Trail to Hope

I have attended the same church, (First EPC), for most of my life. As I grew up, I attended VBS there every summer starting at age 5, and then helped as a teacher throughout junior high and high school! I haven't been able to be a part of it for the past 10 years, since I have always had to work, but it was surreal to be asked to be the VBS missionaries this year! Jesse and I had such fun going from class to class sharing about our ministry, the needs on the Rez, and being blessed by the interest, prayers, and questions of the children. It is so refreshing to share with kids, who have such a simple and uncomplicated interest about the people we love so well. Adelaide got to be part of VBS in the 2-year-old room (even though she's not yet two - she had so much fun with the other kids!) and Amelia spent the week happily snuggled up to me or Jesse...

Every year, toward the end of the week, there is a huge penny drive and all the money that comes in goes to the missionaries of the week. I remember the penny drive as a huge highlight of my childhood, since the winning class gets an ice cream party on Friday! It was really amazing to be on the other side as an adult and see the pennies come pouring in. We were blessed with almost $600 from the drive and whatever else came in as offering the rest of the week. The Lord has truly blessed us through the wonderful adults and children at our church, and He is clearly providing the funds for us to be able to go to our training, SPLICE, in Colorado in October!

Last but definitely not least, we are so excited to have had some sponsors step forward who are interested in sponsoring kids for the after-school program we will be starting, Lord willing, this fall or early winter! We continue to move forward with our plans to move and trust that He will provide the last bit of money we need along with housing. Everything we see, read, and hear lately seems to be pushing us to step out in faith, to rest in His promises, to remember that He has brought us this far and will continue to do the work He has started- and we are getting EXCITED! As it stands today, we have reached 84% of our monthly income in pledges, meaning we are only waiting on the Lord to provide about $900 before we are at 100% of our budgeted needs! Friends, the time is near that we will be able to move on the field and get our feet on the ground! Praise the Lord!