Living in Community

       So I just finished writing my support letter and it was harder than I thought.  Its pretty hard to try to sum up an experience you haven't had yet, and just talk about what you hope for and why you hope for those things.  I am also so aware of the fact I will need such a strong community around me as I begin this adventure.  Ultimately, I just want to go into this trip with my eyes and hands and heart open to whatever experience, life lesson, humorous accident, or plain culture shock that God wants me to have.  I don't know what to expect and I don't know how I will feel when its all done, but  I do know that I desire so much to be used by a God that is greater than me to meet the needs of the community in East Africa (whatever that need may be).  And if the skills I currently have can help with that also, than even better.  I just have faith right now that I am supposed to go on this trip now and not to wait any longer, and the rest I'm trusting God will take care of.

Here is the letter for those of you who would like to read it, but I think most of you will be getting one in the mail:

Oasis for Orphans

Things are really starting to pick up on the Africa planning (finally!), and its very exciting. I just finished up getting all my shots (yep that felt awesome) and got the Malaria pills all ready to go. Now its just getting together the logistics of support raising, plane tickets, and then.... well going. I have felt so encouraged and prayed for over these past months, and God is opening alot of doors in strange and wonderful places so far, so its pretty humbling and great!

One of those doors was to a wonderful organization called Oasis for Orphans, and it looks like Katie and I will be heading over to work with them in Kenya for the first part of our trip. The focus mostly on working with Aids orphans from the Slums of the Trans Mara region in Kenya, and educating them on health practices and Aids prevention. Jill and Scott Hayward are the wonderful couple who run this non-profit with a few other families, and they have been so helpful to Katie and I with the thousands of ridiculous questions we've had. Please check out their website for more details www.oasisfororphans.org

I also just made a short video for Oasis, so if you have some time you can check that out too. It looks like I will be doing some video work for them when I go over there as well, which I am so freakin excited about!

And finally (sorry this is long) I have made a little prayer card for my supporters during this trip... just basic info with my email, blog, and prayer requests I have as I get ready to head out to Africa. I figure a card is easier than a long letter anyway. Here it is (front and back), but I will also be sending this out with my letters. Man that was alot.... but thats it for now I think. Ok back to my real job (hard to stay focused right now... ha).