Prayer

7 days until Zambia! I am more excited than ever, now. Yesterday I read from Emily's newsletter (Emily is currently in Zambia) about a Zambian boy named Ben who was blind. Yes, he was blind.  Throughout the week, several camp counselors and Zambian partners began praying over Ben. They prayed with Ben, and as the day ended several counselors continued to pray. Emily felt an urge to pray each day for Ben 's vision, as she saw how Ben struggled to maneuver everyday without eye sight. It's hard enough to live in Zambia since there is poor health care and not enough doctors and nurses to care for the children. As the week progressed, so did Ben's vision. By the end of Ben's time at Camp LIFE, he was no longer blind. As sweet people like Emily prayed over him, his vision became more clear. This is only one of the many amazing stories Abby and I will get to share with you during our time in Zambia. I have confidence in the power of prayer, especially on trips like these. The Lord has provided everything I need for this trip, so now the best thing I can do is pray. I'd be delighted if you'd join me in praying for these things:
~Physical strength- wellness, sleep, and smooth transition into the new climate.
~Rest- I am feeling overwhelmed with things to get done before I leave, yet I need rest. Pray that the Lord will provide time to accomplish everything needed prior to the trip.
~Time for prayer- "A man need not pray to do good works, prayer is the work"
~The future- There's a chance this trip will cause me to think about working overseas one day. Pray that I'll be open to Christ's calling!

Most importantly, please pray that this trip does not become about me, but instead pray that I will learn to be a vessel for Christ's kingdom. I am just a small piece of the children's lives, but it's the Lord who truly changes hearts, heals the sick, and gives hope to the "poor in spirit," (Matthew 5:3). Pray that I will know how to communicate to the orphans of Zambia that there is a God whose love for them is rich and satisfying, a love that "outnumbers the grains of sand," (Psalm 139:18). There is a God whose powerful, yet gentle hands healed the blind and sick, pulled the lame to their feet, comforted orphans and widows in their distress, and most importantly- by his own willingness chose to have those same hands nailed to a cross, so that we (the truly broken ones) can be made right with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). My prayer is that conversations with the kids will be sweet and comforting, and that my life testimony will resemble that of Jesus. If the orphans learn to depend only on Christ, "They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint," (Isaiah 40:31).