Christmas in June?

Lately I have been like a kid at Christmas time! I can't wait to rush home and open the mailbox to see if I have received another letter! I sent out about 50 support letters for my mission trip to Africa. I have received seven back so far. Each check or money gift usually comes with a little note and that is my favorite part, reading the wonderful words people write to me. One of my favorite so far is from a college friend named Amanda. We lived in the same house for a year and went on a missions trip together I want to share with you what she wrote because it really blessed me.

Dear Val,

I'm glad to hear that you are doing well and are enjoying both of your jobs as a nurse. Nurses definitely have the ability to touch people's lives wherever they serve and a Christian nurse can share the greatest gift ever, Jesus Christ! I'm sure you will be able to do a lot of good with all those you meet in Africa. It will be nice to be able to help the young women be able to sustain themselves through selling jewelry. It's also nice going with a church because that way you can share your Christian faith with others; there is no greater gift than to help someone enter into or strengthen their relationship with Christ and the greatest thing is that while you are helping others you yourself are also growing in your relationship with Christ! I'm sure your nursing background will also come in handy while in Africa as well. I would love to hear about your trip when you return. I'm sure this will be quite the experience for you. Hopefully, once I pay off all my loans I will be able to do mission work as well! I cannot give a whole lot of money as I just paid of $10,000 of my loans so I am pretty broke right now but I will definitely pray for you and your fellow missionaries and the fruits of your mission! God bless and love always!

In Christ,

Amanda

Amanda gave me $5 for this trip, and that $5 means so much to me! It reminds me of the story in Mark about the widow.

"Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything -- all she had to live on.' "

Mark 12:41-44

I'm not saying Amanda put in all she had to live on but I think you get the picture! Speaking of picture below is a picture from my second mission trip to Mississippi, Amanda is wearing yellow in the picture, towards the middle!