So, yesterday afternoon I talked with Janet, one of our team members out of Longview, TX and she shared with me that they had received money for 3 missionary women. That raised the thermostat to 26 missionary women fully sponsored. Then when I got to my Wednesday night small group from church, they had taken up money and had a missionary sponsored plus an arm and leg of another! Hee-hee. Then when I was leaving, another one of our group members gave me the gift of another missionary women being sponsored. So I went to group for fellowship and the breaking of the bread of God’s Word and He gave abundantly more that I could even imagine!!! So we are up to 28 missionary women paid for. I tried to tell you ….watch the home stretch!!!
Ok, then yesterday I get this totally awesome story from Kathy down in Houston, TX about how God is moving and going before her as she continues preparations for the trip….I attached her email to me below! KEEP PRAYING, TRUSTING AND OBEYING!
Before I paste that in let me say this to each one of you …..This is why I love the ministry of Pure Joy International! It isn’t just about what God is doing in the lives of the missionary women when we get there but what He is doing in the lives of the team before we leave. It is an inside-out ministry! We could not even leave the country and already lives have been touched and changed through praying and giving and telling! Enough…the email from Kathy.
Vickie,
I just love God sending His blessings when we walk in obedience. I love that He shows us that He is walking ahead of us preparing the way. God has been delighting me with all the ways that He is bringing provision for the items for the missionaries. God's favor has been going ahead of me and I have been astounded by God's goodness and the generosity of friends, family, and strangers.
My toothpaste story was just the beginning. It was just so God. I had emailed my dental hygienist over the weekend to ask her about getting toothbrushes and toothpaste donated. She said that their supplies were low and she didn't think they could do it but she would check. When she went into her office on Mon. there was a tube of toothpaste with the words "Donate" on it. When the hygienist asked who it was for the answer was "whoever". She asked how much they had and she was sent to a closet full of supplies that she didn't even know existed. So, praise God, 50 toothbrushes and 50 tubes of toothpaste. On Tuesday, I went to get my hair cut. I had emailed Heather, my beautician, about getting salon shampoo and conditioner. I had no idea that she was able to get them. And the provision was double. One of her suppliers sent little packets to her for free and another supplier split the cost of little bottles of shampoo and conditioner. While I was getting my hair cut, another beautician came in and when she found out I was going to Uganda asked if I needed little gift bags. Did I need gift bags? That was a request I had sent out the day before to my friends. She did not know me but is donating 50 African looking bags-25 zebra print and 25 leopard print. God is simply amazing. After that, I went to Walgreens to check on candy. I enquired about an additional discount and was told that maybe on Sat. they could help me. I thanked them for their help, grabbed up 10 pounds of candy and went to check out. (The candy was already 50% off but I was looking for donations or a bigger discount.) When I was checking out the manager came and asked if I was the lady going on the mission trip. When I answered yes, he said he would split the cost of the candy with me. Not the store, but him personally. I was so humbled when he took out his wallet and laid his own money down at the cash register to help pay for the candy! God's favor again from someone that, again, didn't know me.
I have a cousin that felt a desire to sponsor a missionary when she found out that I was going to Uganda. Even though she wanted to give, she knew she couldn't because she had unpaid hospital bills from when her son was hospitalized in the fall. She went to lunch and when she returned to work she looked at charges on her computer. To her amazement and delight one of the bills had been reduced by $489.20. So can you guess what she did with her savings? She sent a check for $500 to sponsor a missionary. How God honors a pure heart. Wow, Wow, Wow!! God is so awesome.
I can't wait to see what God does next. I am falling more in love with Him each day!
Blessings,
Kathy
KEEP PRAYING, GIVING, AND WATCHING!!
His,
vickie
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