Relief.

I am feeling very excited and relieved right now!

About two weeks ago I heard of a job opening. Tuesday I had a clearance interview with the school district. Also on Tuesday I had a spur of the moment interview with the principal. Wednesday after I bought my graduation dress, I was walking down King St. and got a call from the district office offering me the job! I will start Thursday with two days off to graduate! CRAZY! I am incredibly excited!

Last Monday, on the way home for my Tuesday interview, I was distraught about fundraising for my quickly approaching trip to Africa. I have been torn up with no clear yes or no answer from God on this particular trip.  I feel I just got it. The elementary schools start back January 3rd and I would have been in Africa until the 8th. I feel like the job was God's way of saying, "I've got this! Relax!"

So I am relaxing as much as possible with my new job about to start before I even graduate.

I will still need more funds to go to Africa this summer and more than my trip cost to donate to the many ministries we will visit during our time there, I just have some more time and can be more devoted to a summer trip and also my new students!

He has a plan!
It's incredible!
It's often hard to decipher.
It's not always what we think is the right thing.
We are promised that it will always work out.

Until then, my sweet friend Abby can go check on those babies and give them lots of love. Check out her blog at http://www.abbyhilderbran.blogspot.com.

To God be the glory!

Emotion.

I am completely overwhelmed with emotions right now! Hysterically crying, smiling, laughing, praying, crying some more.

We just got off of our first conference call for my December Africa trip. When we started talking about the itinerary, specifically Canaan Children's Home,
I could picture every sweet face.
Those sweet boys.
Beautiful girls.
Grace.
I can still feel that soft skin.
Those beautiful smiles.
The joy.
The pure love of our Father.
The beautiful dirt.
Warm hugs.
(Also waking up to bat squeaks and the Muslim call to prayer in the morning.) :)
All of my emotions towards Africa resurfaced. Part of me feels disgusting that I am able to go back to my daily, school and world worshiping life. I am so incredibly thankful that the Lord sent me in the first place to teach me so much. I really can't even find words to explain how I feel right now.

Jesus is always holding those children and loving them more than I can imagine.

Thankful.

Matthew 25:31-46

If you want to know how you can help, please contact me at machinnis@gmail.com.

Together.

The school I am student teaching at is one huge family! We sing Love Can Build a Bridge by the Judds and Together We Can Change the World. I just heard Together We Can Change the World for the first time today and I had to walk away from the video so that I wouldn't cry. Seeing the sweet African faces in this video and hearing their sweet voices singing in their best English is just the sweetest! I miss them so much!

Check the song out at http://www.togetherwecanchangetheworldsong.com/.

Help the Canaan kids!

http://www.withwingedfeet.blogspot.com/

Check this out!!! A sweet friend of mine, the girl who inspired me to go on my first trip, has started this program to ensure that the children at Canaan Children's Home in Uganda are eating a well balanced meal. You can help for just $8 a month...think about what you spend more than $8 a month on (Starbucks, alcohol, McDonalds, parking tickets, etc.).

Trust.

I am really having to trust that the Lord will provide.

I am not writing this to gain your pity or persuade you to donate, that is for you and the Lord to decide. This is just how I am feeling right now.  I am discouraged.  Half of my trip money was due last week and I have just under 1/4th of what I need to go on this trip. I am confident that the money will come from somewhere because our God promises to fulfill the desires of our hearts (Psalm 37:4).  I ran across these encouraging verses the other night and am clinging to them in this time of need.

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:19


In the words of Jesus Christ, "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." -Luck 11:9


Praying that I can continue to trust in the Lord and for comfort if this trip is not His plan for me. If you haven't yet read this, I hope it impacts you as it does me.  It brings me to tears every time I read it.

"When I think of Africa, the following images immediately come to mind: Starvation. AIDS. Child soldiers. Genocide. Sex slaves. Orphans. From there, my thoughts naturally turn to how I can help, how I can make a difference. "I am needed here," I think. "They have so little, and I have so much." It's true, there are great tragedies playing out in Africa everyday. There is often a level of suffering here that is unimaginable until you have seen it, and even then it is difficult to believe. But what is even harder is reconciling the challenges that many Africans face with the joy I see in those same people. It's a joy that comes from somewhere I cannot fathom, not within the framework that has been my life to this day.

The images spilling out of my television showed circumstances that could seemingly only equal misery, and I was fooled. I bought into the lie that circumstance defines happiness. The truth is, in Africa I find hearts full of victory, indomitable spirits. In places where despair should thrive, instead I find adults dancing and singing, and children playing soccer with a ball crafted of tied up trash. Instead of payback, I find grace. Here, weekend getaways are not options to provide relief from the pains of daily life. Relationships and faith provide joy. Love is sovereign.

My new reality… I know now that my joy should have no regard for my circumstances. I'm ashamed by my lack of faith, but at the very same moment I am excited by my new pursuit. I'm forced to redefine the meaning of having much or having little. I'm uneasy with the prospect of change and of letting go, but just the thought of freedom is liberating. I want what I have learned to trickle down from my head into my heart - I no longer want to need the "next thing" to have joy.

I'm not saying that Africa does not need our efforts. It absolutely does need our partnership. But for me, I've come to understand that I NEED AFRICA MORE THAN AFRICA NEEDS ME. Why? Because it is Africa that has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart. I've learned that I don't need what I have and that I have what I need. These are just a few of this continent's many lessons. I came here to serve and yet I've found that I have so much to learn, and Africa, with all its need, has much to teach me."

www.themochaclub.org/i-need-africa