Fears and Faith...

We had a team meeting Thursday night, we have a great team! There are around 20 of us going to Rwanda! I wish I could say that I was one that heard about the trip and said "that's a great thing, I must go!", but it wasn't like that for me. Jeff was that way, he has wanted to take a trip like this for years. Me, I'm just a big chicken when it comes to traveling, so I never thought about it for too long. Initially, it was just Jeff who was thinking of going. (Initially, this freaked me out too! Afterall, he's a really good husband! What if something were to happen to him?!)

When Jeff told our boys that he was considering going...I have to admit that I was very proud of their responses! They too wanted to go! They commented on how the poor in the U.S. don't really know what poor is, compared to the poor in Africa. They truly wanted to help. They are so full of compassion. Anyway, after seeing their reactions, we began thinking about how awesome it would be to go as a family. Jeff and I began praying about it.

It really is a huge step of faith for me. Coincidentally, (ha!) months ago I had been reading in Luke 17 where the apostles had cried out to Jesus "Increase our faith!" I decided this was a great example and that I too should pray...."Lord, increase my faith!" Could this trip be an answer to that prayer? I believe it is. God is so faithful. I truly believe that He knows best. That in my weakness, He will make me strong.

Now I am eager to go. I am so blessed, I want to bless others. Not that I don't have fears, but I give them to God in the hope that I can be a part of something bigger than myself.

The road to adventure...

Pam here....
We will embark on our adventure June 9th. An adventure, for sure! How did this come to be?! Africa!?

I first heard of Africa, specifically Ethiopia, at a young age. We used to collect for Unicef. I was probably only 6 or7. Even at that young age, I thought, 'how did I get so lucky to be born in the U.S.?' I'd look at the sweet faces on our collection box and think--'that could be me, sleeping in the dirt with an empty stomach.' Pretty reflective for a young kid! Don't be too impressed, though, when I didn't want to eat my vegetables, I'd ask if we could mail them to Ethiopia!

More recently, I met a sweet woman, Melody Pahlow, about a year and a half ago. She also attends Community Christian Church (www.communitychristian.org) and our first conversations were by phone. We immediately 'clicked'. We are both involved in women's ministry at CCC and although we didn't talk often, we had become fast friends. It was through that friendship that I was included in her emails when she traveled to Rwanda last summer. (you can read her story at www.globalfamilyrescue.org) If you know anything about the Haines family summer of 2005, it was rather overwhelming. However, I would find time at the end of each hectic day to read Melody's emails, complete with photos of the precious Rwandan people...I was moved to tears each time. I felt so honored that I knew Melody and her husband Ben and I was proud of them and my church family for the difference that they were making in the world! I even printed a few of the emails and put them on the kitchen counter for the whole family to read! I had NO IDEA that I would be there the next summer...

30 days to Rwanda...

Stay tuned for our first blog ever....coming soon!