Update! 2-9-14

Hi Friends and Family!

On the way to the “K Lot” parking lot from the Blanding Tower dorm at the University of Kentucky, there were (still are?) two rows of tennis courts. On a particular day in the fall of 2000, on the long walk to my car, in between the tennis courts, I found myself praying about whether I should go on a mission trip to Burkina Faso, West Africa. The Baptist Student Union was organizing a team, and as I prayed I felt it was something I should do. My mother would probably tell you that was a not strange prayer for me to pray. As a young girl I poured over magazines filled with photos and articles about other countries; so in that regard it wasn’t strange.  However, my current season of life had been characterized by me being somewhat (giving myself a little grace) totally consumed with myself and the problems that come with being human. I don’t believe I am being too dramatic in saying my prayer walk from the dorm to the parking lot was ordained by God because I was gasping for spiritual air. I was suffocating thinking only about myself and what direction my life would take. (Now that I’ve been to Burkina Faso twice, I always only think about other people all the time. Wink, wink.)

We arrived in Burkina Faso the next summer and were instructed to spend time prayer walking though millet and peanut fields, stopping at one cluster of mud huts and on to the next, asking how we could pray for the beautiful, humble, Bissa people. We taught Bible stories to children and played red rover. We slept in a concrete school with donkeys outside our windows. It's probably pretty romanticized in my mind by now, but I firmly believe Burkina Faso was part of God’s plan to open my eyes to the vastness of his love for the world and his purpose for me in Kingdom work. It was truly life changing. When I left, I knew I wanted to go back some day to return, in some small way, the priceless gift that was given to me by the missionaries and the people there.

I am so excited to let you know that my hope will be fulfilled very soon! I have been given the opportunity to go back to Burkina Faso in just FOUR short weeks! During the second week of March I will be traveling to work alongside the missionaries there to help train local leaders who work with children using a program called “Route 412” based on 1 Timothy 4:12. Would you please pray for the missionaries, lay leaders and myself as we focus together on ways to effectively encourage children to be examples of discipleship?

I am so thankful for each person reading this. I wish I could sit down one-on-one with you and talk about how excited I am! Please feel free to ask me how you can pray more specifically. If you are able to support me financially, I would be thrilled! The cost of my trip will be approximately $2,000.00. I am so humbled to let you know that God is already providing to make this a reality! Thank you again for who you are and what you meant to me over the years! It’s been fun thinking back and remembering all the wonderful people who have impacted me before and since college. Please let me know how I can pray for you!

Love,

Stephanie