Not so great news...

We found out this week that the mission group we were traveling with has cancelled ALL mission trips for 2010.  This means that our trip from Dec 4 -11, 2010 has been CANCELLED.

It was really tough to hear initially, considering all the time and effort we have put into our fundraising efforts as well as how excited I was to be going on my first mission trip with such a great friend. This happened on Thursday afternoon....

I had a headache and bible study was on this night.  I SO didn't feel like going but SO glad I went, considering what I learned!  The first verse we studied was James 1:2-4 (NIV) and BOY, did it bring so much perspective to how I was feeling.  Read:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

or translated from the New Living Translation (which is much easier to understand and how I applied this to me)

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

When I left our study meeting, I knew that this was one of these trials the bible speaks of!  So, I' going to consider all we've done up to this point a pure joy for my journey to my first misison trip.  I have gained so much experience with fundraising and witnessed people helping out when they don't even know me.  All of this expience will be so useful for when I DO get to go on my first mission trip.  And when I left, I had a pretty positive attitude about what has happened. 

That said, Roland & Bernice are looking into other options to travel to Haiti.  One of them would be going to work in an orphanage in Port au Prince.   I would LOVE to work in an orphanage and love on a bunch of kiddies, but this option requires much physical work.  If we do travel to an orphanage, Dianne will not be coming with us.  And though I completely understand her reasons, I had my heart set on going WITH a close friend for my first mission trip.  So that leaves me with mixed feelings about what I am going to do about travelling. 

At this point, in terms of making a decision I feel like I am at a fork in my road.  Obviously, it's not time for me to decide so I'm excited to see what the year brings.  I am going to pray abou tit and I KNOW that God will lead me in the direction I am supposed to go.  I trust this.

Trip or no trip, we have donations and money that we have collected and purchased.  At this point, we have a few options to get them to New Missions and to Haiti.  I will even pay for shipping to get the supplies there.  But for now, I'm going to hold off on shipping items.  I will continue to buy & collect supplies to ship and we will continue to make jewelry to sell and continue to send the money to New Missions for them to buy rice and help them rebuild.

So this is my latest 'planning' news...not excactly what I wanted to share at this point, but it's just the way it is.   I'm going to trust that and go with the flow!!!

Trip

A few things to look out for

With our trip to Orlando (see family blog post HERE), I feel like I have been neglecting this blog.  Though I have been neglecting the blog, I have not been neglecting my excitement for my trip to Haiti!  Lots of ideas to 'carry out' and not enough time (with working at the school) to carry all my ideas out!

We've been busy making necklaces & bracelets, I've been busy trying to get a blog badge ready and I'm trying to get an ebay account set up so we can start selling our jewelry online.

One step at a time, is what I keep telling myself. 

My goal of the week is to get my ebay seller's account set up and running to start selling online!  If you have any suggestions with doing this, PLEASE send me your suggestions!

So that's what's been going on here....life couldn't be better!

To Jenny:

I don't have your email address to say 'THANK YOU' for your suggestion!

A blog BADGE!!!

Keep on the look out for a blog badge that you can post on YOUR blog if you'd like to support my mission!

Thanks so much Jenny for your suggestion - ALL suggestions are SO appreciated.

NOW, if you'd only send me your address so I could thank you with a pair of earrings!!!

Either way,  THANK YOU!!!

PS...can anyone lead me in a good direction for help in creating an AMAZING blog badge???