$5000 and an AIDS test

Asking for help to go on this journey has been one of the hardest things I've done in a while. I shared with a few close friends each week for about three weeks that this was the week we were going to finally get the support letters out. It wasn't until the third week that Amber and I finally got the courage up to push through the fears and ask for support. I felt guilty and insecure to actually admit that I needed you guys, that I don't have it all together to get this done all by my self-reliant lonesome. There's something magical though (in a weird way) involved in actually stepping out there, and dropping 40-50 letters in the mail asking for $5000.00.

You know what...

God answered our prayers...

through YOU!

-every one of you who prayed, encouraged us, and opened your wallets to send us to Africa.

THANK YOU!

You know, as I went through that whole process of working up the courage to ask for help, I thought about something I learned on my first team meeting in preparation for the trip. We were asked to take an AIDS test the last day we're there with the orphans we'll be working with because people in Malawi often do not want to know if they have AIDS. I guess the idea is that if we are willing to take a test, hopefully some of the cultural fear will be lessened for the kids. "How can they not want to know??!!" ran through my head as the staff member told us that. Later it struck me; I can relate to them because I'm just like that in so many ways. I don't want to face issues in my life, and hope they'll just not bother me too much or eventually go away. Hence putting off writing to ask for help as long as possible. The $5000.00 we needed was about to strangle us financially though, if we didn't ask for help. And what a blessing it was to open many envelopes day after day to see your love poured out to us through your checkbooks. Thank you again for allowing me to use you all in this never ending list of opportunities to grow God seems to keep sending my way.

(side note...I raised my hand and asked if there were needles involved with this test...thankfully we're able to do it w/ cotton swabs...I hate those pointy things!)

~JC