As members of Norcross First United Methodist Church in Norcross, Georgia, we were invited to their annual Global Impact Celebration starting on Jan 27. This is a celebration on how God is working both locally in that community and internationally around the world. The church brings back the missionaries that they help to support both prayerfully and financially. We are very thankful to our church and it’s heart for missions or we might not be where we are today – Namibia! It all started when we went on short term mission trips with our church that we felt called to something more. We very much love our church family and we were very excited about this opportunity. Instead of helping to plan the event we would be full time missionaries participating in the event.
We were also invited to be the speakers at the kick off banquet Friday night. WOW! Nervous – Yes. Excited – YES! Why the excitement? – an opportunity to tell how God is working in Namibia. Not just at the Children of Zion Village but in the community and even the government. We have experienced many miracles since our arrival and we know that God is here and everywhere we go!
We set up our table with picture books and slides rotating so people could get just a taste or glimpse of where we are. Then came the banquet and the talk. 350 people attended!!!
The weekend continued with excitement and energy. On Saturday morning after a church wide breakfast, a couple hundred of us gathered to put together food packs for the “Stop Hunger Now” program. In less than 1.5 hours (yes, that is less than one and a half hours) 30,000 food packs were completed!!! Amazing!!!
Sunday Travis and I had the privilege of speaking to the young children’s group. They were certainly full of energy and questions. We let them dance in the reed skirt and carry baskets on their heads as the “African way”. We taught them how to sing “Jesus Loves Me” in SiLozi, showed slides (of course) and had a great time with the children (and teachers in the class :))
Sunday night closed with a processional of all the countries that were represented. We each carried a flag to represent where we were serving. It was a moving time and as we continued to reflect our time here, we continue to know that we are where God has called us to be at this time.
We also visited The Mission Society and were blessed by our family in Christ there! We are grateful to each of them as they have played a big role in our life to prepare for the mission field and as we serve.
We are thankful for our friends that greeted us, transported us, fed us, prayed with us, gave us a place to lay our head each night and sent back gifts with us, and on and on... You are all a part of HIS team. We love you and thank you for your partnership, support, encouragement, prayers and HUGS!!!!
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