Thank you in advance for all the prayers you will lift up for my family over the next week.

We leave tomorrow for Guinea, Africa.

We will have internet (African Internet that is) so we will attempt to blog while we are gone.

Please check back, put a prayer request on your blog, tell your momma, your daddy, your cousin’s friend’s brother, to pray for the Maninka people.

We were able to have some time with the family tonight.  My sweet friend, Ashley, got us a cool world map, so we were able to mark out our trip for them.  We were able to pray with them with them and discuss the details of us being gone, lay down the law for great behavior, and talk about our trip.  It was really sweet.  I felt myself getting a little teary when I was putting Bradley to bed, but then he prayed for my hair.  He told God, “it not look good.”  Great comic relief.

SO, we are off tomorrow, and will land in Africa on Saturday evening.
Thank you again for your prayers.

If you have not visited before, Jason, will also be posting on his blog!  Great post today about how our week has gone!

I say that with a lot of sarcasm.

Today has been a day.

The transimission went out in my vehicle.  Lot o cash to fix.

The water heater went out at the house.  I think this is the Lord’s way of preparing me for cold showers while in Africa.  My kids…. not so pleased.

My printer is out of ink. I have a zillion things to print out.

Crazy what can come up when you are trying to go on a trip!

Wow, just writing that gives me many emotions- excitement, stress, joy and anticipation.  My friend Ashley, said to me yesterday, “Wow, you are fulfilling a lifelong dream.” That is an accurate statement.  God really birthed in me a heart for Africa about 10 years ago.  I had watched the We Are the World video growing up, but it didn’t really sink into my marrow until we met a misssionary family who were stateside from Tanzania, Africa.  They had teenagers and for a year, we walked with thier family.  We learned about their call, their day to day life, their ministry and the why behind it all.  Through their friendship, God took us to a crossroads of sorts.  We were a signature away from moving to Kenya for 2 years to serve alongside this precious family.  Jason and I took a weekend away and intentioally sought the Lord, through times of prayer and discussion together and times alone with the Lord.  At the end of our time, we felt the Lord leading Jason to seminary and for us to focus on finishing school.  Since that time, I have had a stirring in my heart for the people of Africa.

Then, I started having babies. We moved several times. Jason finished seminary.  I finished two Masters.  I had more babies.

Life went on.

Life went on, but the stirring did not go away.  Needless to say, when our church started a partnership in Guinea, Africa, I knew I would go.  I didn’t know when, but I knew I would go.

I also knew, I would go with Jason.  I can’t tell you how excited I am to journey with him on this trip.  It is a full circle moment for us in a lot of ways.

We are busy packing, finishing up details of being gone for so long, getting our kids organized and cleaning the house.

We are also navigating 2 vehicles that have flaired up with issues, a water heater that is acting strangely (either scalding hot water or no hot water, or kinda hot water!) and a host of other “nuisances.”  At this point, I am at the point of laughing because it seems the heat is turning up on us, trying to distract our mind and heart from where we want it to be!

I ask you to pray for us over the next few days as we prepare. Pray for our precious kids.  Parker is struggling with the thought of both mom and dad being gone.  She soooo gets it.  She understands where we are going, for how long and to a certain extent the why of it. I am praying that she realizes that God is always with her. He never leaves her and He will be her strength.  I am praying for steady emotions for Emery. She is our feeler.  She loves big, smiles big, cries big and yells big!  I am praying she takes that emotion and energy and turns it into serving her Nana and LuLu.  I am praying a sense of security for Bradley.  He has no clue what is coming up.  I am praying he feels a peace in his little soul and undertands Mommy and Daddy are coming back!!

Thank you for walking this journey with us!  We have raised around $700 from one blog post to buy supplies for the villages we will visit.  I am humbled and blessed by those who are praying for us and for the ones who sent cash!  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

We have been able to learn a great deal about the people we are going to be serving in West Africa. It is fascinating to study a different people group, to see and understand their culture, their beliefs and their day to day lifestyle.

Another part of Jason and my preparation, is reading through the book of Acts. Such a fascinating book about the explosion of the Church. What a reminder of the faithfulness of the apostles, the boldness of Paul and the trials and tribulations of introducing Christ to others and how it impacts t their day to day life. We are also praying for the Maninka people.
Here are some quick facts about West Africa: