Saturday, February 20, 2010

"The harvest is ripe, but the workers are few"

Living Hope Church Missions Teams have been traveling to Kenya, Africa for the past 10 years on short term mission trips. This will be our fifth return trip to the relationship/partnership with Agape Fellowship in Nairobi, Kenya Africa. The relationship with Living Hope Church and Agape Fellowship, has been a good marriage between the two bodies of Christ. This union has resulted in 3 daughter churches that have been birthed and are growing, vibrant and thriving church plants, which in return has also have birthing granddaughter churches as well.

These trips would not be possible without the development, structure and guidance and leadership of Dan and Nancy Germo, missionaries to Kenya and Dr. Steven Kabachia the Bishop of Agape and his pastoral staff. There insight, wisdom, experience and love of the Kenya people and a love for Living Hope Church and her people, draws us back each and everytime.

As with each trip, much planning and preparation goes into developing a trip that not only covers the logistics and details and organization but, to make sure that each individual who has prayed about, committed and then gone to serve, is being developed and trained not only in their heads, but hearts as well and are prepared to "GO".

After 5 months of prayer and consideration, here are the following individuals who made the commitment to "GO":

10 Adults (* veteran team members)
* Tim Kelly
* Chrissy Kelly
* Mike LeClaire
* Mike Waldrop
* George Caylor
* Scott Denny
* Joel Bosacki
Tony Piantine
Tim Mandich
John Reed

5 College Students
* Jon Jarosinski
* Andy Deckert
* Jenny Bennett
Tracy Bennett
Hannah Smith

9 High School Students
* McKenna Kelly
Jamie Falk
Kate Saunders
Kylee Slough
Daniel Caylor
Zach Mandich
Eric Summers
Tess Seccombe
Andrew Bridenhagen

As you can imagine, it takes a lot to organize a group this size. We covet your prayers for the remaining four months. Prayer is essential for the life and success of this team and trip!

Some immediate prayer requests:
* Finances for each individual team member. The first deposit of $500 for airfare ticket reservation is due this week and that is just the beginning. Each individual must raise $3,500. That amount seems insurpassable and few are able to just write a check out for that. Please pray for God's provision and abundant blessings as all is His money to begin with. We are just stewards of the blessings and every penny will go to further His kingdom work.
* Individual growth for each person committed to go. That God will circumcize our hearts, prepare us for what He has called us to do and that we will be submitted and yielded to Him as He works in and through us
* Team unity - these next few months will be crucial for us as a team. That the bonding and unifiying of the team takes place. We go not as one individual, or one group but that we see that we one part of the Body of Christ, called out to unite and work with another part of the Body.
* Leadership/organization - Pray for Tim, myself, Mike Waldrop, Dr. Kabachia, Dan and Nancy Germo as we prepare, strategize and organize. We want to be wise stewards of our time, energy, finances, focus and purpose for the project in which we have been entrusted to share in and be a part of in Northern Kenya.
* Financial contributions for the girls school building project that we will be participating in Northern Kenya. We have partnered with Agape Fellowship and Bethany Church of Bloomington, MN to lay the foundation, build the structure, and furnish the interior of the school in which all three churches have committed to see built. As I write this, Bethany Church's mission team is presently in Northern Kenya, laying the foundation and setting it up for the remaining two churches to come in and complete. Building materials, tool costs are very elevated in third world country. Since we are unable to bring much with us, we will have to purchase all that we need in Kenya. Each church has agreed to supply $3,000 to cover the expenses of this building project.

As insurmountable that these funds may appear to be, especially in light of also raising personal funds just to "GO", thankfully, we serve a God who is not intimidated and we can trust that He knows and will provide for all our needs.


Thank you for praying. Thank you for supporting. Thank you for encouraging us as we go out!

God Bless

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