Yummy Ethiopian Lunch!

Some of the team got together this weekend to sample Ethiopian food. Some for the first time, some of us just wanted to try it again...and again! :o)

Brita and Elizabeth

Eryn and Andrea

Doug and Tim

Tim and Carolyn

Getting prepared!

The team had a great meeting last night.

We are preparing for the last minute details. There sure is alot to do between now and the time we leave!

We are working on bible story material to share with the kids and widows. We will be collecting formula for the babies, and care kits for the older kids and nanny's.

We have a yard sale on March 6th. We are taking a bit of a different approach to it this time however. We are having a "Make your own generous donation offer" Sale. We aren't pricing anything, just asking people to make donations to our trip. Saves us the hassle of pricing items and allows people to make a contribution. :o) We will be trusting God with the outcome. He's sure been faithtful so far!

Speaking of faithful, we had some amazing news from our Mission Commission at the church. They have told us that they will fund any shorage we have after we have finished all fund raisers. So we are FULLY FUNDED! What I pray is that we will have such an outpouring of support and love that we won't have to rely on the Commission's funds, but it's sure a blessing to know that we do not have to stress about it!

Please continue to pray for our team.

Blessings
Andrea

Who is going on this trip?

Hi, my name is Doug and I am a member of this fantastic mission team that is headed to Ethiopia. I feel so blessed to be called to go on this, my first, mission trip. I have already felt God's blessings through the overwhelming support of so many people during our fundraising events. This is just the beginning because I know that God has so much in-store for all of us before, during, and after our Ethiopian mission.

Chili Cook-off Photos (part 3)

Chili Cook-off Photos (part 2)

Chili Cook-off Photos (part 1)

Hi, I'm Tim and as Andrea said, I am one of the co-leaders of this trip. I am very excited to be going back to Africa on another mission trip, and I think that God has put together an amazing group of people to go on this trip. As you meet each one of them through this blog, remember to keep them in your prayers; not only will they be blessed, but you will also as you join us on our journey to Ethiopia. We will be the hands and feet on the ground, but you will support us even greater still through your prayers!

Why Ethiopia?

My name is Andrea,

I am the leader/co-leader of the team.

This journey started about a year ago.... or I guess 5 years ago with the adoption of my first son. My youngest 2 children are adopted from Ethiopia, and after our 2nd son came home I felt like God was asking me do something for more for Him.

I prayed quite a bit about it, and then approached our associate pastor with the question "What do you think about a mission trip to Africa?"

At the time I wasn't sure if Ethiopia would be the place, because there are so very many opportunities in Africa as a continent. He told me to speak to Tim, who had grown up in the Congo, and been back on mission trips in the past.

Tim and I spoke, we talked about what we might do, and who we had contacts with. We spoke about what God might be calling us to do. Everything pointed us back to Ethiopia so that's where we decided to go.

We spoke to some people about it, opened up to the church and other friends and formed a team.

We had our first real team meeting in June 2008. Our first fundraiser was a yard sale at the church. It was a huge success! Also a HUGE undertaking and God was faithful to so many prayers. :o)

After much research we decided to work with YWAM Ethiopia Adoption Ministry out of Washington, and the opportunities they offer to do ministry work in Ethiopia. We are very excited about the relationship.

The next fundraiser was a Spaghetti dinner, again God showed up! Of course!

We had a letter writing campaign, where several team members wrote letters requesting support. I will let those that got amazing responses talk about it. :o)

Our next fundraiser is another yard sale on March 6th. This will be at a home instead of the church, just so we can have it on a slightly smaller scale. :o)

I am also running in the Shamrock 1/2 Marathon in Virginia Beach and asking for sponsors. I have had some wonderful response already.

As you can see in this reader's digest version, God has been working in all of our lives, and truly calling us for some great stuff. We give Him ALL the glory! We have an amazing group of people excited to go and work.

We covet your prayers for our team and those that we will be ministering to!

Who is going on this trip?

Salutations! My name is Brita (pronounced Bree-ta) and I am so blessed to be a member of this mission team heading to Ethiopia! I have been on a previous mission trip to Gulfport, Mississippi, after Hurricane Katrina and it was such an amazing experience. I have been praying and waiting for another opportunity to join a new mission team. I can’t wait to see what the Creator has in store for me in Africa!