Monthly prayer
10 May 2012 4 Comments
in Eldoret, missions Tags: monthly prayer
The Medlin clan has a calendar set up of people who pray on a specific day of each month for Kenya, the children’s home, the kids, the mission in general. I have the 29th of each month which I am planning on keeping up with after the move but thought it would be a great idea. Is there anyone who would be willing to commit to prayer 1 day each month? The best thing about it is that through this blog you will have specific prayer requests that you can pray for that day. If you are interested please email me at bellainafrica@yahoo.com or FB me and we can get you set up on a day. I will update this list and repost it after every couple of days are committed to. (Also, I’m not opposed to several people doing the same day if you have your heart set on a specific day. I would just like to get at least 1 person covering each day in prayer.)
1st Clay & Emily 2nd Debey 3rd Ryan & Lizzie 4th 5th Sylvia
6th 7th Brandon & Kathy 8th 9th 10th
11th 12th 13th Scott & Emily 14th Jacky & Darren 15th Tony & Ann
16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
21st Joyce & Robert 22nd 23rd 24th 25th
26th 27th 28th 29th 30th Du & Vicki 31st
Mindy
16 May 2012 Leave a Comment
Please pray for my friend Mindy. I have not had the privilege to meet her face to face yet but we are only 40-something days away from that. She leaves tomorrow to move to the Children’s home in Kenya. She’s never been out of the country. Here are a couple things to pray for:
- Peace on the flights
- Strength for the travel from the states to the home
So jealous she will be there by this weekend, but I know my time is coming soon.
to do list
01 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Eldoret Tags: get on it, moving, todo
This is more for me than anything but I need a place to put my to do list so I won’t lose it:
get last of letters outcheck on bag limit (weight and number)- updated typhoid shot
- buy rain boots and jacket
get absentee ballot voting figured out- book December flight
- make mom power of attorney for car sell – IN PROCESS
buy adaptercall BCBS about international insuranceget 6 month supply of birth control (call Dr. G)- information sent to BCBS for review
cancel WW membership- cancel car insurance (week of)
- cancel Planet Fitness (week of)
call MAX about moving internationallyfinish sewing skirts- make general sewing book for class
- make fitness book/plan with tracee
set up E’s birthday present- cancel phone contract (cancel week of)
buy extra camera batterylook into buying small handheld video recorder [pending gift]- finish application and send to Michael
kelly blue book car ($4100.00)buy space bags(Ross has a box of 4 for $10 if anyone needs some!)cancel kindle subscriptionsget mom all information regarding LabCorp- write letter to eiff’s
- write letter to lan’s
- dentist appointment before move
- add mom onto bank account (date set for bank meeting)
- pack bags (June)
For Kenya
01 May 2012 Leave a Comment
in Eldoret, missions Tags: donations, garden, toys for kids
side note: every time I try to write Kenya on something it comes out as KEnya. I don’t know if my fingers are unconsciously trying to type in all caps for excitement but lose nerve half way through or what. But it happens EVERY TIME … and I chuckle to myself because it does make me laugh.
Anyway, I talked to Michael and got a starting list of some things he wants me to bring with me. Don’t want to send money but want to help somehow? Here is an awesome chance! Feel free to donate $ to me (and let me know you want me to use it to buy these items) or if you want you can just donate the items to me. I do ask that they be new or in very good condition (if gently used):
- brownie mixes
- kids bibles (please good versions – no Message or the like)
- small board games
- card games
- story books
- math flash cards
- christian music Cd’s
- jigsaw puzzles
- puzzle books (such as crosswords, word searches and the like)
- also baby dolls for both the boys and girls
Also, looks like we are trying to plant a garden. They have one going right now but it only has an assortment of traditional Kenyan veggies. IF you want to get these please make sure you get the heirloom type so we can use the seeds for several harvests. They have a big amount of space so they are looking enough for 25 people. (hybrids and genetically modified cannot):
- tomatoes
- zucchini
- yellow squash
- butternut squash
- acorn squash
- green beans
- sweet corn
- cranberry beans for planting
If you don’t know me personally but want to donate these things send me a comment (with an email addy or some way to reach you) and we can talk about how to get the items to me! I just do not want my address on the WWW if possible. Thank you!
prayer & support
23 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Eldoret, finances, prayer requests
Bella
Montgomery, Al
My family,
I write to tell you about an amazing new season that is occurring in my life. Through the Lord’s guidance, I am privileged to spend June-December 2012 and late January-June 2013 living in Eldoret, Kenya. From what started as a simple conversation with a family from church, I have watched with amazement as the Lord has orchestrated and planned a precious life opportunity and dream come true for me. On June 28th I will leave the United States to help finish the building children’s home compound and live in the home and minister to children. In short I will be working with orphans and needy children by loving them, clothing them, feeding them, and sharing Jesus with hundreds of children in the school and community.
The home is funded through an organization called Grace of God Children, about which you can find more information at www.graceofgodchildren.org. Their mission and goal is simple: their long term vision is to have homes and affordable schools for orphans and poor children across the globe and to provide educational assistance or skills to underprivileged orphans and poor children around the world which leads the children to self-sufficiency in their future life.
While living at the home, I’ll be in the main house, which houses all 17 children, the matron, the cook, and the other volunteers that are visiting at that time. I will have the opportunity to help them with every aspect of daily life and to prepare devotions for evening fellowship times. As a compound everyone will eat together, worship together, and do activities together. At the moment I do not have a specific job that I must do. I will be looking at teaching a small sewing class to some of the older girls but otherwise I will be used wherever and however needed.
Financially, I am still looking at some of my support. This includes the following: housing upkeep, food, emergency medical insurance, dining/entertainment, benevolent giving, in country travel, cell phone, visas, internet access, and church tithe. Since I do not have a paying job once I move, I pray that you would consider helping support the mission. Any donation will be used, whether it is one time or a monthly donation. If you are interested in supporting me with a monthly donation, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. Donations can be sent through Morningview and should be labeled for Bella Epps, or any donation can be given to my parents or mailed to our home address and they will get them to me. I would ask that if you want to be a monthly supporter, please let that be known. Anything given over the amount needed a will be given to the orphanage to help with any needs or special projects.
You can see what progress has been made on the compound by the Medlin family (Michael, Kellie and their children: Abigail, Jacob, Christina, and Gabriel) via their blog: www.medlinsinkenya.blogspot.com. The Medlin family will be the people from the states that I will work with while in Eldoret. I also ask that you would continue to pray for their family. The children have settled in very well, and please pray that the children will use this comfort to share the gospel with the native children when the opportunities arise.
If you would like to stay updated about what is going on in the orphanage after the move, as well as how my pursuit is going before the move, you can check out my blog: anewlifeinafreeka.wordpress.com. While internet comes and goes and I will not have the opportunity to update daily, I will do my best in updating as often as I can with progress, pictures, and specific prayer requests for myself, the children, and for the native and workers who come from the states.
If you would like to send e-mail to me, my personal address is bellainafrica@yahoo.com, or if you would like to send physical mail to any of the workers (letters of encouragement or scripture) or anything to the children as a whole, the orphanage address is PO Box 141, Kaptagat, Kenya.
I would ask for prayer from now until move date for a calm spirit. While I trust that the Lord wants me to make this move, I, in my flesh, get overwhelmed at times. Please pray that I will continue to trust Christ and lean on Him in this time of big change. Please pray for the orphanage and that the children’s hearts will continue to be eager and open to listen to the gospel. Please pray for opportunities for all the people working there to share the gospel, and for faithfulness in taking those times! Pray for strength through the constant construction, and the weariness that investing so much into so many children can bring.
Please pray that God will continue to work mightily in my heart and spirit and fill me with His word. Pray that I will believe the gospel to the minutest detail and that it will change me in a huge way. And lastly, just pray for the area of Eldoret, Kenya.
Thank you so much for your donations, encouragement, and your prayers.
In Him, Bella
[If you want to help in supporting financially please send me an email at the above address (if you are someone I don't know personally). I did not want to put my home address on the blog since there ARE some weirdo people out there who like to hurt people. You can never be cautious enough sometimes.]
prayer
17 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Eldoret, missions, Orphans, prayer requests Tags: construction, electricity, health, teams
Just had a quick chat with Michael and have some prayer requests for you:
- Please pray for Michael, Kellie and their children (Abigail, Jacob, Christina and Gabriel) - The family has been sick for a week, diarrhea and throw up, some virus. They are on the mend but please pray for continued healing and health in general.
- Kellie and the children are having supper tonight with the children’s home. Pray for opportunities and a great time spiritually.
- Michael asks for prayer for all for strength and the energy to manage everything. This construction keeps him tied up so much. (Roof is going up this week and next.)
- Pray for all the people who will start going to Kenya to help in May (2 girls who will be there until October, and then the others will be all different lengths.)
- There is no electricity at the children’s home yet and Michael is unsure of when it will get there. Please pray for that to happen and soon.
When I asked for specific prayer requests this is what he said: That we would be able to effectively share Christ with these kids. Also that we would keep our hearts open to seeing everyone around us as an opportunity to share Christ.
Mindy
16 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Eldoret, Mindy, missions, prayer requests
So I was lucky to have a girl named Mindy be in Kenya about the same time I would be. She is a couple of years younger than me but we are in the same boat. Being girls, 20somethings and single. I was ecstatic to get to spend some time with her. But then I wasn’t able to get a ticket until the end of June. So after talking to her today we realized that instead of having a month together, we will only have 2 weeks. Granted, she is getting there the second week of May so she will have about 6 weeks of experience that she can use when helping me get settled. But it was sad when we realized our time of friendship and experience was going to be so short.
Pray for Mindy, she flies out May 17th which is a month away. She has never been to Kenya, or even overseas for that matter. That first trip is crazy in so many ways. Please pray for peace for her and comfort in this new journey. And for a spirit of flexibility and an easily settled spirit for when she touches down in Kenya.
Please continue to pray for me, and for teams to take trips to Kenya. When the days are hard it helps more than you could know to have a familiar face from a familiar culture there with you to get through a tough day. Pray that other young singles would feel the call to come to Eldoret and help with these children. And would work in this orphanage. Please pray for a settled spirit for me. As the days get closer to take off I realize how much I have left to do. (First on the list is to get the letters out to you!) And I realize how much of a change this really is going to be in my short life. But I am excited too.
June 28th, 2012
05 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in flight, missions, prayer requests
Ok people. I am a week late but I have some very, incredibly, overwhelmingly wonderful news. Last Thursday I bought a one way plane ticket to Kenya. Now, I will be coming home for a month or 6 weeks for Christmas (and depending on the Lord’s guidance, possibly my brother’s wedding at the same time) because of my visa limitations. BUT, I have a ticket. I have a date to countdown to. That is so much more definate than saying “sometime this summer”. The day I bought the ticket I was incredibly overwhelmed. I just kept thinking “is this right?, am I sure this is God and not just me? am I ready for this? Oh God, I’m not together enough for this.” The thoughts ran the gamet of emotions and fears. I KNOW without a doubt that this IS God leading me. Thankfully, this is open ended enough that if I really felt like the Lord did not want me to stay in Eldoret then I could come home in December and just not go back, but I honestly do not think that is what will happen.
I will be committed more or less to a one year period, so June 2012 to June 2013. Then I will sit back down with my pastor body and give a briefing, overview (as I will also do along the way) and we will re-evaluate everything and talk about the possibility of my going back or staying home.
There is other news on this front but I am waiting until the Pastor meeting this month and for them to have a final vote before I mention the other news.
I have been talking to Mindy, on a weekly basis lately. She is a single girl about my age, maybe a couple years younger, who will be spending the summer with the orphanage also. I’m so thankful to share this experience with her and what providence it was that God put on another young girls heart the same desire I have. And opened the doors for us to share this mission together. While we have not known each other before this, it will be so amazing and refreshing to have another girl in the same walk of life to share the hard days with. The joys and sorrows, the ups and downs, and the massive amount of culture shock that is bound to happen.
I’ve got so much to do. I’m still looking for monthly support also so look for a letter on here soon! Of course, I cannot write about this without asking for your continued prayer!
Here is the plane ticket information though:
Realize
02 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
I was siting in choir last night when I had a sudden realization. I’m not sure why it hit me all of a sudden but here I am about to move overseas and be a mommy to these children and what has the Lord had me doing the last almost 2 years? Be a nanny. How perfect? He takes someone who loves kids but has no legit experience and plops her down in the perfect training ground. Gives her two completely different kids. With two absolute opposite personalities. Two separate backgrounds and families. And puts me right in the middle. Now I know an orphanage is different. In China some days it was overwhelming ALL the children pulling you in so many different ways. But I can only imagine how crazy I would feel in Kenya if I didn’t have 2 small years of some helpful training. Something about my actually thinking about just put into perspective how amazing my God is. How much of a perfect planner and orchestrator He is in our life. How comforting to know that when I was struggling at LifeWay and trying to find another job that He planned out my next years knowing what I needed to be exposed to for what was coming. A dream that I had only desired for a short time – was soon coming to be my reality. Something about that just really got to me. Like I say all the time. For me it’s just the little things in life. Little nuggets of truth like these that He shines on my brain in the most random moments.
Children
31 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in missions, Orphans, prayer requests
I just saw this on Michael’s facebook page this morning. Please read over it:
A component of how we hope to make this happen is by matching up financial sponsors with the individual children. These children have no possibility of funding… from anyone within Kenya and will not be able to continue through primary and secondary school without outside assistance.
Who could turn away a child such as six year old Gideon seen here below. (Sorry, could not get his picture to load) Gideon has been tops in his kindergarten class and this year has been skipped ahead a whole year because he is so bright. And because of his ever present smile is always easy to spot within his class of over 100 students. Would you be willing to sponsor Gideon and ensure that he’ll have every opportunity to continue in his studies and one day become a shining example of what the love of Christ can do for the disregarded children of the world? Contact us today via email or read further at www.graceofgodchildren.org
