Where He Leads I Will Follow

Thank you for all of your prayers for me and my team! Here is the latest from Brian and Sarah...
Update on Brian and Sarah

Also it is looking more likely that I too will be heading to Haiti to work with the team there. I am still waiting to hear the details and get the final approval, but I would greatly appreciate you joining with me in prayer about this.

For more on what we are doing in Haiti check out the EFCA Crisis Response Blog

Safely landed

Brian and Sarah made it safely to the Dominican Republic, thank you for your prayers! They are still trying to get in touch with the team they are connecting with.

Willingness

Hello there friends, I wanted to let you know that Brian and Sarah my team leaders in Rome are currently heading to Haiti in response to a call put out by ReachGlobal/TouchGlobal for help...

This is the Email Brian and Sarah sent out:

Dear praying friends,

On Sunday morning, as Sarah and I were getting ready to go to our Italian church service, we received an e-mail from the ReachGlobal area director in Latin America. They were looking for French-speakers to go to Haiti to help with relief work. We sat down to breakfast and began considering the possibility. By the time we left the church service we had our answer. Pastor Ivano preached on Mark 14:1-9 about the woman who annointed Jesus with the expensive perfume. He pointed out that if she spoke any words, that is not what is recorded in the story. Her actions were what mattered in this case. He called the congregation to seize the opportunities that are before us. It is also interesting to note that he advises us in the same passage that we will always have the opportunity to reach out to those in need. We went home and bought plane tickets.

We ask for you to pray for our time in Haiti and for the tremendous needs there. We know almost nothing about the details of what we will be doing and where. We fly through Philadelphia to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, January 27th. From there we may help the Vision of Hope Ministries bring a vehicle from the DR to Haiti. Here is their website: http://www.vohmhaiti.com/ . You can find out more about helping by clicking on that link. We also recommend you check out Touch Global's site:here We may be organizing other teams coming to help. Pray for direction of every kind for us, from touchdown in Santo Domingo. We want to be poured out like precious nard.

We expect to be in Haiti for the whole month of February. We have a flight schedule back to Rome on February 28th. Pray and give.

I too have been feeling God asking me to be willing to go to Haiti, since I am here waiting to go to Rome. I do not speak French and have less Cross Cultural Experience than Brian and Sarah, so I was not sure I could be an asset to the work there. After talking to God about it, I felt the need to let ReachGlobal know that I am willing should they choose to use me.

I got the go ahead from Mike Davis to let the guys in charge of our effort there know I have his approval to come, I am now waiting to hear back about whether or not they would like me to come.

Here are some thoughts that I would like to share with you in regards to all of this:

1. God's timing and provision is just what we need when we need it...meaning had I arrived in Rome when I wanted last month Brian and Sarah may not have felt the freedom to go and help in Haiti for a month.

2. When I went through my hiring process with ReachGlobal there was a point during the week long interview that I came to the realization that I needed to be willing to go wherever God needed me. Rome, yes. Places less in my comfort zone, yes...I want that willingness to be used by God and follow His prompting to always remain more important than my time schedule or idea of my future.

3. If they decide they need me in Haiti, I will have a great opportunity to serve along side my Team Leaders, to get to know them better, and perhaps be prepared for some future ministry that God has for us back in Rome.

4. When I was a Youth Pastor I was always telling my students about living the life God has for you, putting His will first. If I do not live out that truth I have no business asking them too.

So, I invite you to join me in prayer for Brian and Sarah, for the people already serving in Haiti and of course for the people of Haiti. I also ask that you continue to lift me up to God, that I might have wisdom and a continued willingness to Go wherever He desires, whenever He desires.

Meet A Real Live Missionary Night

Last night I was invited along with two couples to share at the Felton Bible Church AWANA for their "Meet a Real Live Missionary Night" I got to share with the TNT Girls this year, last year I shared with the Sparkies. I was asked just share about what a missionary is and where I am going and what I will be doing. It was a privilege to share and there were a couple cute moments...

The first was when a little girl came up and gave me a few bucks and then read from her book "I know it is not much, but I hope it helps!" IT DID!

The next was when someone was searching for Italy in Asia.

And finally my favorite moment was when one of the girls volunteered to pray for me, and the line that I loved was, "and help her not to get so bored on the long plane ride!" That is why I need people of all ages praying for me, we get all the bases covered!

Wouldn't you just LOVE and iPod Touch?!

In the hope of creating more way's for my friends and supporters to Show Me The Love and get personally involved in getting me to Rome to plant churches I have come up with friendly competition!

SHOW ME THE LOVE

Here is how it works...
You have from now until the end of February to Show Me The LOVE by drumming up as many new monthly supporters as you can for My Road to Rome.

For each new monthly supporter you secure, giving a minimum of $5 a month, you will get a raffle ticket entered in the Show Me The LOVE Raffle increasing your chance to win an iPod Touch loaded with Italian Love Songs and Pictures. (which you can later replace with the things you LOVE)

1. Contact your friends and neighbors, share with them about Reach Global and the work I will be doing in Rome. If you need more info just ask or look over the Blog.

2. If they are interested in joining my monthly support team get me their name and number and I will contact them. If they sign up I will let you know, and put a raffle ticket into the raffle for you to win and iPod Touch!

3.On February 28th at 7pm I will draw out one ticket from the raffle and that person will win the iPod Touch loaded with Italian Love Songs and Pictures!

***At least 5 names must be entered into the Raffle by the drawing on the 28th or all entries will be invalid.


What I LOVE about this contest:
It gives you a chance to be more intimately involved in my journey to Rome!

It broadens my Support base!

It is more creative and fun than just calling people!

I might get to go to Rome sooner with your help!

The family of God is working together to build the Kingdom of God!

People who are not able to give monthly themselves may have friends who can and this way they can still feel like they are helping in a big way!

Alright, the contest starts now and I will give you updates along the way! Tell your friends or just invite them to join my monthly team so you have a better chance at wining the iPod Touch! (whichever you prefer)

In the Press

Yours truly has been selected to represent Reach Global in a new recruiting video aimed at reaching a younger population. (that's right I am "younger") Myself a a few others were asked to participate in a 2-3 min video that will be sent out to churches around the country to capture the imagination of our peers and perhaps inspire them to consider becoming missionaries.

If you are a George Fox Alum you will also see me mentioned in the upcoming George Fox Journal.
(that is a link to their last one I will post a new one when it come out.

Just thought you might want to know.

If you cannot wait for the upcoming video to come out and would like to know more right now about becoming a ReachGlobal Missionary you can click here for more info

God is Good

Thank you for joining with me in praying that God would bring in the remainder of my support this week! It is not all in yet, but it has been coming in steadily all week long! I went from 39% to 42% in the last two days! That is a big jump. God has reminded people who gave last year to give again, he has prompted people who had said they would give to give, and he has provided new supporters! Thank you for joining with me in prayer! Please continue to pray that God would continue to amaze and bless!

Join Me

I was reading in the book of Joshua today the familiar story of God giving the city of Jericho to Joshua and his army. As I meditated on this passage and reflected on the other amazing ways that God has provided for his people not only through out scripture but through out history I was moved to ask God to provide for me in big ways too.

But I also felt compelled to ask you my supporters to join me in my request. I need roughly $4000 a month more before I can join my team in the city God has directed me to. I have boldly and with complete faith asked God that he would provide the needed support by the end of the week.

It sounds impossible, it has taken me a year to raise half of that much, but God is God and I believe that he is capable of providing. I have seen him provide. So, join me in praying this week that God will open up the hearts and minds of his people that they might give out of what God has already given them. That by this time next week I will be able to shout with a loud voice, "THAT WAS GOD!!!"



Ways to pray:

That God would Provide individuals and churches who's combined support would equal $4000 a month.

That those who have shown interest or promised to support would follow through this week.

That through all of this the world would know that God is faithful and able to meet all of our needs even when they seem too big.