Just wait for it.
My pride and love as a mother are about to burst out of my insides and spill all over in brilliant pools of light.
My daughters are going on mission trips this summer. They are leaving this country and time zone and all that is familiar to help people in need around the globe!
Did you catch that last bit about AROUND THE GLOBE??
Yes. Deep breath. Maise and Ainsley...15 and 12 respectively...are going to Costa Rica. And Onnie, 17, is going to Lebanon. Beirut, to be exact.
My beautiful and brave girls, full of light and hope, are so excited to share that light and hope with the world.
Our church, Denver United...660 S Broadway, Denver CO 80209...is sending two teams overseas this summer. Maise and Ainsley will be traveling with their youth pastor and experienced team leaders to Alajuaelita, Costa Rica, a suburb of San Jose and the poorest county in Costa Rica, per capita. While there, they will do a VBS for the kids of the area, feed families, help with building projects for the community there, pray with people, and much more. They will be partnering with 6:8 ministries in country, and this is a return trip to the area for Denver United...a team went there last year too.
In case you think their trip to Costa Rica sounds like a cushy vacation...because, let's be honest here...the name conjures up lush beaches and jungle and gorgeousness...well, it is a service trip, friends. In the poorest area of the country in which the unemployment rate is 65% and prostitution is legal and a sad, main form of income for many families. Their trip is vital in bringing hope to this area of the world.
Onnie will be traveling with a team to Beirut, where she will also do a VBS for Syrian refugee children. She will be working with Horizon's International, an organization which has been ministering in the area for many years, was founded by her team leader's father and is currently run by his brother.
You are still waiting for me to talk about safety, I know you are. Here we go...you get to hear the coolest story ever...
Onnie and Maise and I got the incredible opportunity and privilege of talking to Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis on Sat night at an event called the Simply Jesus Gathering. Ted Dekker...New York Times best-selling author...my favorite author...he is about the nicest famous person I've ever met. I'm not sure he even knows he's famous. He hugged us all...let me rephrase, he asked if he could hug us and we of course, duh, said YES!... and we chatted. Then Onnie told him about her trip.
You see, he's a teeny bit familiar with Lebanon...he wrote this book with Carl Medearis called "Tea with Hezbollah" a few years back, in which he and Carl actually did that...went to the Middle East and met scary people. He's been to Lebanon twice, actually. He thought Onnie's trip was super cool and he told her to read Tea with Hezbollah...because, it's on our bookshelf already and she hasn't yet.
Then we went to talk to Carl. He and his family were missionaries in Beirut for 12 years, he is very involved in creating conversation and common ground between Muslims and Christ followers, he takes senators and other Washington people on trips to the Middle East to see another side of the story of humankind, his daughter made a beautiful film called Our Land about the people of the Middle East region and just moved back to Beirut this week...well, I could probably go on and on here...but, needless to say, he knows Lebanon.
He told Onnie that Beirut is actually safer than the neighborhood we were in that night...downtown Denver. He wasn't the first person we have heard those words from. He told her to enjoy her trip, every second of it. He also asked her age, and when she said 17, he said
"I am proud of you."
So am I, dear readers and friends and family. More than I can even form into words. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know the past several years have been very difficult for our family, especially the past 12 months. I believe these trips are going to bring healing to my girls, as they step outside all familiar comfort zones and give of themselves. I am praying and believing for that.
They have to raise $1600 each for Costa Rica, and $3200 for Lebanon. Onnie's already halfway to her goal, with the generous help of family, friends and donors from our church. Maise and Ainsley are honestly sitting on close to zero at the moment, and their first big deadline...plane ticket purchases...is coming up this Sunday, May 3rd.
I am just going to ask here...because these are my daughters and I believe in them...
Would you consider partnering with them on these trips by donating? Even a dollar will help to get them there. Even if you might not be a Christ follower or understand/believe in mission trips...will you believe in my daughters? In their wide, innocent hearts full of light and love waiting to be shared?
I have set up a GoFundMe to make giving easy. Donations can be made publicly or anonymously. You can go to it here:
Thanks, everyone. If you pray, please pray for my girls as they work toward their goals with these trips and as they travel and bring light.
As they are brave.
Peace.
*Other important links you might like:
Denver United Church- http://denverunited.com
Pray For MENA- http://pray4mena.org
6:8 Ministries- http://www.68ministries.org
Carl Medearis- http://carlmedearis.com
Ted Dekker- http://teddekker.com
Short-term mission
trips are undertaken by church groups comprised of members of the
congregation who travel to a new location to volunteer their efforts in
completing a helpful community project while spreading the gospel of
Jesus. Youth and Bible study groups organize and raise funds to be able
to embark on these missions, which are centered around the concept of
Christian service.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
hort-term mission trips
are undertaken by church groups comprised of members of the
congregation who travel to a new location to volunteer their efforts in
completing a helpful community project while spreading the gospel of
Jesus. Youth and Bible study groups organize and raise funds to be able
to embark on these missions, which are centered around the concept of
Christian service.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
hort-term mission trips
are undertaken by church groups comprised of members of the
congregation who travel to a new location to volunteer their efforts in
completing a helpful community project while spreading the gospel of
Jesus. Youth and Bible study groups organize and raise funds to be able
to embark on these missions, which are centered around the concept of
Christian service.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8033115_definition-mission-trips.html
