Thursday, January 31, 2013

One Body, Many Parts

As I sit here looking out at the snowy landscape of Minnesota, I am anxious and excited to be heading down to Haiti with the St. Michael's team Monday!  The 14 of us have been preparing our hearts and minds for this trip these past 4 months and now our checked luggage bags are packed and we're in the final days of preparations. 

I am so excited how many people both through the church and family/friends have come alongside us with support...be that it is in prayer, donations, or finances.  We are going down with over 25 bags filled to the maximum weight allowance of items in need!  Also, the students and families of Crosswalk Sunday School have raised funding for T-shirts that will be used and distributed through the church pastoral staff up at Grace Village and their mission efforts...150 with focus on community evangelism, prison ministry, and hospital ministry.  What a blessing to be able to bring those down with us as well.



Last night our group was prayed over at the HUB (church mid-week programming) and then a few of our team members joined the "Prayer in Action" group who have a heart for prayer.  There are 2 mission teams from St. Michael's church leaving this weekend...ourselves and a team of 8 going to Guinea, West Africa to serve the Maninke prople in medical and healing ministry.  What a powerful session sharing from both of our teams  to this group our itineraries and prayer needs.  I was moved to tears in sharing a story of how I had witnessed the children of Grace Village being the hands and feet of Christ with their new brothers and sisters who had joined Grace Village last summer...as we were there to teach these children serving; their witnessing humbly brought us down to our knees in learning grace and obedience to our Lord. 

I am excited to be praying for our Guinea team as well during these next few weeks, and am humbled again by the fervent prayers in action for our teams as we're serving in these countries.  Thank you Lord for continuing to show me how each one of us has a special place in the the body of Christ, and how powerful it is when we use the gifts we have been given and encourage others with their gifts as well.  Thus, in turn, we have an overriding oneness in YOU LORD...All Glory to God!
1 Corinthians 12:12-31