Africa!

For the last several years I have yearned to be apart of the mission field in Africa.  I have so wanted to just pick up and move our whole family!  However, being a blended family makes that nearly impossible.  Because of this I have also yearned to go over by myself for short trips or even with our family.  I kept saying "someday" and have just talked and talked about it.
Recently, one of my dear friends Kari and her husband Jason went to Uganda.  While talking to her asking her how it all came about, she told me "You know how much I have talked about wanting to be a missionary, well I finally said I have to quit saying someday, and just do it!" This is of course paraphrased, it was a much more in depth conversation! However, it struck something in me.  I began praying about it.  I then all of the sudden saw Mission trips everywhere!  I also just recently started reading "Radical" and that was just like God shouting at me!

Then a couple of months ago my friend and coworker, Jenny, told me she was leading a mission trip to Mombasa, Kenya.  I started feeling a pull towards the trip but didn't know how financially it could ever happen. 
The trip consists of $3400 in travel expenses, not to mention the weeks off of work. 
So I told her no, that right now it just couldn't happen. 
I then witnessed the power God has in this area!  Kari and Jason raised over $7000 in just a couple of months!  God is bigger than my fears of financial stability! 
I thought however, I had missed my chance.  Jenny had been collecting deposits in December.  So I wasn't sure where I would be led, but felt the pull and felt I was supposed to go somehow.  Jenny had gone out of town for the Holiday and was gone until last week.  When she got back I told her how I felt like a mission trip is where I was being pulled.  She then told me that we didn't have to turn in the deposits until February 20th! And the remainder won't have to be paid till 40 days before we leave, and we leave July 7th. That I still had the opportunity if that is what I was feeling led towards!  I was so excited! 

My next step was to get the approval from my husband.  It is 2 weeks away, that is a long time when we have 5 kids!  His kids aren't with us except every other weekend, but still 3 kids in the house without me to help get them to school is a lot!  He has to leave for work by 5:30am every morning, so we will have to figure out what to do with the kids while I'm gone, that is the biggest hurdle.
So I began praying, Lord if this is your will show me by affirmation from my husband.
I finally told him, "I really felt led towards this trip with Jenny.  I feel a pull from the Lord.  What do you think?" Not only did he say he thought it was a good idea, he says "I think you need to go!"

So, here I am!  I've made the commitment!  I am in!  I am so excited to see the amazing things God has in store!  Please be praying for myself and our family as we prepare for this!  We have to work out the girls for the 2 weeks I am gone, we need provision financially, and just spiritually we need prayer, I am ready and waiting for satan to begin trying to attack.  It's what he does when he sees us trying to do the Lord's will!  So pray for that as well!

I will keep my blog up to date with the different things that will take place to make this trip happen!