Big News

I pretty much only titled it that because I wanted to see if anyone would think I was announcing a pregnancy or something.  I'm not- I just have something exciting I want to share.

On November 15th I will be leaving for Portugal for a week long mission trip.  I'm so excited about the opportunity and what we will be doing there. 

Let me tell you how it all started... if only I knew.  I was involved with a Bible study called One on One.  It's a wonderful study and God started showing me how to have a heart for the world.  It's easy to focus on what is going on directly around you and forget that there's a big world out there. 

So I began to pray about how I could have a world focus- for God to show me what my place was in the world and how I could be used to bring glory to His kingdom.

Michael and Cristi used to go to our church and are currently missionaries in Portugal.  I found out they wanted a team to come over in November to cook Thanksgiving dinners for the families and college students they are ministering to.  The people in Portugal don't celebrate Thanksgiving but due to American television, they are very curious about it. 

Well, God spoke to my heart about the trip and I started trying to work out a way to go- including finding a team to go with me.  For several weeks God continued to bring up Acts 1:8 -

"but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 

I continued to feel led to go on the trip yet still needed someone else to go.  I asked some friends to join me in praying for someone else to feel led to go.

Well, it took less than a week and God brought another person for the trip- and not just any person- a wonderful friend- Michelle Langley.

So began a week of planning, asking questions, and wondering if we were crazy to leave our 2 year olds across the world for a week. 

I can't wait to give you more details over the next few months about the trip, the people of Portugal and how cooking Thanksgiving dinner will be a ministry opportunity there. 

A couple of fun things-

- There isn't a lot of American food in portugal including (but not limited to) sweet potatoes, marshmallows, cranberries, canned pumpkin, pie crust.... I could go on.  We will have to carry all of those things over with us.  Thanksfully- they do have Turkey!

- We will be staying in Coimbra.

It's where the "A" is on the map. 

- As you can imagine.  Getting there does cost money.  I am asking people to pray about supporting me in my journey.  More on that later.  We will also need lots of food to go with us plus we will be buying what we can when we get there.  Don't worry, lots of menus and ingredient lists and substitutions coming soon!