It's time to Celebrate!

It's time to CELEBRATE!!!!!

So, I think we can all see that SOMEBODY has been praying :) And God has listened to you, to me, to all of us! God has absolutely blessed the Mission Trip Teams this past week (and for the entire process)

There is just something to be said about a college ministry raising $105,000 for mission trips for 52 students!!

¡Qué increíble!



The entire amount of our trip ($2,500) was due on Sunday, December 6 at our 7pm meeting. Well, the week leading up to this deadline our team was a total of $10,000 away from what was due. Miraculously, less than one week before the deadline, our team found out that our trip cost was decreased by $530 per person!!!
We could not believe the news!!! For so many of us, that meant that our trip cost came to an affordable and less intimidating amount left. Well, for others, their amount due was still a huge number, but God allowed it to happen in this way so that His name would receive all the glory!! Check out the following stories of God's provision from two of our team members Alys Davis and Kat Richards....



Here are two incredible ways that God really showed His power through provision for Alys Davis:

"Sunday November 30^th, I found out that I was still $1200.00 short on making the final payment for the Bolivia trip, and I’m not sure what happened but on Tuesday we found out that our trip had dropped $500.00 cheaper- this alone was a blessing I now only had to raise $700.00 between last Tuesday and Sunday at 7:00pm (which was the original deadline for the final payment)

**Before the mission meeting Sunday night , I gathered and counted all the money that had been given to me I had received $400.00 of the $700.00 that I needed in order to make the final cut for the trip- raising that much in just a few days alone was amazing to me, but I found out that no more donations had been sent directly to the church for my trip so I was left $300.00 short.

I’m not going to lie, I was very disheartened when I realized this, and decided to stop a couple miles from where we were meeting in an Ingles parking lot and just pray for the Lord to reveal His will to me in all of this.

Ten minutes before the meeting, I received a phone call from one of my roommates telling me that someone that had borrowed $300.00 from me a few months ago had gotten in touch with her, and was able to pay me back. (this person that owed me the money is unemployed right now. I’m not sure how he got the money, but I know for certain this was a God-thing)

I was able to make the final payment after-all!

God was revealing to me that He is a true provider for His children and that His timing is so perfect!!!

**I also had other expenses related to the trip that I was going to have to pay out of pocket, and I wasn’t sure where that was going to come from because to be honest I was already falling behind on some bills because I had to fork out the money for some of the first payment, and passport, etc. (as I’m sure many are facing the same problem). A friend and of mine thst I worked with at the dealership in Athens, named John Ayers walked up to me yesterday (December 8^th), and put a check in my hand and said, “It’s not much, but I know there are things that you need above and beyond paying for the actual trip and I felt a burden to give you this to help with those.”

He also explained that Him and his wife, Anna wanted to give the donation to me personally in memory of his son who was killed earlier this year. John’s son was a young pastor of a church in Taccoa- He was an incredible man of God with such a kind and loving heart! John said that his son had such a heart for missions,and that he knew that he would want to be a part of making this trip possible for me. (He also told me that his daughter-in-law found out she was pregnant with their first child shortly after her husband was killed. This time of year is especially hard for her-he asked that we please be keeping her and the entire family in our prayers.)

I thanked him tearfully for the donation, and put the check in my purse- when I opened I up later, it was a check written for $400.00! That’s such an incredible answer to prayer because that money will cover the rest of what I needed for the trip: my immunizations, supplies, getting a second bag into the country, etc. (I figured I could pay to take a larger second bag smack full of things from the supply list and just leave the bag and all there with the people so I’m only paying to take it one way) Either way that money will make it possible for me to get everything ready and in order. (while paying my bills on time which is such a huge weight off my shoulders)

Praise the Lord! He has truely blessed me in such an incredible way, as he has strengthened mine, and the rest of the mission teams faith during the entire fund raising process! We haven't even gotten on the plane yet, and we're already experiencing such blessings! I can't wait to see what's in store for us in Bolivia!"

And Kat Richards shares her story:

This last leg of fund raising has been the hardest. After the initial benchmark of $1200 was paid, this last $1300 was just not showing up. Nothing was coming in.. maybe $50 here and there but that was it! It was discouraging but I was adamant in believing that God WILL provide & I will trust in Him. He has chosen me for this trip and so He gives His kingdom power for His kingdom purposes. It was 7 days before our final payment was due and I still had $1000 to go! So here's the breakdown on the week:

Monday- $1000 to go

Tuesday- our trip cost has dropped by $530. Somehow, $100 extra has shown up in my account

Wednesday- need $351

Thursday- need $351

Friday- need $351

Saturday- need $351

Sunday 5pm right before our meeting- given a check for $500!!!!

With the extra money plus some of my own, I was able to give anonymously to a team member from another trip, making it possible for that person to go as well. God is so good!!!!!

Thank you prayer supporters for your faithfulness to our team! God is really blessing us! We also had a really great meeting on Sunday where our group unity was effortless. We prayed together and played games together. Our team leader Jose even prayed in Spanish for us to get a cultural experience similar to what we will encounter :)

Our team is now 18 days away from departure and we are SO excited about the coming adventure! We expect God to use us to minister to the lost, hurting, and needy. We look forward to the miracles He has in store and what we will get to share with everyone upon our return!

Please continue to PRAISE God with a grateful heart for all of His provision over our team and the others!! We are soooo blessed to have EVERYONE going on their trips!


We would ask that God please continue to provide our team with unity and relationships. We need to be comfortable with relying on one another because this trip is going to stretch us.

We also are still in need of supplies for our trip. The supply list is as follows:

Craft Supplies
Loose Construction Paper
Crayons/Colored Pencils
Scissors
Glue
Sequins/Glitter/Jewls

Gifts
Shoes and Clothes for the Baby/Child Washing Ministry
Spanish Bibles, Children's Books and Bible Studies
Spanish School Supplies: Math Flashcards, Maps

Kids Toys
Knit Hats for Kids
Simple Games: Jump rope, Yo-yos, Puzzles
Hair Bows and Kids Costume Jewerly
Trucks/Cars/Airplanes
Soccer Balls Deflated with Pump
Beads/Strings
Solar Calculators
Candy


We would really like to have these supplies in by December 20^th so we have time to evaluate what we have.

¡Gracias!

Colossians 4:2-6

^"2Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."