Courage is Revealed In Africa

By Jenny Beard on the way back from Africa:

As I sit on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic I have a heavy heart for the country in Africa and people that I left behind.  The questions I have been asking myself since my first trip are: Why me? Why Africa? Why so far away?  Why couldn’t I have fallen in love with a country closer to home or even my own country?

If anyone had told me 3 years ago that I would be called to go on a Mission Trip to Africa, I would have laughed and told them “God knows how scared I am of going out of the country since 9-11, he knows that I am terrified I would end up on a plane bound for some National Monument so he would never do that to me”...Wrong.  Don’t ever say or think that God won’t call you out of your comfort zone, three years later and 2 trips to Africa, here I sit on a plane crying because it was time to leave.The past 10 days have been nothing short of amazing for me and I still have lots to process. There was good and bad, things that made sense and nonsense but we went with a purpose to love on the people and share the good news of Christ and I believe we did that ten-fold.

We spent time in villages getting our socks blessed off and then we went to feed the homeless in another town. I have always had a heart for the Homeless, I remember my dad telling me that when I was a little girl and we would go to Nashville I would ask so many questions about why they didn’t have a home and I remember him telling me that I would be in tears begging him to give them money or our “take-away” if we had been out to dinner.

I stood in amazement as hundreds of men, women and children, a large part of them blind and crippled filled table after table to get probably their only meal of the day.It’s bad enough to be homeless but to be blind, crippled and homeless in Ethiopia is beyond anything I can comprehend. As they filed in and I began to serve them something that I am ashamed to say I probably wouldn’t eat, my heart became very heavy, I had to step away and take a minute because I starting to melt down.  After I calmed down (with the help of Pastor Duane:) These people had the sweetest faces and biggest smiles and when I was standing among them serving the food and one of the older gentlemen grabbed my hand and said “Thank you!  Jesus is so good.”  I thought, “this is it, this is why I am here” If one person knows that Jesus is good and Jesus loves them, then all the preparation and hard work was totally worth it.  I am honored to have that man grab my hand and Thank me but really I should have been thanking him.

Family and friends told me that they admired me, and told me that I had such courage to go so far away.  I don’t have courage, courage is the men I saw that were so crippled they could only walk on their hands and drag their legs behind them, the blind that had to depend on others to help them out, the women in the countryside that carried huge water jugs on their heads back to their families, the men, women and children pilfering through the trash dump to find food for their families.  That is courage.  I am nothing, I only did what God called me to do and if I live my life from here on with the love and appreciation that the people of Africa showed me, then I will be a much better person because of it.
Below are some of the lyrics to a new Casting Crowns song, it was my “Battle Song” for the week:

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sandMake the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their handsHelp us to remember we are all the least of theseLet the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their kneesNo one knows what we’re for only against when we judge the woundedWhat if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and loved like You didOh Jesus, friend of sinnersOpen our eyes to world at the end of our pointing fingersLet our hearts be led by mercyHelp us reach with open hearts and open doorsOh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yoursYou love every lost cause; you reach for the outcastFor the leper and the lame; they’re the reason that You cameLord I was that lost cause and I was the outcastBut you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

East Africa Update

Jesus called them to him, saying "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God" - Luke 18:16

Update from the East Africa Team:

"Today I got to share the gospel two different times to the younger and older kids. Afterward seven kids came to me asking to receive God's forgiveness and give their heart to him. So much to give thanks for. I'm so grateful to be used for His glory!'

Thank you to all those praying for this team! Please continue to pray for them as they continue to minister to the children and help train the leaders in this area. Pray for these new believers to be encouraged and to grow their new faith. Praise the Lord for using the team to minister to both spiritual and physical needs!

Project 61 Prayer Requests

Legessa is a 16 year old boy in East Africa who is very sick and right now the cause of his illness is unknown.  Please pray for him and ask others to be praying for him.  Also please pray for Emily, the medical intern, as she is trying to help Legessa and many others.   Her days in the hospital can be difficult and long. 

Corey and the kids as they start back in school on the 9th.  Pray for them as they start a new semester. 

Last please pray for a P61 team as they go to celebrate the Ethiopian Christmas at the boarding schools and also help with the Bright Hope kids in Korah.  Some of the men on the team will also be doing a Bible study with the Great Hope leaders.  Pray the Lord will use them in a mighty way while they are there!

December Project 61 Prayer Requests

Sumer and the kids are all coming to the States for a few weeks.  Pray for safe travels as they leave on Friday.  Pray the boys will sleep and travel well on the flights.

Pray for Corey while they are away, he will be there alone for three weeks.  He is very grateful to have some good friends at the school that he will spend a lot of time with.

Pray for those who will be working for Project 61 and as they run things while Sumer is away.  Pray that it will be an uneventful three weeks!

A Reminder Of God's Purpose

By Carrie Grace Congdon

A few weeks ago our group of five returned from our trip to East Africa in partnership with TSC and Project 61.  I wanted to share a little about each day that we spent there. The first day we arrived we went to visit the orphanage which was started by a friend. She explained how bad the conditions were when she first started, how the babies were starving and how they lay in their urine and feces for most of the day because there was no one to wash the diapers and bedding. There was little hope. Then God spoke to her and through her obedience people started donating items and money to bring these children to where they are today. Now most of the babies were very healthy, even chubby with smiles and giggles. 

There was a new baby that had come in the day before, they named him Levi. He was 4 months old and only weighed 6 pounds. He was sick with a terrible cough. I held him for most of the afternoon but it felt like I was holding an empty blanket.  He had an amazing story about how he was found that let us all know that God was using him even in his poor condition. We were blessed to see the work of God.

Saturday we went and met with several other non-profit organizations in the area. It was amazing to see how many different organizations were working with the orphans and widows to try to make their lives better. The most important was their willingness to share the hope and love of Jesus. We were humbled.  

Sunday we attended a local church and had our cups overflow as we experienced the Holy Spirit move in the worship service. It was wonderful to see these people who live in poverty that we cannot imagine, worship with all their hearts. For rows of single young men to sing and sway and cry without concern for what others might think. Oh....how they loved him so!

Monday morning we arrived in another city to find that most of the children had not come to the church due to the pouring rain, so we went to find them instead. We met most of them while walking along the streets and followed them home to see where they lived or were staying while home from the boarding school.  My heart breaks every time I hear one of their stories of  hunger, sickness, and loss. We prayed with each family before we left and heard many thanks for giving their children a future by helping them go to school. These visits are always a favorite of mine because I know God has a plan for each of these people. I am filled with hope and anticipation for what good He will bring to their lives.     

 

Tuesday and Wednesday mornings we spent teaching Bible lessons to the children in the summer camp program. I am amazed that in the year that Project 61 has been influencing how much they know about the Bible and Jesus. Often, when you meet a child for the first time, their first questions is "what is your name?", but the second question is "do you know Jesus?" How I wish that we were more like them.  What if when you met someone new you said, "Hi, my name is Carrie, what's yours? Do you know Jesus?" Isn't that how it should be?  

Thursday morning we traveled to the boarding school, to help the Ordinary Hero team paint and clean in the boys dorm. On Friday we finished painting what we could of the ceilings before the paint ran out, cleaned up and started the road trip back to where we were staying. A protest started so we took a detour.  It was a blessing to see the African landscape from the top of the mountains.  I was reminded of who God is and that He is always there in the big things and in the details. 

Saturday we had to say goodbye to everyone. We talked, played, held hands, kissed cheeks and finally waved goodbye one last time.  God called baby Levi home as we were traveling back to the states.  For a short time I questioned why... but God whispered that His plan was bigger than I can understand. Baby Levi had already made such an impact in his short life that it was time for him to be home in the arms of Jesus. Not my will but yours...

As always the team left part of each of us behind, we learned about God and ourselves and we saw God's plan and purpose being worked out in many ways. We were humbled to get to play a small part and everyone is looking forward to the changes that will occur in our lives as a result of this mission trip. I encourage everyone to listen and be obedient. Your blessings will be abundant! 

Two Teams, Two Trips, One Purpose

Recently a team from TSC returned from a 10 day trip to East Africa.  While there they spent a few days partnering with another team from Ordianry Hero.  Together the teams were able to paint the halls and rooms of a boys dorm at the boarding school.  Although it was a large amount of work they completed all that needed to be accomplished.  Members of Project 61 were also overwhelmed with the generosity of Ordinary Hero after they donated a significant amount of money to help supply the children with school supplies.  Thank you Ordianary Hereo for your support of Project 61!   For more information about these teams and the donation click here. 
http://ordinaryheroblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/our-power-team-in-ethiopia-day-2.html?spref=fb

September Project 61 Prayer Requests

1. The Y family kids will be going back to school the second week of September.   Pray for a smooth transition and that the Y family gets all that needs to be done between now and then.

2. Corey Y has started a new job and is still adjusting to the schedule and work.  Pray for him and the adjustment! 

3. Denae, who has come alongside the Y family to help serve has been a huge blessing.  Pray for someone else who can fill her role in November.  The Y family has grown to love her and it will be difficult when she leaves. 

Project 61 Prayer Requests for August

Thank you for praying for Project 61 and those working in East Asia!  Here are a few requests and praises from the Project 61 Team.

 

A team just returned on Saturday from a week of summer camp.  Things went very well and they had great things to say about the kids in the boarding school.  They look great physically and they were impressed with how much they've learned in just a year.

Another team just left.  They are taking half a load of brand new tennis shoes to East Africa.  Pray for favor with custom's agents.  We are praying they will not have to pay taxes on these shoes.  Some previous teams have dealt with this issue.  Another team in August will be taking the rest of the shoes.  Pray for them as well.

Corey starts in-service in a week for his new job at a local school in Addis.  His children also start school in a week.  Pray for all of their transitions.

Continue to pray for the summer camp and the interns in East Africa helping this summer.  (Boarding school starts again in September).





Please pray for good health for the family working in East Africa and for strong relationships with church leaders.  Most of all pray that God's glory would be shown over in Africa!

How Will You Change The World?

Many lives are being impacted by those working in East Africa.  Watch this short documentary to see how Project 61 and other organizations are impacting lives and learn more about getting involved.  http://vimeo.com/22937650

Project 61 Prayer Requests

By Alicia Jordan 

1.  The kids return from school at the end of the month.  Please pray for all of the kids as these next few months are going to be an adjustment for them and their families.  Please pray for the teams that will be coming to spend time with them this summer, that it is a time of growth in their relationship with Christ above all else.  If you sponsor a child, please pray for them as often as you can during these next few months.

2.  Corey and Sumer are moving to a new house soon; please pray for this transition as it comes during a busy season for them.  They are supposed to sign a contract this week!

3.  Corey and Sumer are applying for work permits at the end of the month, pray that we find favor and that the process is quick and easy.

4.  Pray for a girl named Heaven who recently came to America.  Pray for the doctors and that she will get the treatment that she needs.

5.  Wendemneh, one of the sponsored children, has been having a rough time. I know this sounds crazy but we are convinced that he probably has a demon and is dealing with some serious spiritual warfare. His behavior is significantly worse when he drinks. The last episode he was laying on the ground turning in circles and making crazy noises and his eyes were rolled back. His mother has possibly been involved in some serious spiritual stuff and worshiping of trees etc. PLEASE pray for him. Wendemneh has said "something bad is inside of me, like Satan." I said "what do you want to do about that Wendemneh," and he said go to church and change his life. I got Pastor Antenah to talk to him and they are going to meet every day so Pastor Antenah can begin sharing the gospel with him. Please believe with us that this young man will hear and receive!! 

Being Blessed in the Process. . .

By Robin Spychalski

In January of this year I went to East Africa with a Project 61 team.  This was my first mission trip.  Over the last four years the Lord has shown my husband and I the importance of missions and has made it clear for us to be a part of taking the gospel around the world.  In April of 2010, with the Lord’s direction, my husband and I decided to sponsor a young girl through P61 and by June I knew the Lord was calling me to go. To be honest, agreeing with the Lord that I should go 8,000 miles away was very hard for me.  Actually, the hardest part of my journey to East Africa was actually answering the call - being obedient and saying “yes”.  Leaving my family seemed beyond my ability.  And beyond my ability it was… but not beyond His!

The trip itself had so many amazing moments for me.  Like meeting the beautiful, young girl my family gets to sponsor.  To see first- hand how she has hope, loves her school and knows and loves Jesus!  Or, sitting inside the amphitheater with the boarding school kids and in spite of a language barrier be able to worship the same Savior through old gospel hymns.  I remember watching the beauty of that- Africans and Americans, young and old and thinking this is a glimpse of what heaven will be like when every tribe and every tongue comes together to worship our king!  Also, a moment of understanding first-hand the scripture in James 2:5 "Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?"  Wow! The people of Korah and the church leadership is so rich in faith!  According to worldly standards those people have nothing.  And yet, I found myself wanting what they have- a rich, deep faith.

If the God of the universe is requesting your presence to be a part of changing lives- say YES!  Say it with excitement, with courage, and with an understanding that our God is trustworthy and faithful.  It will be a journey you will not want to miss!  And when you think you are there to bless others you will see that our amazing God is blessing you in the process. 

(For more information on how you can join a TSC mission team, go to http://www.goctw.org/, and check out the Missions at a Glance page for all future trips. All work done in East Africa is supported by the GOCTW yearly offering, which aids in providing food, supporting and sending workers, and whatever else is needed to minister to the community there.)

175 Kids + Hundreds More Cared for in East Africa

Our East Africa team was busy  at the boarding school!  While there they were able to care for 175 kids.  That is a lot of kids to see in one day!  They were able to treat minor illnesses, infections, and problems with kid's teeth.  I believe they were also able to slaughter an ox for the kids to eat!   I’m sure that was a great treat for them.  The kids always enjoy visits from the teams so I know it encouraged them.

It is such a miracle that these kids had no hope just a short time ago, but now they are in a boarding school with three meals a day and receiving a Christian education. 

While in back in the major city after serving at the boarding school,  the team went to serve in the local community TSC partners with to setup a clinic to treat 100 people.  They also did some home visits and evangelism and Bible Study with the church leaders.   

(TSC Partners in East Africa through GOCTW funding, short-term trips, and long-term support.)

Feeding the Leaders...

from John Owen

Since becoming a Christian, I’ve been that guy that sits with his family in the church pew for an hour or two depending on the Sunday, at times gives of our resources (time and money) to the church and/or the needy, prays, reads the bible, has a quiet time daily, and am considered the “Christian guy” at work.

So basically for the past 21 years, I’ve been comfortable believing in the gospel “period”. You know, the “Jesus died for my sins so I may have everlasting life.” (Period). I assumed that after accepting Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, my public affirmation of faith and my subsequent baptism and living “good”, that I had received my “get out of hell free card”.

Recently, I’ve gone through quite an ordeal health wise and God opened so many doors through it for me to be able to make a mission trip to East Africa:

Here is a quick synopsis of my personal road to serve in East Africa:
• Weighed 230lbs on 1/20/10, BP 160/100, high stress job….doctor very concerned
• Started walking & dieting in Jan per doctor’s orders…. weight starts dropping off
• My wife has minor surgery and I decide not to go to church on a particular Sunday
• Daughter really wants to go, wife says go. Turns out to be the Sunday of the "Beautiful Things- East Africa" video.
• I sit in the back of TSC, tears streaming down my face… totally convicted – all in.
• Doctor says I must get down to 195 lbs, and get my BP down to go to East Africa in Aug.
• By March, walking 5-7 miles a day. When I don’t feel like walking, I think of East Africa.
• Friday night, July 9... wake up thinking I’m having a heart attack
• Emergency surgery Sat 3am for ruptured gall bladder and chest infection.
• Sunday, a 2nd procedure to get .75 inch stone from liver (liver beginning to shut down)
• Pancreas lacerated while stone is removed…full blown acute pancreatitis.
• 28 days in the hospital, miss the Aug East Africa trip and am told no Africa for at least a year.

I was heartbroken to miss the Aug trip, and truthfully confused over God’s will for me. The doctors did tell me that if I had not lost the weight (I was 195 lbs when I entered the hospital) that there was a good chance that I would not have survived the ordeal. Although disappointed and confused, I was beginning to acknowledge that this wasn’t about my health issues and belief in going… This was all about my learning to listen, trust and to faithfully submit to the Lord.

I had gotten to know the August trip leader, Derek. He visited me in the hospital and continued to stay in touch afterward. I knew if I could get well enough, that going on Angela’s January trip was a possibility, but I really felt strongly that the Lord was leading me to go before that and in a much smaller group. There was a pull to go and to work with the church leaders at Great Hope Church in East Africa. Feeding the children today is very important, but feeding the leaders so that the Gospel is shared in that community daily, feeds those children for eternity.

Too many things had fallen into place for all this to be coincidental. This trip was ordained by God from the beginning. It was as it was supposed to be, without intrusion from the planning of men. From my health, to Derek’s schedule, to this being literally the only time that the pastor there and all nine church leaders could gather for two hours a day, four consecutive days to be refreshed in the Lord…..and so on.

As you might expect, this trip definitely changed my life, but so did the road to it. I learned that our God is big, really big. I learned that “awaiting God’s will” was a cop out for me, a way to avoid true action for the kingdom. Its plain what God’s will is for us - just read John 3:16-21, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 25:31-46, James 1:27 and Matthew 28:16-20. But read them with your heart, just like it was the first time.
In my study for this trip I noticed that throughout the Bible very seldom did the Lord tell the believer that he sent the entire itinerary for the next month or year of their life… He simply said “Go”.

This trip is the most important thing that I’ve ever done. Not just because of what God accomplished through us, but also because maybe for the first time in my 53 years I trusted and obeyed. I learned that all blessings have a purpose and a cost. And that I am not to ever again be that “comfortable Christian” that feels that I need not be actively seeking God’s will for me each and every day.

Please pray today for the church leaders in East Africa, and in all places around the world where people are in need and the gospel is not known. And please prayerfully consider just “believing and going” when nudged. God Bless…

John Owen

250 Bibles Sent From TSC

250 kids that were rescued from an Ethiopian dump now not only have a place to sleep, a school to go to, and food to eat… they also all have a Bible. It is our prayer that every child would not just have their physical needs met through Project 61, but in 2011 we would begin to see child after child give their lives to Christ.

All Bibles were funded through Go Change the World funds of Thompson Station Church.

Missing the Rains in Africa...

The other day, I was talking with Angela Spencer, our preschool minister, who just experienced her first-ever mission trip. She traveled to Ethiopia and Uganda along with four others from Thompson Station Church, including Alicia and Sumer who also serve on our preschool staff. As we were talking, her phone rang, and her ringtone was of course the song I alluded to above!

I could try and describe for you or summarize what all our team experienced, but thought it might simply be better to link you to their blogs. Check out below what Angela, Alicia, and Sumer are saying about their trip to Africa and the huge task of caring for 147 million orphans wordwide... btw, I love these ladies, and thank God for them and their ministry to our kids here at TSC!

-Pastor Reagan

Angela- http://www.bignannyshouse.blogspot.com/

Alicia- http://thejordansdna.blogspot.com/2010/01/broken-heart-once-again.html

Sumer- http://www.sumerwithonem.blogspot.com/

Preschool Team in Africa/Student Team in Tucson

Please be praying this week for Angela Spencer, Sumer Yates, and Alicia Jordan as they go to minister to orphans in Ethiopia and Uganda. One of the many organizations they will be working with over the next week and a half includes Amazima Ministries and Katie Davis. Katie Davis is a 21 year old Brentwood girl and started Amazima Ministries just a couple years ago. I'm attaching a link to her blog because it's just a good read when you have some time...

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2009/08/it-is-my-16th-birthday-and-i-am-eating.html

Please also be praying for our Tucson Team led by Pastor TJ and Pastor Jason. TJ and Jason will be working with Grace Fellowship in Tucson this week to put together several outreach opportunities centered around reaching students in the Vail, AZ area. Please pray especially for TJ as he gets to share in the open air in Tucson on New Year's Eve at a block party being put together by our team!

Updates hopefully coming on both of these teams this week!