"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." -II Timothy 1:7
With just over a month to go I am grateful that "the spirit of fear" is, for the most part, minimal. World events have caused the fear to ramp up at times, but I am grateful for a God that is going before us and already knows what and how this adventure will play out. How privileged to be able to converse anytime with the creator of the universe - mind boggling. How can I possibly fear?
On Monday, May 9, I was informed that all of the necessary funds for this trip had come in - what an amazing God I serve! A year ago I would have laughed at the notion of raising $3600 - no more laughing. Last week a note came home in Luke's backpack regarding his Kindergarten class's end of year "mission project". His class and all of the Kindergarten classes at CCS are collecting basic medical supplies (ie. band aids, gauze, Neosporin, etc) to be sent along with each of the 2 groups heading to Kandaria this summer, for a new medical facility that has been funded and is in the process of being built. How exciting it will be to see this "mission project" in it's end result! Luke was pretty stoked :)
I am learning to lean more and more on my savior as the time for my departure draws near. Plans are being put into motion for my family's needs while I am away and more and more of the things on my list are being "checked off".
My prayer requests right now are as follows:
1) That I will be miraculously blessed with the organizational skills necessary to prepare both myself and my family for my absence - organization is something I have never been very good at.
2) That God will continue to prepare my heart for this trip. If ignorance is bliss, then I am in a very blissful state. I have heard from so many that have gone before, how life changing this will be, but I can't fully comprehend it at this point.
3) That the very long physical journey getting to Kandaria will be easier then I am imagining. It will be almost a 24 hour trip, between flights, layovers and bus rides. Please pray for no or minimal hiccups on the journey.
I will try to do a couple more updates before I leave. Once we are there, a daily email will be sent from our group. If you are at all interested in receiving these updates please email me and I will have you added to the list! My email address: rjcallinan96@gmail.com
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!
Love you all!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wow!
The last month or so has been a bit of a whirlwind and I have neglected to update this blog... my blog pet peeve. So, today let me give you a quick update of where I am at physically, financially and spiritually.
Physically
I decided that since I am heading to a remote area of the world and haven't had a physical in at least 10 years, it was time. God is so good! I called my husband's GP and just made an appointment with their practice. Come to find out, the doctor assigned to me spent 2 years oversees as a surgeon in the army and had been to Kenya several times throughout his tours. He gave me some basic advice and encouragement and was extremely helpful in the area of "what shots to get" and "what medicine to take with me". Man, God really is good all the time - even when I forget to ask! The doctor gave me a thumbs up on my physical state and a 60 day prescription for Malaria pills with very strict instructions to take them exactly as directed and to WEAR SUNSCREEN. When I went to pick the medicine up the pharmacist said 2 words to me 4 times "WEAR SUNSCREEN". Apparently my natural winter paleness and the combination of the medicine would turn my skin orange... I'll be WEARING SUNSCREEN. I have completed almost all of the necessary shots for the trip - 8 out of 9. My arms are sore, but it's a "good" sore.
Financially
My first payment deadline was quickly approaching, so I lobbed in an email to the finance office at Carmel to see where I was and almost fainted when she gave me my "to date" donations. To date friends and family have sent in almost $2780. I am both overwhelmed by their generosity and not at all surprised by my God's provision. I have been picking up as many extra hours at my little job at school, to help make up for anything that I thought might not be covered. Oh me of little faith... God has seen fit to allow me to be comfortably over 50% of my total goal at the halfway mark - awesome! To those of you that have helped me so very generously in a financial way, I cannot even begin to properly thank you - what a blessing you have been to me. I am looking forward to seeing how God helps me with the last, almost $800 - such a simple task for Him, why do I worry...
Spiritually
I am learning every day through this journey, that I AM NOT IN CONTROL. Kind of a big lesson for a control freak - or so I've been told that's what I am... At the beginning I sort of giggled to myself, when I thought of asking friends and family to help me out financially, thinking "there is no way - I am just going to have to do this on my own". Was I wrong. Then I thought, well, I am going to have to come up with the money to pay for the shots I need (nearly $900). Well, God saw fit to have over half of them covered by insurance without even a co-pay and the malaria medication was only $10. Did you see all of the "I's" in those sentences? Give it up girl! Over and over GOD has seen fit to bless me above and beyond. I'm afraid fully trusting will be a life long learning process for me.
As I learn more and more about the precious place I am going, I am giddy! My fear of leaving my family is still ever present, but it is slowly fading. I am grateful that it won't ever go away, but I am so glad God has given me so much peace in this area.
As I continue this journey, I'll do my best to keep posting more regularly. My plane tickets are in the process of being secured - so it is that much closer to a reality! I so covet your prayers over the next several weeks as we wind up the school year and then as I prepare for the trip.
Love you all!
Physically
I decided that since I am heading to a remote area of the world and haven't had a physical in at least 10 years, it was time. God is so good! I called my husband's GP and just made an appointment with their practice. Come to find out, the doctor assigned to me spent 2 years oversees as a surgeon in the army and had been to Kenya several times throughout his tours. He gave me some basic advice and encouragement and was extremely helpful in the area of "what shots to get" and "what medicine to take with me". Man, God really is good all the time - even when I forget to ask! The doctor gave me a thumbs up on my physical state and a 60 day prescription for Malaria pills with very strict instructions to take them exactly as directed and to WEAR SUNSCREEN. When I went to pick the medicine up the pharmacist said 2 words to me 4 times "WEAR SUNSCREEN". Apparently my natural winter paleness and the combination of the medicine would turn my skin orange... I'll be WEARING SUNSCREEN. I have completed almost all of the necessary shots for the trip - 8 out of 9. My arms are sore, but it's a "good" sore.
Financially
My first payment deadline was quickly approaching, so I lobbed in an email to the finance office at Carmel to see where I was and almost fainted when she gave me my "to date" donations. To date friends and family have sent in almost $2780. I am both overwhelmed by their generosity and not at all surprised by my God's provision. I have been picking up as many extra hours at my little job at school, to help make up for anything that I thought might not be covered. Oh me of little faith... God has seen fit to allow me to be comfortably over 50% of my total goal at the halfway mark - awesome! To those of you that have helped me so very generously in a financial way, I cannot even begin to properly thank you - what a blessing you have been to me. I am looking forward to seeing how God helps me with the last, almost $800 - such a simple task for Him, why do I worry...
Spiritually
I am learning every day through this journey, that I AM NOT IN CONTROL. Kind of a big lesson for a control freak - or so I've been told that's what I am... At the beginning I sort of giggled to myself, when I thought of asking friends and family to help me out financially, thinking "there is no way - I am just going to have to do this on my own". Was I wrong. Then I thought, well, I am going to have to come up with the money to pay for the shots I need (nearly $900). Well, God saw fit to have over half of them covered by insurance without even a co-pay and the malaria medication was only $10. Did you see all of the "I's" in those sentences? Give it up girl! Over and over GOD has seen fit to bless me above and beyond. I'm afraid fully trusting will be a life long learning process for me.
As I learn more and more about the precious place I am going, I am giddy! My fear of leaving my family is still ever present, but it is slowly fading. I am grateful that it won't ever go away, but I am so glad God has given me so much peace in this area.
As I continue this journey, I'll do my best to keep posting more regularly. My plane tickets are in the process of being secured - so it is that much closer to a reality! I so covet your prayers over the next several weeks as we wind up the school year and then as I prepare for the trip.
Love you all!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Heeding the call...
I am excited to begin this journey that will ultimately lead me to Kandaria, Kenya. I hope you will join me!
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!” -Isaiah 6:8
Dear Friends and Family,
It was a simple display set up at church and a whisper on my heart… “Kenya”. It was a little, silent “nudge” after the announcement of a mission trip in church 3 years ago… there it was again, “Kenya”. It was a seed planted earlier and then watered by my kids when they came to me and asked if they could give some of their own savings to the “Baby Jesus Fund” at school (a fund that their school uses to support a hot lunch program for a group of school children in Kandaria, Kenya, who otherwise would go without)… really Lord? Kenya?
My life has continued on as normal everyday, since I heard about this precious place almost 3 years ago, but always, somewhere in my being the whisper was there and it wouldn’t go away – “Kenya”. Finally the whisper brought me to my knees a few months ago and I gave it and all of my excuses for not going, to the Lord. Looking back I know that “to my knees” is where I should have gone FIRST, but this time it took me 3 years – I can be a really stubborn listener sometimes. Once I gave it to Him, it seemed so simple, “Go!”
The call was clear, “Kandaria, Kenya”. After consulting with Rich, who without hesitation said “Go!”, the answer from me, though long in coming, was simple, “Yes”. Now I need your help to get me there.
I am excited (and a little nervous) to join a group from my home church as we head to Kandaria, Kenya, for 10 days this summer from June 23 – July 2, with an organization called 410 Bridge. While we are there we will be doing a number of different things to help out the people of this village. Past groups have worked side-by-side with villagers to build a school, helped complete a clean water project, taught classes to the children, provided teaching materials and showed the teachers how to properly utilize them in the classroom, ministered to the villagers and so much more. Our group will be doing more of the same and possibly begin work on a new, much needed medical center in the area.
There are a couple of different ways you can come with me to Kenya. First and foremost I am building a group of prayer partners. There is no way I can go alone. I have so many excuses to keep me in North Carolina this summer, I could probably fill a college ruled notebook several times over, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that for 10 days, I need to be in Africa.
My prayer requests are simple:
- For my precious family while I am gone. They are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, but I am a mom. It is in my DNA to believe life cannot go on without me at home, but alas it will and I know they will be fine – I just might not be…
- That God’s light will shine through me as I do whatever I am called upon to do while I am in Kandaria.
- That I will remember that My God will supply ALL of my needs, whether they are physical, emotional, spiritual or monetary.
If you feel led, the second way you can help is monetarily. In order to go on the trip I will need to raise approximately $3600. The money raised will be used to pay for my plane tickets, accommodations and travel needs while I am in Kandaria. I will need to have 50% raised by April 23 and the final amount raised by May 9. Any amount raised above my $3600 will go towards others in my group and any extra costs we may incur.
Tax-deductible donations of any size can be sent to the following:
Make checks payable to: Carmel Baptist Church
1145 Pineville-Matthews Road
Matthews, North Carolina 28105
*on the memo line of the check please write: Jennifer Callinan – Kenya 2011
Surprisingly this part of the journey is the part I am the least nervous about. So often God has provided above and beyond for us and I know this time will be no different.
Thank you for taking this journey with me. I will be posting updates on my financial progress as well as my preparations for this journey on my blog as well as the Facebook page I created for this trip “Kenya Hear Me Now”. Please feel free to join and follow the progress! Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus through your prayer and support on my behalf.
In Christ Alone,
Jen
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