$7 for South Africa

A.P. English was my favorite subject in high school. I loved digging deeper and finding meaning behind an author's words. The characters took on greater depth when there was symbolism and meaning behind the words used. The challenge of interpretation and not just reading for pleasure made books come more alive for me.

I am so much better at interpreting words than art, it seems.

I still love symbolism today, but I'll explain more later.

In January, I will return to South Africa for the third time.

Okay, let me rephrase that...

In JaNuArY (84 days!), I wIll (hip hip hooray!) ReTuRn tO (fist bump!) SOUTH AFRICAAAAAAAAA (glory be!) fOr ThE tHiRd TiMe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(turning cartwheels)

There is no way to describe how excited I am at this unexpected trip, so I hope the obnoxious overuse of exclamation points, capitalization and colors conveys some of it. When my plane landed back in Dallas last October, I really thought it would be the end of trips for me for awhile. We had hoped to have a third child by now and I just figured it would be at least three years before I could go back to this country I love so much. I had settled it in my heart that it would be a long time.

A few weeks ago, Kim, who talked me into going on the first two trips with her, told me she was going back to SA. Later, she sent me details on an upcoming info meeting. I ignored the email, figuring I wasn't going back anytime soon anyway. Well, days after she sent that, I re-read her blog entry about going back to SA.

Which got me thinking.

And thinking is what got me to South Africa the first two times!

Darn Kim.

I pulled up the email I'd overlooked days before and re-read it, this time with some "what if" in my mind. As I read, something in me asked for some confirmation, just something to let me know if I was supposed to be on this trip.

SECONDS later, I got a pop up sound on my computer, signaling that someone wanted to chat with me on Facebook. I clicked over to FB, blown away to find that it was Kim trying to chat.

As far as I remember, Kim and I had NEVER chatted on FB before then. So, after all the "holy cows!" and "no stinkin' way(s)!," I finally got it all out to Kim that I had just asked God to help me figure out if I'm supposed to go in January and then I get a chat message from the very girl that convince me to go the first two times. Confirmation #1.

Now, Gideon and I are the kind that turn a skeptical eye to reading too much into "signs," except I don't have wool lying around, so it appears God had to hit me upside the head with a few more confirmations over the coming days...

1. I was hit with immediate opposition, which always comes when you're striving to follow God. Satan tries to work weaknesses and make us stumble so we doubt ourselves. But I see that opposition = confirmation.

2. Within days, Habakkuk 1:5 was presented to me twice within 24 hours (thanks to Ryan Pitts and Scott Rhoades). It deserves its own paragraph, it's so beautiful...

Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

Now how often does Habakkuk come up in everyday circumstances? Confirmation x 2 in 24 hours = powerful stuff.

3. I read Jenny Simmons' blog (of Addison Road) because 1) we went to church together in high school and 2) her writing pretty much rocks my socks. She recently wrote about a girl who graduated from high school and then up and moved to Uganda to serve and love on as many children as she can. The girl feeds hundreds of starving, malnourished kids. In Jenny's blog, she wrote, "Just go, Jenny." If you go back and read Kim's blog entry, you will see why this phrase stuck out to me.

4. Noah was messing around on youtube. He likes to find Chipmunk or Dora versions of such musical highlights as 2 Legit To Quit and Crank Dat Soulja Boy. So, as he messed around, I suddenly heard a familiar tune I hadn't heard in a long time. As the notes played out, I realized it was Rhianna's Take A Bow. I got chills as the song took me back to a week last October when a 3rd grade South African girl serenaded me with that song over and over. And, let me tell Rhianna, she has some tough competition in that little girl. Who knew God could speak through R&B? It is 2009 after all.

5. I have until the end of this month to raise $2100 for my trip. I have received, with such blessing, $475 from friends who gave simply when I mentioned I was going back. Again, confirmation.

That leaves $1625 to go and I am not at all daunted. I'm actually kind of excited! Weird, I know.

Which leads me to a segue. And some symbolism.

Because I know this is a hard time for many and because I know many of you are already giving to things you believe in, I want to do something different with my fundraising this time. I think I'll have no trouble reaching $1625 if you and most of my FB friends find that you have $7 you could spare. $7 at a time will get me to South Africa and her people I love and I would really be grateful for your help.

I chose the #7 because numbers have meaning in the Bible. Seven is representative of completion. God made the world in 7 days. I believe God will bring this aspect of my trip to completion by November 1st, when all payment is due.

Trip details: We will be at Fort White, helping local missionaries establish relationships. We will hold VBS for the kids and do some construction around the grounds. The trip is January 1-11. We are hoping to raise $500 to help build a playground as well.

So, friends, I'm asking for a couple of things. If you have $7 to help me get back to Africa, you can send your tax deductible gift to FBC McKinney at 1615 W. Louisiana Street in McKinney, TX (75069). Checks can be made out to FBC McKinney but please be sure to somehow indicate in the envelope that it is for my trip.

Oh, they are going to love me in that finance office with these $7 checks coming in!

In addition, I would love your prayers for our team and for the beautiful people we will meet. Among other things, a few of us have young kids at home. It is never easy to leave people you love for ten days. It is even harder to leave little children who don't quite get why Mommy is flying across the ocean to take care of kids there. Please pray for our kiddos and the people loving on them while we are gone.

Honestly, I thank you that I can even come to you with excitement over something like this and a request like this.

Friends, get ready...look at the nations and watch - you and I are going to be utterly amazed!

P.S. INCIDENTALLY, another number that has meaning in the Bible is 70. It happens to symbolize God's heart for the nations. The NATIONS - how cool is that?!

So, if you've got $70 lying around...

Kidding, of course.

Unless you do.