I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane...

"You're Still Here?" and "Oh, what are you still doing here?" are questions I've heard a dozen times this month!

Yes, it's true...I am still here in Pennsylvania ~ NOT YET in Oaxaca, Mexico!!!  My original date for departure was August 21st.  But, the first week of August, I was told that I was being delayed to go to Mexico because I didn't have enough monthly support raised. 

It was a big disappointment to read that news ~ but, I tearfully & prayerfully wrote an email to all of my friends & family to ask for their prayers about specifically this.  Here is a quote from that email:  
"I believe that His plans are perfect, I believe that His timing is perfect, & I believe that He WILL make a way for me! Please, pray for the emotions of my heart to catch up with what I know to be true!"

At the time I wrote that email, my financial support was at 80% of the monthly faith promises needed & 43% of the one-time gifts needed.

God heard my prayers & the prayers of my brothers & sisters in Christ...and He answered, "YES!"  Just a week later, by August 11th, I had 100% of the monthly promises needed & had permission to book a flight for early September!!!  
   
I was going to buy a ticket for 2nd week of September.  But, I found a ticket $180 cheaper for the following week.  So, now, my flight is scheduled for September 15th.  


I sent out an email announcement.  I announced it several times on Facebook.  I'm telling everyone I know.  BUT ~ people are surprised that I'm still here. 
So, will you do me a favor?  Spread the word!  :) 
I'm Leavin' On A Jet Plane...Wednesday, September 15th! 

I'll leave the house at about 9:30am & get on an airplane just like this one, leaving Philadelphia at 12:29pm (EST) & arriving in Houston at 4:00 (EST).

Then, I'll get on a much smaller airplane, that looks just like this one at 7:15 (EST) & get into Oaxaca at 9:43 (EST).

**  (Would you please cover that whole day of travel in prayer for me?)  **     
 

God IS Moving!!

It's A God-Thing!!!
I got back home on June 5th from 7 weeks volunteering in Oaxaca, Mexico.  In the 12 weeks since then, I have been moving closer & closer towards returning to Oaxaca to teach the children of missionaries for 10 months.
During this process, it has been SO clear to me (& others) that God IS Moving!!!  Sometimes, there is NO OTHER explanation for something other than "It's A God-Thing!" 

There have been many times that I've been updating someone about how the planning for this trip is going & I've ended up saying, "All I can say is ~ It's A God-Thing!"

*  For example ~ I was told that raising enough financial support to cover the expenses of a 10-month mission trip to Mexico could take about a year.  I was also told that it was a REALLY aggressive goal to raise that amount of support during just the 10 weeks of summer!  But, GOD IS MOVING folks!  As of August 11, I had 100% of my monthly support raised to cover the ministry expenses of my trip!!!  I still need some one-time gifts to come in, but I'm not worried, because I know that what has already been accomplished is A God Thing!!!  

*  For example ~ I was overwhelmed & putting off making some big financial decisions about my cell phone, my health insurance, & my car insurance...(I needed to decide whether to drop them or keep them, since I was going to be away for 10 months!)  There were so MANY concerns I had, questions I needed answered, & things that could possibly go wrong when I called these places.  BUT, God IS MOVING folks!  This past week, all 3 of these issues were figured out!  I walked in God's favor with every customer service person I spoke with & ended up getting deals that were even better than what I had hoped for!  It was most definitely A God Thing!!!

So...how about you? 
*  Can you look at your life & see that God Is Moving? 
*  Are there situations that you look at & realize It's A God Thing? 
If so ~ tell someone about it!  Encourage someone by testifying of God's goodnes!  (feel free to post your comments here!)  :)      

Emails & Phone Calls & Paperwork Galore...OH MY!!!

This Summer, I've Received Over 200 Emails About This Upcoming Trip!!!
You probably think I'm exaggerating ~ but, NO, it's TRUE! 

Just this Summer, I have received more than 200 emails from my contacts at the mission organization & at Oaxaca Christian School!  I took the time to reply to most...
*  I am SO grateful to have a working laptop & wireless internet access, to be able to receive & respond to those emails!

I also have made & received dozens of phone calls to my contacts at these places...
*  I am SO grateful to have a working & dependable cell phone, to be able to get those important phone calls, no matter where I am!

And, WITH the emails came dozens of attached forms that I needed to carefully read, fill out, & return...
*  I am SO grateful that I was able to use my family's printers & fax machines to help with this!

I had no idea that being a short-term, volunteer missionary could be so complicated!!! 

*  If it was up to ME, I'd just buy the ticket & hop on the plane...BUT ~ I certainly don't know what's best! 

*  I trust the people in the organizations that I'm working with & know that they have my best interest in mind.  

*  I believe that even in midst of the tedious paperwork, God has been leading me & guiding me & preparing me for this coming school year!

The "Emails, Phone Calls, & Paperwork Galore" WILL continue throughout my entire trip ~ demanding me to spend hours a week on the computer. 

So, PLEASE PRAY for me to manage my time well, for clarity of thought, for my laptop to continue working well, & for clear communication!   

Creating A Facebook Group:

I Spent The Whole Day, July 29th, Prayerfully Creating a Facebook Group called Joining Jenn's Journey! 
Currently, that group has 68 members, who I am able to message all at once with updates!  

Being able to share news with everyone at once really simplifies things for me!  But, of course, you need to be ON Facebook join that group & get those updates! 

The Joining Jenn’s Journey group is for anyone thinking about supporting my ministry through Prayer Support, through Spreading the News, or through Financial Support.   

This group will provide a place for me to connect with people; so that I can share updates, praise reports, & prayer requests.
Also, the group members can post words of encouragement, prayer requests, or questions there for discussion.  

It also has a link to this blog.  :)  

I am excited to see the group growing, encouraged by the comments people post, & uplifted by the prayers of my brothers & sisters in Christ! 
IT IS SO AMAZING TO SEE HOW GOD IS WORKING THROUGH THIS FACEBOOK GROUP!!!!!!!!!!!

My Prayer Card:

I Created This Prayer Card (using Flickr), Had 80 Printed, & Handed Them Out to Friends & Family in July...

An Official Letter About Me:

This beautifully written letter, about me, was mailed out in mid-July...
This was mailed out directly from the mission organization to my list of 65 family & friends.  It explains (from the mission organization's view) my ministry at OCS this past spring & my new opportunity to return for this school year.  Just let me know if you'd like a copy emailed to you!

 

Will God Miraculously Provide?

This is the Letter I Sent Out to Family & Friends in Early July...
God had clearly opened the door for me to return to Oaxaca Christian School.  So, in obedience, I tentatively planned on returning to Mexico for this school year.  But, I knew I could ONLY do this if God would miraculously provide for me a team of prayer & financial supporters.  THIS is the letter that I sent out to family & friends, letting them know about this new opportunity & giving them the opportunity to join my team. 

My Trip Summary Letter

I Sent This Letter (about my Spring Trip) to My Partnership Team in Early June:
(You can click on each of the 3 pages to make them larger, so you can read them.  Or, you can right-click & then click "Save Picture As" to save the picture file & enlarge it.)