Disappointment, Day 5

Prayer and Praise



Prayer: I purchased my ticket today to go to Malawi. Leaving Sep 22 and returning Oct 19. Due to costs for the ticket ($3,000), I will be traveling by myself this trip. Below are the plans:
Leave Sep 22Arrive Blantyre Sep 24Time with orphanage kids and working with orphanage issues for 4 days Training Seminars: Sep 29 through Oct 12 or so (includes travel time) --Bangula (3 day), --Tengani (5 days), ---Nsanje (3 days)Teaching at Iris Ministries Bible College (3-4 days: Oct 13-16)Return to Blantyre: Oct 17Leave Oct 18, arriving in Portland on Oct 19.
This will be a somewhat different trip since I will be traveling alone and a lot of loose ends will not get tied up until I arrive (things like where I will be staying, how I will travel, etc.). I left a tent there on one of our previous trips that still exists (I am told), so that will help in Tengani for a place to sleep. Bangula and Nsanje have primitive rooms available. There will also be preaching and evangelization opportunities throughout the trip (usually evenings in the villages after teaching during the day). As in the past, I will be working with two of the local Christian men to set up everything up and do translation work for me.
The Lord has been prompting me to teach on what it means to be a spiritual person who understands and lives in the kingdom of God here on earth. Since I teach across denominations, the teaching stays away from those areas that divide groups and concentrates on those things that unite. As in the past, the teaching will be primarily aimed at pastors in 3 regions (Bangula, Tengani, Nsanje) in southern Malawi. Typically we see 50-70 pastors in Bangula, 100 in Tengani, and 50 or so in Nsanje. All pastors in the region are invited and we provide food and some transportation costs due to the poverty of the pastors involved and the travel distances for some of them (30-50 miles). They typically sleep outside on the ground during the seminar times, but are fed by a group of people in each of the three towns.
Costs for the trip are broken down as follows:Airfare: $3,100 (already purchased)Lodging and food for me for 24 days: $1,000Seminar costs (food and travel expenses for the pastors who attend): $1,000Travel costs in country: $300Baggage expense for extra bag (clothes for kids, etc.): $200Purchase Bibles (local language) for distribution: $250
If any of you are led by the Lord to help finance any of these areas, we would be blessed. The tickets are already paid for, so funds for the other items are needed.
I will send out another email before I leave with a little more complete information.
In Christ, Ron

Praise God that while meeting with him this week, I have found a new path to go down when it comes to discipling my children. Not disciplining, but disciple- ing. Praise that we made it through a rough week and that we are blessed beyond what we deserve. I am amazed at the freshness that is given when I come humbly to my Father's feet, how he just works it out, even if it is something I don't want to hear, I still find that I am peaceful about what he has offered me. Praise god that I am well and my children are well. Please pray for the details of the next week. Starting with Friday afternoon. It's my husbands birthday, yeah. Pray for safe travels, energy for Saturday concert 1 1/2 hours from here, pray for the trip to Maupin, Oregon on Tuesday and Wednesday and the white water rafting, that all will be safe. Pray for the visit with McKayla as well. Please also pray for our family vacation( yeah, finally, even if it is the last week of summer vacation). There is a lot going on, but I am sure there will be opportunities for me and my family to minister to others. I pray for a woman who was lost last week and found herself at our church asking for directions only to find she was so far from where she needed to be. Please give her safety and I pray that she will learn to love you, God, if she doesn't already~HC

Praise God for new life and the Roberts new baby boy. Praise God for the excitement of an upcoming union and Julz and Samantha as they begin the celebrations of a wedding shower this weekend. Praise God we get a little time away to go hiking and enjoy His beautiful creation.~AS