LOVE through Him

There is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until I can hardly breathe
love through me

I've never gone a day without a meal because I couldn't afford it
stood on a corner and begged for pennies, holding out a sign
call me blessed, but it sure does feel pathetic,
children ‘round the world are hungry now

So would I give up:
pillows and cable, clothing and candy,
if a boy could rest his tired bones?
would I lay down:
making all this money, just to have my milk and honey,
if my fellow man could get the chance to watch his children grow?

There is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until I can hardly breathe
love through me

I feel in the right, self-justified giving coins away
but what about the time I consider mine not tomorrow but right now today?
clothe the naked; feed the hungry; welcome strangers
come on, get up and open your eyes

So would I give up:
pillows and cable, clothing and candy,
if a girl could have some more to eat?
would I lay down:
making all this money, just to have my milk and honey,
if my fellow man could get the chance to hear about the King?

There is plenty on this earth to suit our needs
but there will never ever be enough to satisfy our greed
weigh this heavy on me now until I can hardly breathe
love through me

Help us see, our eyes are weak, help us please
love through me

"Love Through Me" -Jenny and Tyler



Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:15-17

God loved, he gave John 3:16
Everything we have has been given to us Ps. 24:1
How should that change our giving?

Ewe

Ewe, He says.
You. I will use You there.
And there is no question who He’s talking to

But still I ask.. Me? Why?
No, not as Jonah’s why
But why this broken vessel
Deut. 29:29
Soon he reveals to me..
As I see my pride, my jealousy, my lust, my… heart
I fall, I fall on my face
He lifts my chin from the dust
Now, I see Him
His forgiveness, His mercy, His grace
As He lifts me up, I see the nations proclaiming His name
Jesus is the Christ, the Saving One
Ewe, He says.
Yahweh, I whisper.
I am Yours.

(Ewe is the Nyanja word for “you”)

Overwhelmed by Grace

Sick, alone, disheartened, empty, depressed, confused, overwhelmed, out of place, disgusted, downcast, misunderstood, longing, unmotivated...

After arriving home, these were some of the emotions and thoughts I was allowing myself to experience. About a week later I realized my sin. Again, I praise God for miraculously revealing to me that these were not holy convictions. Yet, even in my valley, the Lord was there. He even provided a rainbow the Sunday after I returned, reminding me of His faithfulness, not only in Zambia, but in the turmoil I was feeling inside, upon my return.
One morning I was reading in Romans 2 and 3. As I read Paul’s words to the Romans, my motives and the depths of my heart were being brought into the open. God was once again revealing to me my pride. I realized that my attitude upon returning to the States was once again all about me. What I experienced. The confusion I was experiencing now, How no one else understood me. How disgusted I was with everyone else and this American culture. How I wanted to escape. How much I missed everything about Zambia.
That weekend after returning, that sin and self-centered heart only worsened. Instead of down, I began to become very stressed and angry. Angry at the situation for not working out. Angry at myself for not being able to figure out my life, angry and frustrated towards those around me because things weren’t working out and despite how hard they tried they couldn’t help. I prayed, but even my prayers were selfish… That God would reveal to me what he wanted me to do. But like a good father, when His daughter asked like that, He didn’t give me what I wanted.
Finally I put my hands up and gave up all my efforts. I got on my hands and knees and talked to my father earnestly out of my utter need of Him and His mercy.
Peace. He didn’t give me an answer, but He gave me peace.
Thinking back, I realize that as much of my pride and sin God revealed to me in Zambia, it wasn’t until I came home and experienced all that pain because of my sin, that I realized the importance of the truth of Romans 2:4. “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” Repentance.

Thank you, Lord, that I do not have to store up wrath against myself. You are my Holy judge.

“God, be merciful to me;
On Thy grace I rest my plea
Plenteous in compassion Thou,
Blot out my transgressions now;
Wash me, make me pure within;
Cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.”

By God’s grace my heart has been cleansed. He has opened the eyes of my heart to the blessings I have, the opportunity I have to share and love, and still the opportunity I have to grow in His grace. I praise His name.

So I continue, trusting in His faithfulness, His forgiveness, but also in His sovereignty.
Ps. 11:3-4 “When the foundations are being destroyed […] the Lord is in his holy temple.
Ps. 102:12 “But you, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.”

“Arrested by your truth and righteousness,
Your grace has overwhelmed my brokenness.
Convicted by your spirit, led by your word,
Your love will never fail, your love will never fail”

Hillsong “To Know Your Name”

More of Him

More of Him
Victoria Falls.
You imagine its magnitude, but don’t know it until you see it, experience it.

When I went to the Zambian side, we almost didn’t go across the bridge because it went right over the falls and we knew from the sight of the mist, so cloudy at times that you couldn’t see the falls, that we would be soaked. After debating for a moment, Lesley, myself, and Harold’s son Moses decided to go for it. We held hands and began to cross the narrow bridge. Soon , we all looked to our right and to our left, realizing that there was a huge rainbow right under us. At that, I didn’t care how wet I was getting. I stood in awe. After crossing the bridge we went to almost all of the viewing spots and instead of holding back, I couldn’t help but stand in the mist.
Later, remembering the incredible experience, I realized that I so often hold back from God, not giving myself fully to Him and His purposes. Not letting His Holy Spirit soak me. But other times, I do. Once I have seen His glory and truly allowed the spirit to drench me, I want nothing more, but more of Him.

Examine my heart

Examine my heart
My pride
When I look around, I stop looking at Christ
When I think about judging and my pride, God always reminds me of Phil 1:27 “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” I know my life doesn’t match up to the weight of gospel, when I am not comparing myself to Christ alone.
This was and still is my prayer, that God would allow me to look at Him and only Him, and that I would be willing to give more regardless of people around me, because He gave it all for me.

Acts 5:41 “The apostles left he Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name”
Why do I complain?
We deserve nothing,. In fact, we are told that we WILL, not might, suffer for the gospel. Where do I (especially as an American) get the mentality that I deserve comfort?
I pray that God would give me the power to start living that way.
I praise You, you are a God who forgives.

Ps. 27
V4 ONE THING I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple
V8 My heart says of you “SEEK HIS FACE!” Your face Lord I will seek
V13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living
V14 WAIT for the Lord, be strong and take heart and WAIT for the Lord.

Others

I prayed through the tears as I left the people of Mpongue

Ps. 28:9 “Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever”


Some complain about walking to turn off the light
Others walk miles for water, school, to hear the name of Jesus
Some children complain about being bored
Others find joy in kicking around a plastic bottle
Which PJs do they want to wear tonight?
They wear the same tattered clothes every day.
Some choose new school supplies every year
Others hold on tightly to their one faded and falling-apart book
Some are picky- no veggies or meat
Others are happy with nshima alone

The dirt-floored huts
The joy in their worship
The cough of a child breathing smoke and dust day in and day out
The hysterical laughter following simply a few bubbles
The little girls holding babies half their size
The young mother caring for 7 kids
The hands large and small more than just callused form work, from life
The beauty in her eyes
The skin always covered in dirt
The babies eating candy instead of milk
Their bellies, full in size but so hungry

They long to be held
They long to be listened to
They long for Christ’s unconditional Love

We are His hands and feet
I pray that’s ALL that was seen.
I laughed, I played I talked I listened I gave and, oh, how I have received.
Grace abounds.
“I am longing for heaven”
I am longing to worship with those sweet souls again.

Home

I’m Home! My flight arrived in DC Tuesday around 16:00 hr. Thanks so much to three of my sweet friends who took the responsibility of picking me up from the airport, on account of the fact that my parents are out of town on a business trip. By the time I arrived home, it was about 1:00am Zambia time. I forced myself to stay awake for a few more hours, but soon gave in. Now, two days later, I think I’m almost over the jetlag and am attempting to process and share with everyone all about the trip, as well as prepare to go back to Blacksburg to start another semester.

Because I didn’t give many details before leaving (mainly because I didn’t know them) I will fill y’all in now on some of what we did while in Zambia.

Like I believe I mentioned before, the team consisted of the eight of us. The team (minus Lesley who was visiting her brother in Tanzania) met up in London. Then we jumped on the 11 hr flight to Jburg, South Africa. From there we flew up to Lusaka, where we were picked up by Harold (the spiritual director of the hospital) and taken to the CURE hospital, where we would be living for the next 3 weeks. Harold was so kind and allowed us the following day to rest before we jumped into trying to help out anywhere we could at the hospital.

The remainder of the week, we spent time helping the staff paint the children’s ward (a project I later found out that we funded completely). It was awesome to see the ward transformed, and with it the faces of the children when they were moved back in. After a few days of painting and loving on some kids, we prepared to travel just a bit more for the outreach. (Now the outreach is something that the hospital tries to do about four times every year. The main reason GO teams come is to fund the outreach, and it was so cool to realize that’s where most of the money we raised went.)

So the eight of us, along with a little over thirty individuals (mostly from Lusaka but all having some connection to the hospital), formed the new team and left for the 6hr drive to Mpongue (the bush). Upon arriving, we set up tents and began work in the “kitchen.” This was our home for the next week. I can now say, it really was. I can’t even begin to explain what life there is like, but in my next few posts, I will try to paint a little bit of a picture. One thing I will say is this: I’ve heard it said that “a poor man doesn’t know he’s poor until someone tells him” and that was most certainly the case for the people of Mpongue. Almost all of them farm maize (a crop that makes them basically lose money each year), and own almost nothing. But, they are some of the most joyful people I have ever met. God taught me so much through these people, and my only prayer is that they saw only Him through me as well.

Our daily schedule was wake up (around 5:45) breakfast, a short chapel, and then break up into our groups for evangelism. This consisted of going out to the different farms and talking with people, visiting and then asking where they were spiritually and sharing the gospel or a short bit of encouragement from the word. God used this experience to really challenge me in several ways. He used the pastors and Zambian teammates who were with us, to challenge me in my knowledge and passion for the Word. He also used the experience of sharing the gospel in this manner to make me rely completely on Him and realize the importance of taking time to share the gospel and reach out to people at home. We walked a lot (about 5 hrs every day), but even just walking from farm to farm was incredible to be able to build relationships with the Zambians on our team. Each day, when we got back to the camp, we would have lunch then begin the afternoon activities. These consisted of a medical clinic (most of the team was medical so they helped out with this), a young marriage class, another marriage class, and the children’s program (which I was involved in). Although I was quite nervous about the children’s program (because I had never really been in charge of planning/running anything like this before), by God’s grace all ran smoothly, and the children heard and soaked in truth about the gospel. We also sang, played games, and ate lots of candy (which both the children and I enjoyed thoroughly). After the official children’s program was over, I spent the evening before and after dinner, playing with the kids. After dinner, we would show the Jesus film, and it was incredible how many people not only walked miles to come, but were transformed by the message and gave their lives to the Lord. A few nights, we went out and showed the Jesus film at other locations, which was also really incredible. I love that film, because as Pastor Harold says, I can watch that film time and time again, but it still brings me to my knees and allows me to see the beauty of the gospel.

In my opinion, the week flew by. Soon I was waving goodbye to the amazing children and adults I had come to love. No more sitting in the dirt sharing the gospel or holding a little girl as she colored in my journal. No more telling bible stories with homemade paper bag puppets. No more nshima (the overcooked grit-like food we ate every day). No more nights of endless dancing and singing. It took everything in me to hold back the tears. All the way back to Lusaka, all that I could think about was “Life goes on.” No, not my life, but theirs. It made me sick to think about the comforts I would soon have again, but even more so, my heart ached knowing that their lives of indescribable poverty continued. I wanted to scream and run back.

But soon we were back to the comforts of living at the hospital guest house. For the next few days, we played with children in the ward, and tried to help out. We were able to clean the storage closet, which was a big job, but hopefully proved to be a blessing to the staff. We were also awarded the opportunity to see some surgeries and I was able to watch and help the PTs a bit. That was an incredible experience, and only God knows what’s in store for the future of my education, now.

On Friday (the 5th) we got up around 3:30am and headed to Livingston, for our weekend adventure at Victoria Falls. We met our guide, Dennis, and planned our weekend (all the activities everyone wanted to do). On Saturday I went to see the falls themselves. I cannot even describe their vast beauty, but I can say that our God is amazing. For me, the rest of Saturday consisted of a canoe trip down the Zambezi, and then the Boma dinner (a meal catered to what tourists think of Africa). I ate way too much (including a Mopani worm). Sunday consisted of mainly watching my other teammates do more activities (flying fox, zip-line, gorge swing, bungee jump, etc.) Everything was SO expensive or else I would have been tempted to do it all, but it was still fun to watch them. Then, we met Harold and his kids and went to the Zambian side of Vic Falls. Although the Zimbabwean side was amazing, I liked the Zambian side more. We were so close to the falls, and it was so cool to have a different angle. In addition to all this, though, on the Zambian side, I saw the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen in my life. Thank you, God, for giving me a taste of your creativity and reminding me of your faithfulness. After spending some time there, we were off to Lusaka. We got back late, so we packed and went right to bed. Monday, we got up and went to the staff devotions, then said our goodbyes and were off for the airport. After about 22 hrs of flying (between the 3 flights) and a few hours of layover, I was home. Strange. I don’t think it has completely sunk in yet.

All I know is God is good. He used this trip and everyone I came in contact with through it to reveal to me so much about my depravity yet His unconditional love and faithfulness. As I was dropped into a culture completely different than the one I knew, I saw God more clearly than I ever have. I saw Him in their lives. The way they welcomed me, the way they make time for others, the way the staff at the hospital seek Him every morning in devotions before going to work, the way they sing with all their might for His name, the way they pray, the way they work long hours for His glory, the way they find joy in the small things, the way they worship with a passion, the way they share about the God they love and serve. As I saw this, God, in His mercy, began to break my pride, revealing to me my utter need of His forgiveness. I praise Him for the truth of Psalm 65:3, because now, instead of being overwhelmed by sin, my heart is yearning to serve and proclaim all that He has done!

Thanks to all of my prayer warriors for your prayers for the people we came in contact with as well as for me and the other team members. God definitely answered them in more ways than you can imagine. I am so privileged to have the opportunity to be a part of so many of those answered prayers as God moved in and through me and the team in Zambia.

Please know that just because this trip is over, doesn’t mean that our prayers are not needed in Zambia. God will continue to bless us and those we are praying for, if we are obedient in prayer. I cannot wait to hear how God continues to work in Zambia.

And let us be persistent in PRAYER.

I cannot believe I leave in 6 days! Wow, time has flown by. As I am in the midst of my last week, I find myself easily caught up in the logistics and seemingly never-ending list of things to get done before I leave.
I praise God, though, for His gentle reminder of my need for Him, for my need to be in constant communion with him, for my need to remain in Him alone (John 15:5).
I am reminded of the power of prayer, and therefore I “approach the throne of grace with confidence.” (Heb. 4:16)
I ask that you will join me in prayer, seeking the Lord and His will for His work in Zambia.

Please pray for the team as we serve in Zambia from July 18th-August 9th
The Team: JA (leader), Lesley (leader), Nichole, Julia, Billie Jo, Alex, Caroline, and myself.

I praise God that He chooses to use sinners like myself to do His work. I pray that we would do just that, serving as His hands and feet.

As I read through John 17 this morning, my heart echoed the prayers that Jesus prayed for His disciples and for others in the world. I know, above the travels and logistics, this will be my prayer for this trip.

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (v 3)
“For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them” (v 8)
That they would know with certainty that we come in His name. (v 8)
“Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name” (v 11)
That they may have the full measure of YOUR joy within them (v 13)
“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (v 17)
“that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (v 21)
That they would grasp “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know that this love that surpasses knowledge- that [they] may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18-19)

That the Lord would bring HEALING, physical and spiritual, to those in desperate need of Him.
That He would provide more candidates for surgeries
That the children already at the hospital would be healed and that this would exude God’s power and love to their families and community

I pray, also, that I will be pruned and molded even more so into His image (John 15:2)
I pray that I would deny myself (Matt. 16:24-25)
That we would speak the truth of the gospel fearlessly (Eph. 6:19-20)
That we would love and display Christ’s love through our actions (1 John 3:18)

Above all, though, I pray that God would be glorified.
-that “above all things, He may have the pre-eminence” (Colossians 1:18)

Like a child..

This past Friday night (the 17th) I did a "Parent's night out" babysitting gig as a fundraiser. That evening, God has a different plan in mind for me, than what I had anticipated, as He so often does. Although only a few families showed up, God used a little girl named Mia to show me what it really means to give, to sacrifice, for the kingdom.

When her family drove up she walked over and handed me a small plastic bag which contents later proved to be two dollars and thirty-seven cents. All her money. She wanted to give it all towards my trip to bring healing in Zambia. A little girl, who before that evening I didn’t even know, just showed me what it really meant to give.
I saw a glimpse of what “receiv[ing] the kingdom of God like a little child” really looks like. (Mark 10:15)

I immediately thought of a few chapters later in Mark..

“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty, put in everything- all she had to live on” (Mark 12:41-44)

And then the woman of Luke 7

"When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them." (v37-38)

“Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you her many sins have been forgiven- for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” (v 44-47)

Lord, remind me of the weight of my sin and the magnitude of forgiveness in You. Work in me, that I would pour out my heart, my soul, my life for You and You alone.


This alabaster jar is all I have of worth
I break it at Your feet, Lord, it's less than You deserve
You're far more beautiful, more precious than the oil
The sum of my desires and the fullness of my joy
Like You spilled Your blood, I spill my heart
As an offering to my King

Here I am, take me as an offering
Here I am, giving every heartbeat for Your glory
Take me

This time that I have left is all I have of worth
I lay it at Your feet, Lord, it's less than You deserve
And though I've little strength, and though my days are few
You gave Your life for me so I will live my life for You

(Gateway Worship- Alabaster Jar)

Things to bring..

Here are some of the things we will be taking with us. If you want to donate any of these specific items, please let me know.

Toys (gently used or new) for the hospital playroom, to keep children occupied while waiting or in recovery

Bubbles, jump ropes, coloring books and other coloring supplies

Toothbrushes and toothpaste to give to people in the village

Jehovah Shammah

“Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy” Ps. 82:3-4

“Indeed our shield belongs to the Lord our king to the Holy One of Israel” Ps. 89:18

Jehovah Shammah- The Lord is there

He sees, He hears, He defends the cause of the needy, of the weary.

I pray that He would not only be meeting the Zambians where they are physically needy, but that He would be revealing Himself to them, giving them living water. I pray the Holy Spirit would be working in their hearts, breaking down barriers, now, so that when the truth of the gospel is presented to them, the devil will have no hold on them, and they will fall at the foot of the cross, without restraint.
I praise Him, that His hand is there, even when I am not.
I look forward to seeing how God, yet again, proves mighty to save, as he works in the lives of the Zambians as well as in each one of us.

“Look at the nations and watch- and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told” Habakkuk 1:5

Headbands for Healing!

As a fundraiser, I have decided to make and sell headbands. I have been working at them for a while, now, and several are ready to sell!

The headbands are sewn cloth strips, many of which include ribbon on the ends for tying purposes. They are varying widths as well, so you can specify which you would prefer, and I will attempt to accommodate your request.
I am selling them for $5 each, but any additional donations would be greatly appreciated.

How to go about purchasing one:
1. look at the posted pictures and tell me which one you would like
2. send me your address so I can send you the headband(s).
3. either pay me in person or send cash or a check made out to me to:
203-3 Tee St.
Blacksburg, Va 24060
(I will write a check to CURE after all the money is in)

you can contact through facebook or email (plaura5@vt.edu)

How to wear...

A single headband...

The variety...

Thanks so much to Kim Hill for her generosity in allowing me to use her sewing machine.

$5 Prom. Dance 4 Kids Who Can't

On Friday May 6th, Lesley and I, with the help of countless friends, threw a $5 prom for Zambia. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported us, but more importantly, supported the Kingdom through giving that will change the lives of countless children with disabilities in Zambia.

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayer for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!"
2 Cor. 9:11-15

Where You Go I Go

With great joy, I am writing this letter to fill you in on what God is doing in my life and tell you about the plans He has for me for the summer.

            As many of you know, this past summer God called me to serve middle school girls and boys at a camp called Camp Sandy Cove, in West Virginia. Thank you so much for your prayers and support through that. I can say with confidence that God worked, and did immeasurably more than I could have asked or even imagined (Ephesians 3:20). My title was cabin counselor, but I soon realized that the job title really could never fully encompass all that I experienced. To be honest, it was exhausting. In the past I had been a day camp counselor, but that could not even compare to the 24hr a day 6 days a week work I was doing. Through this God immediately revealed to me that I would have to rely completely on Him and be in communion and prayer with Him in order, not only to survive, but to be able to give myself fully to the Kingdom. The ways God worked in and through me last summer are too numerable for words. From small conversations with the younger kids during day trips about how we can be “found” in Christ, to late night conversations with my cabin girls about struggles in their lives and how God takes hold of them, brings comfort, and is their true father, He was ever-present. Although the days were long and filled with adventures, not always the most enjoyable (lice, poison ivy, illness) the joy that comes with leading a young girl to Christ on the front porch of our cabin at 2am far overcomes any hint of doubt. I am so thankful that God provided me that opportunity to serve and grow. 

 

                After a week of break before heading back to school I was, by God’s grace alone, refreshed and ready to go back to ministry in Blacksburg. I was excited to get more plugged-in and find out exactly where God wanted me to serve. I immediately signed up for another language partner. This program, put on by Bridges International, exists to connect American students with international students, with the purpose of building relationships, in God’s name. Within a few weeks, I got an email with her name and contact information. The first lunch date with Shu-Fang went really well, although her English skills were limited, I was able to understand her fairly well. After that meeting, I began praying for her heart, that it would become more and more open to the Gospel. Since then, God has provided me opportunities to share with her my testimony and involvement in the church, as well as opportunities to serve her through loving on and hanging out with her kids, Chris and Minnie. She has since joined an international Bible study, and has come several times to the Friday night ministry I am involved in - ACROSS.

                ACROSS has been an incredible opportunity for me as well. Once a week, a group of mostly international students, gather for food, games, and a Bible study. It is evident that God is working and raising questions in the minds of those students. One of my favorite parts has been hanging out with the kids. Through relationships formed on Friday nights, I was awarded the opportunity to babysit for a conversation group. Countless times, the parents have thanked me for loving and hanging out with their kids. I love every moment.  I know that God has gifted me with the love of children, to be able to serve these international families, and I am extremely thankful for the opportunity. 

                Through ACROSS, my roommate Lesley and I soon became friends with two German students Christoph and Claus. Since then, the four of us and another mutual friend, Christina, from our hall last year, soon became much like a family. Through the countless hours of karaoke, sharing meals, and hanging out, God has provided us many chances not only to show them Christ through our lives, but to share with them specifically why we read the Bible and how we came to know the Lord. God has continued to place them in situations where they have heard truth, and I am grateful to be a part of their lives.

                Plans for this summer have changed so many times I have lost track, yet somehow my focus has remained on God and He has continued to be faithful. Even through the uncertainty He gave me peace, and now He has revealed His plan to me. My heart for Zambia began to grow since my roommate, Lesley, returned from her trip with Cure International this past summer. Cure’s purpose is to transform the lives of children all around the world by healing them of treatable diseases and providing them true hope as the hospital staff show them God’s love.  One day this semester, I was talking to Lesley about the trip, and opportunities the non-medically inclined team members had. She began to explain to me that they were able to serve through running a children’s program and loving on the children in the hospital there as well.  At that moment, God put a desire in my heart to go and serve, and I knew it was not going to go away. Because the application deadline was fast-approaching, I went ahead and applied, praying all the while that God would reveal His will to me through the application process. When I received news that I had been accepted to join the Go team with Cure International to Zambia (July 18th- Aug. 9th), I knew that God had opened the door for a reason. I cannot wait to see the magnitude of His plan for me in the preparation and actual trip to Zambia.

                I share all of this with you, because I know I cannot do this alone. Primarily, I need your prayers. Pray for the team, that we would be able to work well together and be united in purpose. Pray for the logistics, that we would be able to complete all travel plans without difficulty.  Most importantly, though, pray for the hearts of the Zambians, who we will be ministering to, to be soft and receptive. Another prayer of mine is that we would be able to raise all of our funds.

                Serving with CURE this summer in Zambia will cost $4,200. This will cover my food, housing and airfare, but that is not all. About $1,800 will go directly to the medical outreach and hospital. Together, the eight members of our team will fully fund the medical outreach we will do while there. What an amazing way we can use our resources to bless so many lives in Zambia!  I pray that God would work in your hearts, to give for His kingdom.

                Through this blog, I intend to keep you updated on the trip preparations, including finances, and express how God is revealing his heart for Zambia to me. I also plan to use this as a means of follow-up after the trip, to demonstrate a bit of how God is molding my heart and continuing to work in Zambia.

                Thank you for your dedication to the work of the Lord, through your continuous love, prayers, and support. I ask that you would partner with me once again to bring the love of Christ to the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Zambia.  

In Him,

Laura

“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gates to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”    Hebrews 13:12-16

And so it begins..

Hey friends,
Despite my inexperience with this kind of thing, I have decided to start a blog to inform and keep y'all update on how I have seen and am beginning to experience God's heart for Zambia.