Our daughter, Emily - a Clemson University sophomore, leaves today for a two-week service/mission trip experience in Kenya with Love Africa. We'd appreciate your prayers for her and the team. You can track their progress through their blog site here.
The following is a post she wrote in April:
"In a little over a month about 30 of us will be traveling to Kenya. Thinking about the small amount of time that we have left to raise money and get prepared physically, emotionally, and spiritually can be very draining. For me, the process leading up to this trip has already been a whirlwind, which I never imagined. God has put me through a very big test this last month or so.
"For about 5 years now, I have known that I was called to pursue international missions as my career and ever since I have been incredibly blessed with abundant support both financially and prayerfully. The multiple mission trips that I have been on have been cent free on my part; family and friends gave more than I ever thought. Naturally, I began to think that since God was calling me to go to Kenya, the money would come in with no problem, just like it had in the past.
"Little did I know that this wasn’t going to be the case, God wanted me to give up the money to Him and completely trust that He could provide.
"I didn’t have near enough the amount of money that I needed for the deposit and I was a few hours away from not being able to go. I was upset and questioning God, then my parents came to visit me and we just prayed that God would give me a sign that the money was coming and if not, it just wasn’t his plan. Less than an hour later I got a call from Nathan saying that there had been an anonymous donation to me and in that moment I knew that I was officially going to Kenya. Yes, I had to go through a storm to get there but coming out of that storm has been the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.
"I have learned how to give over every part of my life to God, pray continually for things that I trust God can handle rather than just hoping He can help me. So many other students have experienced miracles just like this and I know that if God is showing up now He will definitely show up on our trip to Kenya. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do through our team and the people that we encounter. Please just be praying for our team that we can trust God to provide and that He will show up like we couldn’t even imagine while we are there."
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21