Nine Days and Counting

9

... just nine days.

Whoa.

We worked on packing this weekend. I tried to really organize all the supplies for the kids at the orphanage, all the supplies for VBS, and all the supplies for the sponsorship updates. I am freaky, and actually really like to organize, so it was fun. Jason worked on his focus areas for the trip which have been shifted to being less involved in the water tower project, and more onto the micro-loan business assessments, the other small business focuses, and some of the more techie type stuff that he's so good at. The kids worked on packing their bags for Grandma and Grandpa's house. And we all pitched in to clean up the house that had been neglected while I had the stomach flu. (I HATE the stomach flu.)

Most all of our supplies are purchased or collected. I still need to spray our clothes with this nasty stuff called permithrin (sp?) to try and pursuade the mosquitoes to not eat us. I have a feeling that we will not be too shocked at the volume of skeeters. They are pretty much our state bird here. They just don't happen to carry malaria and yellow fever! Anyway, Jason doesn't seem to attract them, but they sure love me, so I'd like to take any precautions I can.

This Saturday, we have 4 sport coaches coming to stay here during the week of Sport Camp at our church. This will be our 4th year hosting, and we have come to know and love several of these ladies, that have stayed with us, deeply. We won't get the full week with them since we'll be leaving for Africa, but at least we'll get a few hours here and there when they're not at their 2 camps per day. The kids are so excited for camp, at least the 3 days they'll get to go!

OK- on to prayer requests:
(You can always go back to previous posts for more of these that I've mentioned in the past. )

~ Health, health, health. Having the flu last week just reminded me of how miserable it would be to be sick, especially while we're in a third world country. We desire amazing health for our whole team so that we can have energy and strength to do the things that God desires us to accomplish. Also, that Anika and Asher would remain in perfect health so that they are not "home sick" for us while we're gone.

~Safety & Protection... while we travel, while we meet the rest of the team in Belgium, and while while we are in Liberia. We will need to keep all of our valuable things (cameras, cash, passports, etc.) on our person at all times. It's not that Liberians are out to mug you, but many, many people live in desperate need every day, and to leave those items laying around just tempts good people to make bad choices. We will always travel in "car groups" while there. At least one guy in each group, and each car driven by a Liberian escort from the ministy there.

~Culturally, we will be completely and totally out of our element. I can't wait. :) I have lived in cities my whole life long that are overwhelmingly caucasian in make-up. I am so ready to leave that for a while. Yet, on the other hand, I know that being the "odd white folks" will make me feel quite uncomfortable in moments. Maybe it will even scare me a bit, if I'm honest. Not only will I not look the same, I will also not fully speak the same language or understand the same customs. I desire that God would allow me, and our whole team, to learn and grow from this experience. That we could become compassionate and sensitive to others who feel like the "odd one out" back here at home, and act to make them comfortable and welcome.

~Jason and I are supposed to take the pictures for our team. I will be responsible for taking the sponsorship update photos of each child at the 2 homes. I do NOT want to mess that up!! Lately, I have struggled with blurriness in some of my photos, and these are too important to ruin!! Please pray that God will take my expertless efforts and my good camera and turn out clear pictures for the kid's updates, the team pictures, and the precious moments we try to capture with Kelvin and Hawa. I think it would break my heart to be responsible for ruining them.

~Sleep. I can only imagine that we will all find it difficult to sleep in Liberia. The adrenaline of excitement, the very hot and humid weather, the fact that we'll have our two sweet kids in the same room with us... all these things will make sleep very difficult. And yet, without sleep, things will be very hard. So, please pray that God grants us miraculously great rest, and that even if we don't sleep as much as we hope, that God would use what he gives us to sustain us and energize us for all that we need to do each day.

~Pray for team unity. We are so excited to meet these people that we've been planning with for months. I think the Lord has ordered this team perfectly for His purposes. We will all be exhausted and hot and tired and sweaty, and in close quarters each day, however... so we will need patience, love and humility to deal with one another in godliness, and keep our hearts united and close. I desire sweet life-long friendships to come from this trip as we share these experiences together.

More to come in the days to follow...
Thanks for praying!!!!!!