Less than 3 weeks to go!

We'll be leaving for Rwanda on July 8th, stay there through July 14th, and fly on to Uganda to meet Stuart. Stuart has been asking to meet us for about six months in every letter he writes. We wrote him for his tenth birthday two weeks ago to let him know we are coming. I know he will be so excited! We'll leave Uganda the night of the 16th and arrive back home on the 17th. Please be praying for safe travels, good health, to gain an understanding of these cultures, to love without any hindrances, fears, or conditions, for us to gain new understanding and encouragement in life from these people, and for us to be open to what they bring to us as we come along side them. Pray for this trip to effect the way we do ministry back home and communicate God's love to our own community in new ways. Pray for the people we will meet, for them to be open to what we bring, to see we have come not as the white man to control them or say our way is better, but to come along side them.

After three fundraisers and numerous financial supporters we are about 98% funded for our trip! This last week John Ibsen of New City Theaters called us with a great idea for one last fundraiser. This Friday we are watching a movie about Rwanda (to help those in our community really understand where and why we are going) called Beyond the Gates. We will be selling cups of Rwandan coffee for the fundraiser. The coffee comes from a local ministry here in Atlanta called Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company, which helps Rwandan coffee growers get fair prices among other ways of ministry. This is a great way to bring local and international ministries together. I love it!

One more quick story about the Ibsen family and the example John is to his family.

After church this past Sunday, Jonathan was outside by the playground. One of the Ibsen girls came up to him and handed him a quarter. Jonathan asked "What it is for?" She explained that it is for our mission trip to Africa. As Jonathan relayed this story to me and handed me the quarter in the parking lot, I could not help but be overwhelmed. This mere child gave her money to benefit God's kingdom. She has been taught well and loves pure, she is wise beyond her years. I am humbled and stop in my tracks as these scriptures flood my mind:

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Matthew 21:16 They asked Jesus, "Do you hear what these children are saying?" "Yes," Jesus replied. "Haven't you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, 'You have taught children and infants to give you praise.'"

There have been weeks in the past where I was worried about money, stressed about fundraisers, and confused about God's path. This, my friends, is not one of those weeks. We have a lot to accomplish in this next two and half weeks, but I come with a renewal and peace that only comes from the Lord. I'm excited to see what God has in store for us!

Isaiah 57:10 You were wearied by all your ways, but you would not say, 'It is hopeless.' You found renewal of your strength, and so you did not faint.

Kelly