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11675 Butternut St. NW Coon Rapids, MN 55448 |
Dear Family, Friends and Supporters,
This letter is regarding the support letter most of you should have received in January for my mission trip to Africa. I would like to update you on what has been happening to me since then. It’s only four months until I am off to Africa! It’s getting so close and I am so excited to go and meet my team and start training for our ministry.
A lot has been happening in my preparation to go. So far, God has blessed me with 48 people who are supporting me financially, 45 of them gave me a one time special gift and 3 people are pledging me for 10 months! Also, many people have told me that they are praying for me! Our team leaders have encouraged us to find 5 or more people to be a part of a prayer team. This team promises to pray for me everyday, including before I leave and while I am gone. I hope that many of you would consider doing this for me; please pray that God will guide me in the right path and I will always follow it. I ask that you pray for my teams as well as my own safety and health. Please pray for all of the people we meet along the way and those that we share God’s word with, that they will have open hearts to God’s love. Lastly, please pray for my financial support, this is something that I strive for and need to get accomplished before I leave.
So far I have raised $3,245 out of the more than $9,000 that I need. Praise the Lord! However, I still need to raise $2,155 before September. At that time I need to have 60% of money, which is $5,400.The remaining 40% ($3,600) must be in my account or coming in pledges at that time also.
The $3,245 I have raised so far has been given as gifts from my support letters, which has been an amazing blessing to me. Additionally to raise money, I will be working all summer at my current job, which is at ACR Homes Inc. working in a group home with disabled adults. This job is a great opportunity for me to serve others and get me ready for the mission field, and of course a great way to raise money. Also in June I will be having a Garage Sale fundraiser. I am planning for it to be June 14 and 15, but check my blog page for any updates. I will be asking people to donate items that they would like to sell. If you would like to donate please let me know!
I thank God for all that he has given to me for this trip so far. The way he works is so amazing and trusting him for our needs is so important.
It says in Luke 11: 9-10 ~ ” So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
God has also been teaching me not to worry. I tend to worry a lot, especially about how I will raise all of the money I need.
Luke 12:29-32~ and do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the Pagan world runs after all such things, and your father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. ” Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
I read these verses and they really encourage me and make me realize that God is in control. I don’t need to worry because he will provide for me and I trust that he is pleased to give me all that I need. He does it in his own way and always at the right time.
I would like to share a part of an update that an FYM participant posted that is actually in South Africa right now. It is from October right after their team arrived, this will be me in 4 months. I just think this will give you a feel for the type of things I will be doing. To read more stories from the team there right now, go to: http://www.fymissions.com/a/reports/
“A lot of us have fallen in love with a local church called Ithemba. They run an after school program for the kids that live in the poorer neighborhoods. They have kids from the age of 3 till preteen. Also, some of the team will be working at the primary school of J-Bay. They will be called on to teach lessons, not only school subjects but also the teachings of Jesus, in the school. There is also a school for the street children here. It is call the Joshua Project. They have set up a free school system that teaches school subjects and life skills. They teach the street kids and the kids who don’t have the money it takes to go to school. After school is over the kids go to the Joshua Project to play sports and games with each other. There is another ministry here; it is called Hands and Feet. We go into the poor communities and seek out the shacks that have no flooring. We go in and put a brick floor in. This keeps the rain out, and improves the barely able to be called “living conditions” that they are in.” – Current FYM
Lastly, I wanted to make sure all of you were informed of my blog page. I have a personal blog page, as do the rest of my teammates. I use this to write updates and prayer requests regularly. This is probably one of the best ways for me to communicate with you on a regular basis. You can sign up to get Update Alerts sent directly to your e-mail, so you know when I have updated. I would encourage you to check it out.
www.abigailbraun.myadventures.org
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I have enclosed an additional pledge card for your convenience, if you feel that God is leading you to give to my ministry. You can either do it by using the card, or there is a spot to do it on my blog page. Go to my blog and click on – Support Me-.
In Him,
