It is so hard to believe that I'm heading for Zambia in 42 days, which is less than 6 weeks! It hardly seems that over 2.5 years have passed since I came home from my first encounter with medical missions. (The previous posting mentioned that I was in Zambia in 2007...in reality it was May-Aug 2008)
I've already begun the process of gathering items into boxes that will need to be sorted in to suitcases closer to the departure date. I'm still waiting for the medical supplies from notyettourists.org to arrive, but the piles of donated medical items, toys and Bible resources continue to grow. I'm totally amazed by the generosity of the Christians in my life. God is so good, He provides me with more than I could ever ask for and He knew that planning a Mission trip for after Christmas was a great idea...my stocking on Christmas eve was overflowing with useful items like a mosquito net, a flashlight, multi-pack batteries, travel organizers etc.
I spent this past weekend, New Years, at a retreat for Christian young people, studying the Bible and hoping for snow to play in. While the wish for snow wasn't granted, the Bible was certainly studied. I am constantly amazed by my God as I continue to grow closer to Him through studying His word. As we learned about the amazing riches of His grace, and the promises which He has given us. Many of the promises touched home. God promises to go with us and never leave us or forsake us. (Deut 31:6) He promises to be the True Rewarder of them that deligently seek Him (Hebrews 11)
I was encouraged to pray with ambition. Ambition is something that our society places such emphasis on, yet I have ignored when it came to prayer. Perhaps, in humility, I don't think that I will be used to create great change. I feel now that I need to pray for the Lord to do a great work in me, a work that will truly impact the souls of the patients for whom I care and the staff with whom I work.
James 1:27 Religion that is true and undefiled before God, the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, ans to keep oneself unstained from the world.
