My heart is about to get stretched farther...

 

The past couple of weeks my heart has been attentively listening to a sweet, gently voice of my Savior who has been laying opportunities, truths and wisdom in it.  One was the opportunity to speak at elementary chapel and the lesson that He taught me through the message He gave me to share {there's a blog post about it here}. And the one I am most excited about right now is the deep desire He placed on my heart to go on a short-term mission trip with high schoolers from my school.
{My school is dedicating one school week for our first ever Week Without Walls. This where our students will learn what's outside the boundary of a.classroom through different service projects.} Yes, I am an elementary teacher, but the awesome thing about teaching at a small Christian school is that you are all in one building and you get lots of opportunities to interact with both “schools”. And then one benefit of having five students this year is that it is easier to find someone to watch my little ones for a week. And I know that they will be in good hands! J

So the end of February through the beginning of March you will find me in Nairobi, Kenya having the opportunity to share the love of Jesus to those God places near me.  I can’t even contend my excitement right now. I am smiling from ear to ear as I write. I am believing in God that this trip will be the beginning of something new in my life.

During this trip my team and I will provide reading glasses and share the Lord in the Ngando Slum, tutor children and help with some cleaning projects at the New Hope Initiative which runs an elementary-middle school in the Kiberia slums and we will just love on all those who we come across. It is going to be  ahard trip seeing so much injustice but this is what God has called us to do to bring His love and justice. Micah 6:8 says "And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you God..."  {This is the verse God lay on my heart for my 23 year of life and it is coming more into practice now through this trip! Wow, God you are so GOOD!}  I can’t wait to see God do a mighty work in the lives of the students I am taking as well as my own and those we love on.

 

This trip does come with a cost of about $2100/person and I am trusting that God will provide faithfully for each member on our team. I am praying right now that the minute we go to buy our tickets the prices will drop tremendously as this is our biggest cost right now! Boo! More specifically one member of the team has a deep desire to go, but financially it is totally out of the question. As I was talking with her I felt the Lord tell me to tell her that we need to faithfully believe that He will provide for both us to go. I promised her I would do whatever I could to help her go. I believe that if God has clearly laid it on your heart to go somewhere that He always knows how it will financially be paid for even when it seems so crazy and so out of reach. We have a God who does the impossible {my second graders always remind me of this during bible time}! This student is one of the high school girls that I have the privilege of mentoring and coaching  in soccer. She has a huge heart for others, but mostly important our God. She is from Africa and has the desire to serve in her "home".  I am so excited and feel so privilege to be able to go on this trip with her and see how God uses her to reach His people.

So, would you like to partner with this student and I as we believe and pray that God will faithfully provide?!

Here are some ways you can partner and support us:

1)     Pray for the country of Kenya and missionaries already there working to bring God’s love to this nation.  Pray that our team unites and has our eyes focus on what God’s desire is for us during this whole trip. Pray that we would look to God and courageously follow where He leads. Pray that finances would not hold us back from experiencing God in a different way and that we would take a step of faith in trusting Him.

2)     Give: If you feel God laying it on your heart to support this student (I have told you about) or myself you may give by sending a monetary donations. There are three options for you to choose from to give whatever the Lord is laying on your heart!

1.  You can write a check out to ICS made payable to ICS Kenya Trip.

2.  You can wire money to:
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION -
CHECKING ACCOUNT # 7018297239
ROUTING NUMBER #256074974
ACCOUNT NAME: INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL – PYEONGTAEK

3.  You can go online and make a donation.
(www.gofundme.com/ICSPKenya)
 

3)     Pray and Give! :)

Thank you for considering and prayerfully asking the Lord how you can partner with us. Your support any way you can mean so much and will be much appreciated. Please let me know if you have any questions or want to know more about this opportunity. I would be more than happy  to talk (skype), email or facebook with you!

And of course check out the blog periodically to check for updates on fundraising, the trip and reflection once we are back. I just CAN’T wait. Africa has always be in my blood (thanks, dad)! May God receive all the glory from this opportunity in our lives!

Love, Daniella

 

This is my prayer as I prepare for this opportunity...