciful God–Giver of it all!)
A FUN Challenge: Dave and I are spending NO excess $ in January other than ‘necessary’ grocery and living items…would you consider joining us in that and give the excess to those who don’t have any?? PRAY, SEEK THE LORD and GIVE to those CLOSE TO HIS HEART!!! I am the carrier :)…I am NOT raising $ for my ticket or trip at all–dave and I have that all covered…ANY OFFERINGS will be GIVEN IN TOTAL to those in NEED.
If you would PARTNER with me and feel led to support a certain ministry, just write it in the note on your check–I will be sure to deliver it to the designated ministry. If you would EMAIL ME with the amount and then WRITE YOUR CHECK NOW AND PUT IT IN THE MAIL PLEASE…This 5 minute sacrifice could transform LIVES…
HERE’s MY EMAIL: julieprayer@yahoo.comHERE’s MY SNAIL MAIL: Cpt. David Ayer/ Unit 15021 Box B221 / APO/AP 96218 (**The reason I asked you to email me the amount is so I will take that $ regardless of if the snail mail arrives in time!! THANKS!!)
SODDO CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL: www.soddo.org
Christian World Adoption (In Ethiopia): www.cwa.org/ethiopia-adoption.htm (**I will visit the orphanage in Soddo, not in Addis.)
AHope (In Addis Ababa): www.ahopeforchildren.org/
I love you all in Christ…Thank you for partnering with me so HIS NAME WILL BE GREAT IN ALL THE NATIONS!!! Joy in Jesus, julie
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