"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." John 14:18 (NIV)
Our Story
Our Story
We are Lacey Klassen and Michelle Maisonville; two Christian mothers privileged to go to Rwanda and Kenya with Home of Hope from April 30-May 15, 2013. We've had an amazing experience and are happy to share it with all of you! For more information on all of the good Home of Hope is doing, please visit http://www.homeofhope.ca. Thank you so much for all of your support!
Last year, several ladies from my home church and I began reading and discussing the book, Fearless by Max Lucado. Fear was a study topic I had encouraged my friend, and fellow book enthusiast, to look into when we first chatted about beginning a book discussion group at our church. You see, fear has been a large part of my life for as long as I can remember. My folks will tell you, I was not the baby who giggled when her daddy playfully tossed her up in the air. I didn't learn to properly ride a bicycle until I was, well, let's just say there were double-digits. I didn't learn to swim until I was sixteen and only managed to pass my swimming class by choosing to dive into the deep end on the spur of the moment, just because I was in a good mood that day. In my late teens, I began struggling with depression and anxiety, for which I was later medicated and received counselling. As an adult, I've been plagued by worry over finances, health and my family's well-being. For every idea my husband has had, I can give you about a hundred "what-ifs." Fear stinks.
I've tried so many times in my life to just "Let go and let God." The letting go part isn't so difficult. It is the not taking it back part that is the challenge. So many nights, I've prayed and said, "Okay, Lord, I'm giving this to you," only to pick whatever it was back up in the morning.
The Lord tells us in His word, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) Only a few months ago, during another discussion group, a pastor shared this word and I decided I needed to make it my word. Needless to say, tonight, I think I may have begun to clue in.
The question was asked, "How did you feel going into Africa? Were you afraid at all?"
Both Lacey and I responded with an overwhelming, "No!"
Our reasoning was, of course, that we were there because God wanted us to be. He had a purpose for us there and, because He was with us, we had nothing to fear.
"Be strong and of good courage,
do not fear nor be afraid of them;
for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you.
He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)
It is true. Before we left, I was not afraid of going to Africa or anything that went along with it. I was nervous about leaving my family behind and missing them; but, that was all that concerned me.
As I look back on my time in Rwanda and Kenya, I miss it so much. I miss the people and the places and the work. Most of all, I miss the freedom from fear. Each day as I awoke, I felt so much purpose. With that purpose, fear was pushed aside. I literally was on a mission and it was God's will. Knowing that gave me freedom.
I wasn't concerned about mosquito bites and malaria. (Later was tested for it upon my return, but I'm fine and that's another story all together.) I cradled ill children and taught parents how to help their little ones feel better. I hugged, held and cried with amazing women who happened to be HIV+. I worked with a wonderful nurse and prayed over the sick. I climbed up the steep hills and mountains of Rwanda, not worrying if I slipped down the muddy trail. I rode in a very questionable boat taking on water over a lake that was reportedly some seven kilometres deep. I preached for the first time, completely on the fly. I walked through the thirty acre dump in Nairobi, Kenya, flanked by armed guards, strolled through the slums skipping over puddles of raw sewage, and I gave a testimony I had never shared with anyone before in front of a room full of almost complete strangers. Most amazingly of all, I discovered a painful secret from my childhood, while holding a child that God told me had gone through the same thing. Through this child and through the prayer of a beautiful sister in Christ, God released me from that pain and much of the fear it had caused me to feel for so many years.
Now, I am back in Canada. I am back to what some may call my "real" life. Everything I experienced in Rwanda and Kenya is indeed real life. It was a God-given experience, meant not only to be a way He would use me in a tiny, tiny way to perhaps bring some joy and the love of Christ to others, but also to teach me something so valuable. When God gives us a purpose, when He chooses us to do His work in whatever respect, be it raising a family to love Him or leading thousands of people to Him... He means for us to be fearless.
This may very well be something I will need to be reminded of. I am so thankful that I can draw on these wonderful experiences. Sometimes, I just lie in my bed and think, "Wow! I may never have gone to Hawaii or skied down the Alps (or anywhere else for that matter), but God sent me to Africa and I wasn't afraid. How cool is that?"
So, tonight, as I have done many nights before, I am releasing fear to God; but, this time is different. This time, I know from experience that I am capable of living in a fearless manner thanks to my Father in Heaven. If, tomorrow morning, I try to pick up that nasty fear again, do me a favor, convict me of it will you? After all, a life without fear is freedom in Christ!
"Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
At the Kigali Memorial Centre (Rwanda Genocide Memorial)
It's so hard to believe that Lacey and I have been back from Rwanda and Kenya for almost a week now! I apologize for the delay in writing. We had limited internet in Africa and I couldn't get the Blogger app for my Kobo tablet. So, we'll be writing our experiences here after the fact.
I don't know where to begin. What an amazing journey! First of all, I just want to thank our Heavenly Father for His blessing and care and thank all of you for your support and prayers. We are safe and healthy and our families were kept well while we were away. Special thanks to my mom for caring for my husband and children while I was away. Thank you also to Heidi for making a delicious meal for them. Mike raved about it!!
There is so much to process from this trip. I'll give a basic explanation of what we did in this post and then I will write in more detail later.
Our days began with devotionals led by a team member, followed by prayer. Many days our team of fifteen was broken into a few smaller teams and then we all went in different directions. We assisted with feeding programs, sometimes for over three hundred children, visited poor families, aided in medical ministries and helped with church services. Each evening we would all meet for supper and share our "highlights of the day." We went over the following day's schedule and closed in prayer.
Rwanda is a beautiful country. I could not believe how breathtaking the land is! There are so many mountains and it is so green.
In Rwanda, we were based in Kigali, the capital city. We journeyed out to rural areas each day. The first full day was spent in Jabana. We were met by so many children! I don't even know how many were there! After spending some time visiting families in the area who were in need, we returned to the Jabana Word of Life church campus and played in the playground with the kids.
Children clung to us. Sometimes we'd have two or three little ones hanging on each arm. They loved to stroke our skin and hair. They practiced their English by saying,
"Good morning. How are you?"
We greeted them with "Muraho. Amakuru?"
Hopefully one of us would answer with, "I am fine, thank you," or "Meza."
I met a twelve-year-old girl who carried her baby brother on her back. I wish I remembered her name. I spoke very little Kinyarwanda; and, she spoke very little English. We connected somehow and visited for a long time. I felt compelled to teach her to say, "I am beautiful, " to which she replied, "God is beautiful!"
She was very excited for church to begin and guided me into the building. Something I didn't know was that the children only sat in the back, not in the front. The other team members wondered where I was and I didn't want to get separated from them, but when I tried to go to the front, I was not able to bring my new young friend. She found me afterward and I was able to get a photo with her. She touched my heart so much! What a beautiful welcome to Rwanda!
I can't believe the time has come! Lacey and I leave tomorrow for Rwanda and Kenya! Ahhhhh!! Please bear with me as I'm a bit scatterbrained right now. I'm finishing up the last of my preparations for the trip. Bags are nearly packed. My mom is here to help my husband care for the kids, which is especially necessary since Mike had to have emergency surgery to repair a hernia on Thursday. The kids don't seem too concerned that I'm leaving. I hope they'll be just fine while I'm away, though my heart already aches when I think about leaving them.
Sunday after church I was covered in prayer by my Evangelist and one of our Priests. They prayed especially that there would be an entourage of angels with us. I am holding fast to this prayer.
I want to take time once again to thank each and every one of you. Each of you has contributed in a very special way through prayer, support, financial gifts and donations for our auction. Everything you have done has not only helped us to achieve our goal of going on this mission trip, but you have also built up our spirits and brought tangible proof of God's love and desires for us.
Today I especially remember a wonderful family who has gone above and beyond. I want them to know that I will be bringing them with me in spirit as I take along a little token that was given to me just less than five years ago. Little wings will remind me to believe. Sending you much love!
I will be bringing along a journal to jot down (well, probably write extensively) the experiences that we have in Africa. Should we have access to WiFi, I will do my best to pop in to the blog and make an update. Some of you have been signed up for emails from Home of Hope so that you can keep tabs on our progress and travels. We'll take lots of photos and we look forward to sharing them with you all!
Thank you once again and please continue to keep us in prayer.
It's countdown time! We are leaving for Rwanda and Kenya in two weeks!! (We leave April 30th) Both Lacey and myself have completed our fundraising for Home of Hope. We wrapped up our auction this week and it has been incredibly successful. Aside from cash donations and donations directly to Home of Hope in our stead, the auction raised an additional $2505.50!! Wow! We'd like to say a HUGE thank you to all of our sponsors and the individuals who purchased items from the auction. To everyone who made both monetary and material donations, we also want to say thank you so very much and we pray God's richest blessings upon all of you. We will take you with us to Africa in spirit and think of you with everything we do.
The time has come for us to make our final preparations for the trip. We have had check-ups and received our immunizations. We've gathered lots of wonderful items to bring with us for the little ones in Kenya.
Michelle's suitcase overflowing with donations.
There is quite a list of items for us to bring to keep ourselves comfortable and safe while we are overseas. We need preventative medicines, medicines for sleep, stomach issues, and possible allergies, as well as proper clothing, mosquito repellent, first aid supplies, toilet paper, cleansing wipes, laundry soap for hand washing, luggage locks, voltage converters, etc. Oh the list, the list! Still, as we pack and think of the things we may need, we remain mindful that those we are going to serve have so very little.
Please continue to pray for us. Areas we need specific prayer for are:
Blessing - That we may be a blessing unto those we serve and in turn to our home churches and communities upon our return.
Protection - Physically, mentally and spiritually (for all below)
Strength
Health
If you would like to receive email updates about our trip from Home of Hope while we are away, please let us know and we will have them add you to their contact list.
I
was born into a loving Christian home.
My mother had been raised in our denomination, the New Apostolic Church, and I
became a fourth generation member of the church. My dad had found faith in his youth and was a
Deacon in the church at the time I was born.
I lived basically what one might consider a normal Christian life. I was baptised and sealed (in our
church the receipt of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands of an Apostle)
as an infant; and, at the age of fourteen I was confirmed in the church, though
I was more excited about joining the youth group than paying attention to the
significance of the promise I had made to God.
I hadn’t really had many major experiences that affirmed my faith at
that point. It wasn’t until sometime
later, still in my early teens, that I really felt the Holy Spirit moving.
Come, Oh Holy
Spirit, Come
We
were attending service in a larger congregation about four hours away from
ours. It was a special occasion with two
Apostles visiting the area. I had been
very sick with bronchitis. I had to step
out of the service so my coughing would not disrupt the congregation. Although there were speakers and extra
seating areas outside the sanctuary, I was not able to find a seat. I missed the duration of the service and spent
the hour praying that God would grant me a special blessing.
Following
the service, the ministers greeted the congregation members. I shook hands first with one Apostle, who
smiled and said. “Hello. How are you?” before moving on to the next individual. I then shook hands with the second
Apostle. He paused for a moment and
looked deep into my eyes. Then, raising
his hand, he placed it on my head and said, “God bless you!” I began sobbing immediately and fell into my
nearby Evangelist (our pastor, if you will).
I was overcome with the Spirit and with joy at receiving the special
blessing I had longed for. This was a
defining moment in my life.
Jesus is All the
World to Me
As
any child would, I had my zig-zagging moments of following and rebellion. I was not a "bad kid," but I made my share of
mistakes. When I was eighteen, I began
dating a long-time guy friend from high school.
He was of a different faith and my dad did not approve. Being eighteen, of course, I thought I knew
everything and did not believe him when he sat me down and warned me about this
boy. Our relationship moved ahead at lightning
speed and we were engaged within the year.
I had been praying that God would move his heart and that he would
accept our faith, but he did not. Even
when I prayed, I had pain in my chest and a lump in my stomach as though I knew
what I was asking for was not God’s will, but I continued just the same. Unbeknownst to me, my parents and my
congregation and friends were praying that this relationship would end. It did, just short of one year in, at the end
of May 1999. I was devastated. Little did I know, God was about to teach me
one of the most important lessons I would ever learn.
I
was the only youth in my congregation.
One of my best friends had married young and she and her husband had
invited me to spend some time at their home and later join them in a Christian
young adults gathering. I was happy to
go along. I was feeling lost. I was lonely and wanted to be loved. At the young adults meeting, we sang praise
and worship hymns and discussed the Bible, of course. We also chatted about the topics that affected
our lives at the time and shared resources such as books, music, etc. I was really interested in learning more
about God’s design for dating and relationships. I’m not entirely sure how I found it, but
eventually I bought and read the book Lady in Waiting by Jackie Kendall and
Debby Jones. It is a study of the
Biblical book of Ruth. I had already
been taught that Jesus was my spiritual bridegroom, but hadn’t really given it
much thought. Through reading Lady in Waiting, I began to realize that
the only “man” I needed in my life was the Lord and that only He could fulfill all
of my needs. I became hungry for His
word, bought an NIV Bible which was easier for me to understand than the King
James Version, and began to devour it!
As
I mentioned earlier, at the time I was the only youth in my congregation. As I did not yet drive, it was
arranged that the Canadian youth would stop in my town and pick me up to ride
on one of their buses with them to our host city. The appointed time came and I boarded the
bus. I knew one of the youth and his
parents (*who just happened to be Lacey’s brother and their parents) on the bus
and decided I would sit with his mother, but then…well, God has His own
plans. I got to chatting with some of
the other youth and my eyes met those of a young man. We had met before on another youth weekend
two years prior and again when I visited the City of Lethbridge on Spring Break
from college. We started talking and
were inseparable for the remainder of the weekend. Two years later on August 19, 2001, my
husband Michael and I were married. I
had waited on God’s timing and looked to Him to be the source of all I needed
and He blessed me with a God-loving faithful husband. We will celebrate our twelfth anniversary
this summer.
Just as God
Leads Me, I Would Go
In
the Summer of 2005, my husband and I and our two small children made the move
from Edmonton, Alberta to a smaller town in the southeastern part of the
province. I had not wanted to move there
as I quite enjoyed the diversity of our large congregation and the amenities offered
by a bigger centre. Still, we went and I
did my best to adapt into the new area.
I never felt completely comfortable there and had a difficult time
trying to fit myself into the new congregation.
Our children were only two years old and nearly four months old when we
arrived. My youngest was especially
colicky and I had a difficult time gaining much from the services through his cries. The children grew and soon I was back singing
in the choir and helping out in other ways in the congregation. Yet, I never really felt completely a part of
the church family. Several years into
our move, we began to experience challenges in the congregation. These challenges grew to the point that our
faith was severely tested. We sought out
strength from a minister from another area.
Within a few years’ time, we began to travel from our city to Lethbridge
to attend services. Many times we were
asked, “Why don’t you just change denominations? Surely there must be another church in town
you can attend?” Truthfully, and I can
only speak for myself, the thought did cross my mind. If we are all one body of Christ, then why
can’t I try somewhere else? However, the
promises I had made on my Confirmation Day and the days of my children’s
baptisms and sealings came back to me, as did the fact that I believed in the
power of the living Apostles in our church.
I could not give up, even though I was weary.
Our
family continued to travel, every Sunday, to Lethbridge for services sometimes
staying overnight in a member’s home, only missing one or two due to weather or
financial difficulties. (It was quite
expensive to travel four times a month.)
Every time we left the services with joy in our hearts! The sermons moved me more than I had been
moved in years. I really felt such a
connection to the Lord there and felt so much love from the congregation
members.
Eventually,
we knew we would have to make a decision about whether we were going to
continue to make the trip or try to go back to our former congregation. My husband applied for jobs in
Lethbridge. During that time, he was
also up for a promotion with his current employer. He is a very loyal person and so, when he was
offered the promotion, he took it. The
other jobs did not come through. We continued
doing as we had been.
In
September 2012, our congregation celebrated a Church Thanksgiving Day. On this day, the service was particularly
touching to me. Many members of the
congregation, myself most definitely included, were in tears. I felt a stirring in my heart that maybe,
just maybe we were to move to Lethbridge.
On
the way home from the service, my husband shared with me that the night before when
he had attended a gathering with one of our ministers, a man who was the pastor
at another church began asking him questions.
He asked him, “Do
you know what you are supposed to do with your life?”
To which my
husband replied, “I need to do God’s will.”
The pastor then
asked him, “What is God’s will?”
My husband
responded, “I don’t know.”
Then the pastor
said, “I think you do, I just think you’re too afraid to do it.”
When
my husband shared that with me, I realized that I was the one that was afraid.
You see, during the time we had lived in our other town, I had become a
doula and established my practice, which by this time was just beginning to
thrive. I had made some wonderful
friends that I didn’t want to leave behind.
I also am not the greatest when it comes to change. Stability is a value that I was raised with
and was very important in my family.
Still, I was moved by what my husband had told me. So, when we arrived home, I held my Bible in
my hands and prayed that the Lord would show me exactly what he wanted for our
family.
I
opened the Bible to Judges and my eyes fell to Chapter 1, Verse 2:
The Lord
answered, “Judah shall go up; I have given the land into their hands.”
That
was my answer. My husband received confirmation
of a job in Lethbridge shortly following and we moved to Lethbridge in October
2012.
Come to Jesus
God
has taught me so many things and he continues to show me more each day. I am so thankful for my parents instilling
faith in me from the start. I am
thankful for my wonderful husband, our children and our new church family for
all of their love and support. God does
great things, we need only to place our needs in His hands and fully rely on
Him and His loving Son. Thank you, Jesus, for dying for us all that we may live. May I always remember that when things seem toughest, all I need to do is come to You.
Sigh...as you can see our total $ to raise has increased as we have received updated information from Home of Hope on what we owe them after flights, then we've been told about visa costs, and have to cover flight taxes and immunizations. So, I thought I would provide you a breakdown as to what we owe and what we have each received thusfar.
HOH
Taxes
Immun
Visas
Incident.
Total Ea.
Lacey
2200.00
400.00
500.00
80.00
500.00
3680.00
Michelle
2200.00
520.00
500.00
80.00
500.00
3800.00
Total
$7,480.00
Earned
Thusfar
Lacey
$2,640.00
Michelle
1267.00
Auction
885.00
Total
$4,792.00
The Auction totals are going toward the Taxes, so we're nearly there for those! If you would like to make a direct donation to Home of Hope for myself, please do so by using the "Donate Now" button above and be sure to enter my name in the "Comments" box.
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated! You are so amazing and we are praying for all of you to be richly blessed!
Please pray that we can be spiritually and emotionally ready for this trip. I have been so busy with all of the upkeep and logistics of fundraising, and now I have a new job (thank you for your prayers about that!) that I feel I really need to spend more time on preparing spiritually. Please pray that I am able to do so and not allow the stress of all of the logistics to keep me from it.
Peter Tumaini was found abandoned and nearly suffocating... He was rescued by HOH & has been living in the Dream Centre for almost 2 years. He is a living miracle ♥
Wow! Praise be to our Lord! We've had so many miracles occur over the past few days. The online auction is going so well. You are all so generous! We've had quite the "battles" over a few items and it has been really fun to watch. We've also had some wonderful friends offering to donate their time and talents to our cause. It's so touching and has brought me to tears of joy and thanksgiving so many times. I want to say a special thank you to Sarah, Corrine, Dawn, Tina and Dwayne for their thoughtfulness and their amazing ideas! Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us and who has spread the word about our cause.
I will post updated auction totals on Monday. Remember, we do not run the auction on Sundays as we observe the Sabbath.
I wanted to share with you all this insightful video from 2011, when Home of Hope opened one of the Dream Centre homes for children. Take a tour and learn about the wonderful work they are doing to help save babies!
I love my church family! Last night we had an amazing service based on John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Boy did I feel the love! The service and the fellowship following brought so much joy and encouragement to my heart. Sometimes, I just forget to reach out and ask for prayer. Thank you! Now, on to the fun stuff! The online auction is going swimmingly! So far you have helped us earn an additional $257.00 and today isn't over yet. We have another gift certificate from Living Earth Massage up today and the bidding is hot, hot, hot!! Edited to add our updated totals: Lacey has raised a total of $2,640.00 and I, Michelle, have raised $498.22. You all are amazing and we are so thankful for your help and prayers! Please continue to pray for us. As you can see from yesterday's post, we need strength to battle the negative spirits that may try to keep us from doing this wonderful work. We know that prayer changes things, so please keep at it!
In closing, I'd like to share with you one of the projects Home of Hope has completed in Cyuru, Rwanda. It's an amazing story!
Thank you once again for all of your support. If you haven't already made a donation, you can still do so, just follow the instructions at the top of the page. Much love do you all! Most of all, Glory be to our Father in Heaven!!
Since we began this blog, I have striven to keep it a positive place. Whatever goes on behind the scenes has never made it's way on the screen. Today, though, I can't help but be honest and bring up what has been on my mind.
One of my main struggles has always been trust. I'm terrible at it. I have two extremes: either I trust too easily (this happens with people) or I try to trust and end up taking my concerns back for myself (this happens with God). So here I am, facing my trust issues again. Oh, and then there is fear. I'm not afraid of things you can see, the obvious like flying across an ocean, possibly getting a mosquito-born illness or being in a foreign country far from my family. Nope. Not afraid of those things. I'm actually excited at the prospect...well, ok, not the mosquito-born illness; but, I digress. I am afraid I may not have the funds to be able to go to Africa. There, I said it.
I've had numerous conversations with my husband, my friends, and pastors. I've been prayed over, prayed for and given a stern talking-to. Problem is, that doggone fear keeps rearing it's ugly head and I'm not doing my due diligence to trust the Father to take care of it all. In theory, it should be easy, right? Take a look at the old "fall back and your friends will catch you" exercise. It sounds so simple. Just give it all up to God. I'm really trying and it's really hard.
I keep feeling down. I'm working really hard with the blog, organizing the online auction, contacting churches, service groups, and media. Yet, here I am worrying like crazy that I'm not going to reach my fundraising goal and be able to go to Rwanda and Kenya. I'm in a unique situation, trying to establish my practice here in a new town (we moved to Lethbridge from Medicine Hat in October). My husband works a couple of jobs with crazy schedules. It's not conducive to me finding work, though I have tried and tried. Folks have told me to be patient, that it will come. (Yup, you guessed it! I also have difficulty with patience. Oy!)
Don't get me wrong, we have been so blessed! The support of my church family has been awesome! I feel so indebted to those who have donated in my stead already and, of course, to our auction sponsors. I'm also so grateful for those in the media who have wanted to share our story. The fact is, we all have those down days. This is one of mine.
I'm thankful that I've been blessed to even know about what Home of Hope is doing in Africa. I'm thankful that I have been able to share the plight of the widows and children there with more people. Even if I can't go there to touch them personally, I have to be thankful that maybe, just maybe I was able to make a difference by sharing their story and praying for them.
I don't exactly know how to close this post. It's not the greatest piece of literature you will ever read, but it's from my heart. I had to be honest. Please continue to pray for us and donate if you can. Most of all, please share the story of the women and children of Home of Hope.
As I write this, I'm rocking out to Toby Mac on KLOVE and trying to come up with another clever title. So far, I've got nothing...though by the time you read this post, there will be a title - clever or not.
I'll start with a quick update. Our online auction is in full swing! We began on Thursday, February 21 and have raised $125 so far. All monies earned through the auction will be divided between Lacey and myself. We would like to thank all of our sponsors once again for their donations of products and services. Check out the links to our sponsors on the left side of the blog. You can visit our auction on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/auction4momsmissionofhope/
Lacey is a ROCKSTAR!! She has compiled the funds required to be donated directly to Home of Hope and her current total is $2080! Way to go girl!! Lacey is still collecting cash donations to go toward immunization costs, flight taxes, donations to be left in Africa, and other incidentals. If you would like to send her a cash donation, please email her at lacey.klassen@gmail.com to make arrangements.
I, Michelle, am still at my previous total of $448.22, but I'm confident the Lord will provide. We're working hard to raise funds and the rest is in His hands. You can still donate to Home of Hope in my stead by using the "Donate" button on the top left of this page and putting my name in the comments box. If you'd like to send me a cash donation, please email me at michelle.maisonville@gmail.com for my mailing address. In other fundraising news, we're looking into doing a Tupperware fundraiser as well. So if you or someone you know needs some kitchen goodies, please keep us in mind. We'll make sure to post an update when the fundraiser is set-up.
Children from the feeding programme in Rwanda
We are also receiving donations of baby items, children's items, bras, and other necessities from some of our wonderful friends. Thank you so much for your generosity. It touches our hearts and we know how much it will bless the people of Rwanda and Kenya. We can't wait to see their faces when we give them these gifts. On Monday, February 25, we will be featured in the BirthSource.com blog run by my friend, Connie Livingston. Be sure to check it out. If you are a childbirth professional, you'll also want to browse her online store for a large selection of childbirth education supplies! Thank you so much, Connie, for thinking of us! That's all the news for now. Please keep checking here for updates! Thank you once again for all of your support and prayers. We appreciate it! Hope you and yours have a wonderful weekend! God bless! Michelle
Also, a reminder that our Online Auction begins tomorrow at 10:00 am on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/auction4momsmissionofhope/You will have 12 hours to bid on one item per day (except for smaller items which we will have several up per day to bid upon). Further rules are posted on the Auction page. We'd like to thank the following sponsors for their generous donations:
Via Home of Hope on Facebook -
http://www.facebook.com/homeofhopeint
Lead me lord I will follow Lead me Lord I will go
You have called me I will answer Lead me Lord I will go Over the past several weeks, I've begun to get concerned over my ability to raise all of the funds necessary to make the trip to Rwanda and Kenya. I've been looking for work to pay for the trip and have had several unsuccessful interviews. Being a mother of two children and running my doula practice has kept me busy, but unfortunately has also left gaps in my resume. I posted a status on my Facebook profile about my struggles and last night at church, someone called me on it. The question was asked, "Did God call you to go to Africa?" Yes, He has moved my heart to Africa since I was a child. I closed my eyes for a moment and asked, "Jesus, what do you think about Africa?" The first word I heard was "Yes." I asked, "Jesus, can I trust you?" Of course, the answer was "Yes." Fear has been a part of my life for a long time. Security has always been what I have sought; but, God doesn't want us to feel secure by our own means. He wants us to put our lives in His hands and be secure in Him...and, once we give our lives and concerns to Him, He doesn't want us to take them back. God has called me for this mission trip and I have to trust that He will provide. I will do what I can, but I will leave it in His hands. Miracles happen when we believe. May this trip be a testimony of what He can do. "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 (ESV) Love, Michelle
First, some updates: The flights have been booked! We're counting down to April 30th when we will fly out of Calgary with the HOH Team! Lacey has raised $1680 so far. (Woo Hoo!!) I have raised $300. I am looking for a job to help me raise funds, though so far it has been difficult to find something that works around church and our family's schedule. We will be booking our immunizations soon (ouch!) and are continuing to look for businesses to donate to our online auction, which will unfortunately will not be able to take place before Valentine's Day.
Now to the reason I'm writing today. I recently received an amazing and completely unexpected donation. I was so touched by it that I started thinking about how much I feel responsible to each of our donors. Let me explain. We, of course, are seeking to do what we can for the women and children of Rwanda and Kenya. We want to be tools in the hands of our Heavenly Father. We must not, however, forget that you, our donors, have entrusted us with a great responsibility to see through this mission trip. We must work hard to raise the funds to completely pay for our trip so that we are able to go to Africa and do this work. When we are there, we promise to remember each of you as we do the work we are assigned to. When we see the faces of the children, we will remember that it is because of you that we are able to help them. It is an awesome responsibility and one we do not take lightly.
In closing I would like to share with you a video about one of the ministries we will be involved in. It is called The Stella Project.
A special thanks to each of you who has donated, read our blog and said a prayer for us. May you be greatly blessed!
Yes, I'm shouting! I can't tell you how exciting it was to attend our first (albeit virtual) meeting with the members of our Home of Hope May 2013 team! We received our basic agenda via email today and went over it during the meeting. We discussed some of the wonderful things we will be able to do during our trip such as teaching young children, ministering to women, and helping care for infants in the Dream Centre. I'm particularly excited that I've been added to the women's ministry team, which is something that has been on my heart so much, especially to work with the expectant mothers. Lacey and I will be working together with teens, sharing our testimony and with music (wink).
We were able to communicate following the meeting with our team leader, Brian Thomson, and a couple of the ladies we'll be working with in women's ministry. It was so wonderful to hear what they have already been doing in Rwanda and Kenya, praying with women and helping them to overcome shame and fear and embrace our Heavenly Father.
Tonight, I have a lot to think about. We still have so much to do to prepare for our trip. We ask for your continued prayer. If your heart is so moved, we are still in need of donations to help us reach our financial obligations for the trip. All funds must be in no later than April 15, 2013. We pray that we are used for God's glory.
In closing, I'm happy to leave you with this, a video with Brian Thomson, showing some of what Home of Hope is doing in the Dream Centre. Enjoy and God bless!!
...Praying hands, that is. We're asking you to be a part of our prayer team. As we work hard to prepare for our mission trip, evil spirits will work hard to try to deter us from doing God's work. Will you help us? Areas where we could use prayer are:
Strength - We need strength to work toward reaching our goal of serving in Rwanda and Kenya. We also need strength to battle against negative influences that may try to shift our focus. We need strength to handle what we will face in Africa and the sorrow and tragedy we may see.
Health - Prayers that we are healthy as we prepare for our trip and while we are on it. We will be doing our best to take preventative measures against the prevalent illnesses of the area with vaccinations, etc. Please also pray for the health of our families and our fellow missionaries.
Protection - Please pray for protection for ourselves and our fellow mission workers while we travel and are in Rwanda and Kenya as well as the protection of the loved ones we leave behind.
Blessing - Please pray that we can be of good service and a blessing to all those we meet and work with in Africa
Financial Miracles - We are working hard to fund raise for our trip and organize all finances necessary to be a part of this mission. Please pray for financial miracles for us so that our trip may be fully funded and any monetary burdens to be lifted.
Once again, thank you so much for all of your love and support!
Thank you so much for visiting our blog. I'd like to begin by giving you a little background into why I personally feel so strongly about embarking upon a mission trip to Africa - specifically Rwanda and Kenya - this Spring 2013.
When I was growing up, we had visiting ministers come to our church several times a year. Many of them had worked in "far off lands" like India, Africa and Asia. I would fight to sit close to these people of God and listen to their stories of the mission work that they did. One story particularly touched my heart, even as a little girl, and I've never forgotten it.
Somewhere in Africa, I'm not completely sure of the country, there was a place where children were taken and murdered. A trough ran to a body of water and it spilled over as a river of blood.
I prayed often for these children and their lost souls. From my early childhood on, I felt a strong connection to infants and expectant mothers. In my adulthood, after my own children were born, I found my calling as a certified birth doula and I now work helping families welcome newborns into their homes.
I try to keep abreast of women's and children's issues worldwide and advocate for better healthcare during the childbearing year. Still, I was shocked when my longtime friend, Lacey Klassen, told me about what was happening in Kenya. Newborn children are being thrown away in a city dump. Home of Hope is working to rescue these children and have set up the Dream Centre, where children are fed and cared for. Yet, with so many children being left in the dump, Home of Hope has their hands full caring for them and needs volunteers to help with feeding, educating and supporting expectant mothers, and even simply holding and loving these sweet little ones.
After months of praying and talking things over with my husband and my two children, I feel compelled to go to Kenya and Rwanda to assist Home of Hope in their efforts. I know that there may be dangers, but I do not fear. I know the Lord is with us and He will protect us. I dream of the faces of infants and children. I dream of their mothers in their desperation. A piece of my heart is in Africa and I know a bigger piece of my heart will be left there when I return from mission work.
Dear family, friends and supporters, I ask for your prayers. Pray for the children. Pray for Home of Hope. Pray for Lacey and me in our efforts to raise funds to go to Africa and, above all, pray for our safe travels. We look forward to sharing our journey with you. We are so thankful for your continued support!
