Thank You

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who participated in the Great Commission Auction and Feast. Thanks to all of you who came to the dinner and bid on items in the auction. This is the single largest fund raiser for the mission trip. We couldn’t do what we do on the trip without the support we receive from all of you. I also want to thank all the people who worked behind the scenes to make the dinner and auction a success.The night wouldn’t be possible without all the people who give their time and talents. Cooking, serving and cleaning up after a meal for 18o people is no small task. I would like to thank all those who organized and set up for the auction. Thanks to Tim and Chris for overseeing the entire event and organizing all the work. I would like to say a special thanks to Richard, Nick and Brian for all their help in cleaning up all day, and all night. Those three guys work harder than anybody I know, doing things nobody else wants to do and they do it all without complaining. So, to all of you, the people who attended and bid at the auction, the people who helped with cooking and serving the meal, the folks who organized the items for auction and tracked the bids and payments to all who helped clean up after – THANK YOU!

The night was a great success. Everyone who is involved in the trip, from the supporters to the people who are going, come together to create a successful event. In many ways the night is a model of the entire trip. Everyone has a part to play, and when the parts come together completing something that none of us could do by ourselves. I hope that the excitement will continue to build for this trip because I believe God is going to do something amazing in our church and in our lives.

Growth Through Missions

I want to direct everyone at LHC to Becky Mandich's blog (www.beckymandich.blogspot.com). Becky is one of our own, a child of LHC. Through her experiences on the mission field, God is doing an incredible work in her life, growing her into a warrior for Him.

I know for some it is hard to understand why we would travel 8,000 miles to do ministry, but this is one of the big reasons. To travel 8,000 miles to see, live, and experience the things God wants you to see, live and experience is priceless. It very often takes being out of our comfort zone, in place where God can get a hold of us for us to be able to wade through the noise of our world to hear from him. Becky is taking the next steps of acting on all she is hearing from God, and that is called growth. The fruit of that growth and the next step of growth for her will be translating the many things God has changed in her, into her life at home and in church.

We should be proud of Becky and her family for the sacrifice of getting Becky to Kenya. Tim and Zach will be traveling to join Becky with the LHC team this June. Following God's call takes sacrifice, encourage this family when you them. God is working in them as they have stepped into missions! Again make sure to check out Becky's blog, you will be blessed.

Going...

In just two short months, give or take a day, we will be starting our trip to Kenya. We still have a lot to do: planning, fund raising, shopping, packing, immunizations and all the other tasks that need to be done before we leave. This is the time when the struggles and battles will start, anything to make us doubt ourselves and the ability of our God to see us through. During this hectic time of making final preparation we need to pray more than ever. We need to pray for the trip, for the team, for the people we will meet and serve with. Most of all we need to pray for the leaders. Every time I have been on one of these trips it seems that problems start popping out of the wood work. The closer the start of the trip gets the more things seems to get in the way. This is especially true for Tim and Chris. They have to prepare themselves and do all the planning and preparing for us. The enemy knows if Tim and Chris get distracted or discouraged it will have an impact on all of us. I can only imagine all the obstacles that must come their way given the things I have to deal with. We need to pray that God will protect them and give them guidance and strength. We also need to pray that God will protect them and help them find favor with everyone they need to deal with as they finalize the preparations for the trip. We need to do everything we can to help them by listening to their instruction and being good followers.

I am truly excited about this trip and what we will see, do and learn. So far nothing about this trip has been like any of the trips I have gone on before. It is exciting to see how the trip is unfolding as each day passes and we haven’t even left yet. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for the team and our church as we move forward.