4 Weeks in The Villages of Malawi

I'm back home after 31-days in Africa.

There is so much to tell after being there for a month with 80 people from 15 different US churches and about 50 Malawian missionary partners.  We had ministry partners working in the mission station hospital, leading kid's activities, farming, teaching sewing, teaching Bible classes, doing outreaches with the Jesus Film, doing construction, etc.

My Trip Highlights

• They haven't seen white people since 1963.   16 came to Christ.

I took a small team on a several hour hike out to a remote village area that had not seen white people since 1963.  We did medical check-ups, kid's club activities, visited with groups of people, etc.  I personally had the honor of sharing with a small group of village chiefs and some of their wives.  After sharing the creation story and the Romans Road Scriptures, I drew the Bridge Illustration Story on the dirt (just as my mentor Steve Weik had taught me).  16 people prayed with me to accept Christ.  I gave them a Talking Bible in Chichewa, so that they can have a weekly Bible Study together.  ;-)  The need and would like more Talking Bibles... click HERE to see what a Chief or Chiefs said to me.

• I taught evangelists, pastors, & chiefs. 

I taught shepherding, evangelism, and Bible doctrine to 80+ evangelists from all over Malawi as part of their annual 2-week training program.  I was asked at the last minute to teach a marriage workshop. 

It was from 8am to 6pm and 135 people attended.  I gave a Gospel presentation to start the class off and 32 people prayed with me to accept Christ.  What a great way to start the day... it was a fun class to teach.  I learned that their marriage issues are similar to ours.  However, I did learn some interesting and fun things I can't talk about here.  ;-O

We took 200 EvangeCubes and I taught all our missionaries & the evangelists how to use them. As part of a class on AIDS I showed the chiefs & their wives how to use a HopeCube (about HIV/AIDS).

• Attended a friends wedding. 

I had a lot of fun attending the wedding of one of our local missionary's.  The church was shaped like a cross and the wedding party came in dancing. Groomsmen from one side and the brides maids from the other.  Even the bride and the groom came in dancing on the arms of their parents. They met in the center and danced around each other.  It was really cool.  They entered the reception dancing too.  The band would call up various groups and people would come up dancing, then they would throw money (bills) at the couple.  We did this for a few hours... I must have danced my way up to them about 20 times.  It was an amazing party! 

•  Watched several surgeries.

I was able to join several of our doctors as they did surgeries in our village hospital.

It was an unforgettably rewarding month...
God multiplied our resources and our efforts.  In just 30 days, a ministry training center was built, fields were planted, hundreds were taught Bible classes, several Jesus film outreaches were held with follow-up, many kids clubs were done, 1,000 new outfits of children clothing were distributed, hundreds were taught valuable sewing skills, many children were cared for by our physicians & nurses, many surgeries were performed each day, 150 soccer balls were distributed and many soccer matches were played, hundreds came to know Christ, and 80 exhausted Americans returned home richer because of the warm smiles and loving hospitality they received from the Malawians.   Start praying now about coming with me next summer! 

Leaving for a Month

On the trail again...

I will be living in the Nkhoma Mission Station (built by Dr. David Livingstone in the 1800’s).  This will be the longest I’ve been away from my family.

We will have 80 people from USA that will be joining us in the villages during the next 30 days.  

 

Above Picture: 

I'm the white guy in the middle of these village chiefs and their wives. This was the largest gathering of chiefs they've ever had.  I was asked to share with them. After the gathering, I was interviewed on Malawian radio. 

FaithQuest Missions will be overseeing teams in the following areas:  construction, medical aid, children’s ministry, sewing, farming, Talking Bibles, Jesus film outreach, and Biblical leadership training.  I personally will be overseeing a small team of teachers that will train over 400 chiefs, village pastors, and lay leaders.  It's going to be a fantastic summer of mission's ministry. 

Thank you for your partnership in His work. Without a team praying, supporting, and encouraging us we would not be able to go and serve.  Keep praying... we are under a lot of spiritual and physical attacks as we move forward 4HisKingdom.

 

One of the joys of ministry is being able to play with the children in Malawi and visiting our sponsored children.  We have two sponsored children in Malawi... Lackson(6) & Stella(4).

 

Let me share with you just a few blessings in the last few weeks...

• I picked up 50 soccer balls and 50 Talking Bibles to take to Malawi.
• I received an email from a pastor's wife who received a Talking Bible. Over the last 6 months she exposed 861 people to the Gospel through the Talking Bible and 318 accepted Christ.
• I took a group of pastors/leaders from a church in Irvine to Malawi a little over a year ago... they caught the fire!  Today, this church of about 800 has taken severals service trips back, sponsored over 1,500 children from our villages, purchased 153 Talking Bibles ($50 each), funded hundreds of mosquito nets, funded the drilling of 2 water wells ($6,200 each), and will send a team with me this summer too. 

Please listen to a pastor share her heart in this video. All the footage and pictures where taken on our trip.

Together we can do much!

Lisa and I have appreciated your friendship and would love to have you join our financial support team.  It really would be an encouragement to our family to be caught up financial by time I return (we're almost 2-months behind).  Thank you for your consideration.

Together on the journey,

Carlos & Lisa Sales

Please send tax-deductible donations to...

FaithQuest Missions

25016 Adelanto

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

China Mission's Trip Great Success!

Highlights in Beijing

"Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty." Proverbs 25:25

 

• Meetings with the man that oversees all of religion for China.  Our meetings produced open doors to hold a forum of reconciliation this fall, then in 2011 a major conference for 12,000 people in Beijing about how Jesus can bring peace into their lives. 
• Worship in a Home “underground” Church.
• Shared encouragement from the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:1-15) with our Brothers and Sisters in Christ at the "kick off” of a theological seminary.  There were about 40 home church pastors there... overseeing hundreds of home churches throughout China.
• Presented a Chinese Talking Bible to the President of the new theological seminary.
• Presented a video Internet phone (VoIP) to our main contact in China. This will allow us to communicate with each other for free. He is the grandson of the Last Emperor who was also a big movie star in China.  He is a Christian now and is the Director of the Christian community center that will be started in Beijing.

God is opening doors in China and I’m blessed to have been able to be there as an ambassador of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for your financial and prayer support to make this happen.  

Highlights in Hong Kong

For those of you that don't know, I was born in Hong Kong and have not been back since I was 9-years-old, 41 years ago.

 

• My daughter Alison was able to join me on this trip.
• Enjoyed seeing the sites of Hong Kong with my cousin Candace, and good friend Edith... including my old school and home.
• Had lunch with my 92-year-old uncle, A. de O. Sales, aka "The Portuguese God Father."  He is the patriarch of our family.  We were driven by his chauffeur in his beautiful Jaguar to the County Club he has lunch at everyday.  That was a real treat to see him again.  
• Had lunch with my father's sister too.  I have not seen her in over 41-years. 
• Enjoyed eating great Chinese food.  

Prayer Requests

1. Gracie's health, doctors are running many test on her after she blacked out at her last 2 soccer games.  She has not been feeling good.  She was planning to work this summer as a Medic at Forest Home, but that looks like it's not going to happen, because of her medical issues. 
2. Please pray for me as I continue to facilitate some of the connections God has directed me to in order to see His plans come alive in China. 
3. I have much work to do in the next month in order to prepare for a month of teaching and leading in our efforts in Malawi, Africa.  
4. The project management of recording the New Testament in Yao (a language they use in Malawi) and the distribution of 100,000 Talking Bibles throughout the world.  Very important meeting with the Bible Society on June 18th. 
5. Financial support raising for our family and our ministry.  It's been a difficult economy for monthly commitments.

They are so many stories I can share with you about how God is working in China and in Africa.  If you are interested in hearing more, let me know and we can arrange a time to meet in person or over the phone.

Open Doors in China

"What is impossible with man is possible with God."  Luke.18:27

As you read this I will be on my way to Beijing with a small delegation of Christian leaders invited by the government to meet regarding having a "Prince of Peace" Conference in Beijing and starting a work in China. This is an opportunity that will open doors for significant historical consequences.  We will be exploring questions in our meetings such as these...

1. How does / should the government relate to the house church movement?
2. What is the difference between denominations and cults?
3. What should be the transitions of the house church (the Christian Church in China) movement?

1.3 billion people…
the most people in the world and a high percentage of them are lost and without hope. 

We will seek to discuss several key components as they relate to the "Prince of Peace" Conference such as...

• What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?
• How does Jesus' message of reconciliation transform a person?
• How does the Spirit of Jesus bring Mercy and Peace to society?
• How does Jesus give purpose to life?

Please pray for us as we travel, for our meetings, and for the trip funding to be provided.

We will be back in the U.S. on June 2.

We're still short when it come to funding this trip, so if you are willing to help...

Please send tax-deducible donations to...

FaithQuest Missions

25016 Adelanto

Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

If you are interested in going to Malawi, Africa on a mission's trip from July 28 - August 14.  We have a few spots open. Email Stan@FaithQuestMissions.org for more info or for a trip application.  I will be there during that time too.

Plans

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9 NLT

The Trips we have planned in 2010

Beijing, China  
May 22 ~ June 2

History in the Making

I've been invited by another missionary to help them start a work in China.  Starting in Beijing, the government has given us a building and extended an invitation to start a community center right in the heart of China.  We can promote Christ's teachings from the Bible.  We just can't call the center a church or put up a cross. 

I'm taking a small team, including my daughter Alison, for some meetings with government officials and to check out the new community center facility. We're making plans for the community center and a proposed "Price of Peace Summit" for the near future.  At the proposed summit, we will discuss the teaching of Jesus to introduce some of the following subjects:

• What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus?
• How does Jesus' message of reconciliation transform a person?
• How does the Spirit of Jesus bring Mercy and Peace to society?
• How Jesus gives purpose to life?

These topics would essentially lead to discussions on the differences between cults and denominations, house church and individual practice of one’s faith, along with healthy social behavior that advocates harmony and unity for society.  This is something that the government is very open to and seems willing to move forward with.  Please pray for these very important meetings. 

"You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail." Proverbs 19:21

Malawi, Africa
July 15 ~ August 14

One Hundred Going to Serve

I will be staying out in the villages in Malawi for a month this summer on our "HIS Hands & Feet" Mission's Trip.  We will have about 100 people coming from our US churches to serve in farming, construction, sewing, Kid's Clubs, and medical care.  We have 22 doctors coming to provide medical care at our mission station hospital.  I will be leading a small teaching team.  We will be teaching hundreds of village chiefs, pastors, and small group leaders how to shepard their flocks, and how to teach core Biblical doctrine.  I need one more teacher if you are interested.  We have just 3 spots left, join our team (July 28- August 14).

Malawi, Africa

September 28 ~ October 9

Leading the Way

Back to Malawi, as I lead a team of pastors and leaders on a Vision Trip to "spy out the land."  This trip is designed for pastors to learn about our mission's partnership in Malawi and how their churches can join us.  My wife, Lisa, will be going with us on this trip God willing.  This will be her first trip to Malawi with me. 

As you can imagine it takes financial resources to move out in faith believing that God wants us to go on these trips.  Would you please join us in not only prayer, but in a financial gift so these trips will be possible.  We are praying that the China trip will not only pave the way for the future of China, but for our daughter Alison as well.  We saw how your kindness in partnership allowed our daughter Gracie to go to Malawi and how it changed her life.  In case you don't know, she is planning on moving to Malawi for 2-years to help in the hospital in the village mission station.  We will also need resources, not only for my trips, but for my wife Lisa's too.  She has not been able to work it out to be away from our children for 2-weeks since I started leading these trips, but we are making plans for that to happen this fall.  Please join us in making a difference in God's Kingdom by being part of our "Sending Team."

Send tax-deducible donations to...

FaithQuest Missions

25016 Adelanto
Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 

Alison getting in the mood for China!

The Gift of Life

"While the body can survive without food for about five weeks, the body cannot survive without water for longer than three days."

Of the more than 6.4 billion people in the world 1 in 6 does not have access to clean water.

Roughly every minute, 3 children die, because of unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. 

Clean water can immediately cut death rates in half.

No other humanitarian intervention has a more dramatic effect on life than access to clean water.   

Watch this 2:38 video...

"I was thirsty, water is life, and because we don't have water, life is miserable."   ~ a voice from Africa.

Making a difference... 

Irvine, CA ~ One church named New Song Church raised funds for TWO WELLS ($6,200 each) to be drilled in our villages in Malawi. 

Bathgate Elementary School, Mission Viejo, CA ~ One lady's idea of recycling to drill a water well in one of our villages in Malawi. Click to see pictures & story... HERE.

San Clemente, CA ~ One man's idea of doing a New Year's Day Polar Bear Plunge raised $10,743 to drill water wells in Malawi.

"As many as 5 million people die every year of water-related illnesses.  This creates a no-win situation for millions of parents in our world today... they can watch helplessly as their children die for lack of water, or they can watch them die from diarrhea, because the only water they have is tainted."  

 Richard Stearns, The Hole in Our Gospel.

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done."  Proverbs 19:17

You can make a difference too...
 
Click HERE and find this picture on our Giving Catalog to give towards the drilling of a water well.

Click on "Donate" button below to support our ministry as we multiply our efforts by mobilizing the church in putting their faith into action.

 

You Have One Life Do Something!

I can't believe I'm 50

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An Appointment Made in Heaven

I wondered if I, one person, could really make a difference in a world afflicted with poverty, malaria, and AIDS… you know, some of the world issues that seem just too big?

That day He allowed us to be the answer to a special prayer… you see one mother was crying out for help, because she just found out that her little boy had AIDS.

Well, let me tell you a short story. It was a beautiful afternoon when we drove into the Malnutrition Unit at the Nkhoma Mission Station out in the village area in Africa. I took a team from Southern California to teach farming to hundreds of people in the villages and to plant some demonstration fields. Since we were done by mid-afternoon each day, the team wanted to see if we could help at the hospital. That day will be a day that none of us will easily forget; we can’t help but believe it was an appointment made in heaven.

As we drove in, we saw moms sitting in the dirt with their babies and little ones trying to feed them with the little food they had. It was a very unsettling, haunting sight; none of us had ever seen anything like it in the U.S. If we walked up to a situation like this at home, we’d be compelled to do something to help. However, we’re from Southern California, insulated from these scenes of poverty by the tremendous busyness in each of our lives. There’s school, work, church, the gym, and a needed stop at Starbucks. Every day is so full!

As we learned why they were sitting in the dirt and not under a roof, we started to do what we could to make a difference for those moms. As I look back, I realize that fixing the huts for the moms and babies was only a part of what God had in mind. That day He allowed us to be the answer to a special prayer… you see one mother was crying out for help, because she just found out that her little boy had AIDS. I just can’t imagine seeing my wife and son in that predicament. This little boy, Chimwemwe, was about the size of my son Chase.

Chimwemwe grabbed the hearts of all of us, but especially the young lady in our group named Monique. God used Monique in such a powerful way to lift the spirits of Chimwemwe and his mother. God just poured out His love to them using Monique as a willing vessel. We connected with one of our World Vision partners to see if we could get Chimwemwe into the World Vision Child Sponsorship database, so that Monique could sponsor him and help meet his family’s needs. This was a big encouragement to Chimwemwe and his mother. As a sponsored child, he would receive the medication and nutrition that he needs to have a better chance of survival. Later that afternoon we all went back to our camp and couldn’t help but want to try to brighten up Chimwemwe a little if we could, so we found items that we could give him. I had an outfit from my son Chase that was just his size… now I knew why I carried that outfit all the way to the other side of the world. We had a soccer ball, some toys, etc., so Monique put it all together and was compelled to return to the hospital. All of us wanted to be there to see a smile on Chimwemwe and his mother’s face.

I learned my lesson well that day… if I can make a difference in just one person’s life, then I made a difference in the world.

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

Together we can all make a BIG difference. Will you join Lisa and me as we mobilize THE CHURCH to shine bright for Christ in this world? Let me tell you how you can make a difference… please contact me today.

Carlos@FaithQuestMissions.org or (760) 208-1511.

Sponsor a child through World Vision; one of our ministry partners. Click HERE.

~ OR ~

Use our online Giving Catalog for Malawi, click HERE. 

Stay tuned as I share with you how another person has made a big difference to an entire village. Your family can too!!

Merry Christmas & Happy Year from the Sales Family

Year End Message

Praying that you and your family will have a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year! Please take a few minutes to listen to a message that I recorded specially for you...

You can join our support team, or send us a special gift by reading the donation directions on the right margin.

Pastor April Diaz Shares Her Experience

This video was shown at New Song, Irvine on Sunday, Dec 6, 2009. Pastor April Diaz, who went with me on the Vision Trip in April of this year, is sharing about her experience in Malawi. See if you can spot Gracie Sales on several of the scenes.

Farming for the Hungry & Talking Bibles Mission Trip ~ October 6-21, 2009

Click HERE for Written Report.

Did you like this video? Share your COMMENTS below...

Hundreds Come to Know Christ

The Good New of the Gospel
Saving Hundreds of Lives

On my last trip in April 2009, I took 205 Talking Bibles to Malawi and started a new initiative of Talking Bible Listening Groups in the villages. Last week I received our first reports back...

655 people have accepted Christ through the Talking Bible Listening Groups. 4,661 people have heard the Gospel in our Talking Bible Listening Groups.

Amos Chibisa, the Director of our Chiefs Ministries,
presenting Village Chief with Talking Bible.


In July one of our mission's teams ran across this group of women listening to a
Talking Bible by one of the many schools we built in the villages.

"We are encouraging the people to know that God is not condemning them for their illiteracy, but He still loves them and wants them to be saved." Rose Kamwana

Leaving on October 6th
I'm taking a team of farmers to Malawi to teach Farming God's Way. This is a new initiative that will save lives physically by teaching them how to yield 7-10 times their typical harvest. This is so revolutionizing that World Vision and the Government Agriculture Officers will be attending our first training session.

Please pray that our trainings and meetings will lay a foundation that will replicate itself all over Malawi. We are taking 100 Talking Bibles. Please pray that they all make it there without problems.


Typical Malawian Corn Field

A Farming God's Way Field, A-MAZING! ;-)
(These two fields are right next to each other.)

Killed in Auto Accident

Oceanside Teen
Killed in Auto Accident

Written by Lisa Sales

There’s a story behind every headline. Our daughter Gracie’s friend Michael Victor Pyper died Friday night, 2 days before his 18th birthday. His friends called him Pyper. We might not think a 17 year old has much of a legacy to leave, but I’d like to share a few memories about Pyper.

Pyper’s friend Omar invited him to Church where he met Jesus.
He was a believer and was growing in his faith. He looked tough on the outside, you might even cross the street if you saw him coming toward you, but he was a born encourager and was full of joy. His friends often got text messages from him before they woke that read, ”I love you; hope you have a great day.” On Wednesday mornings he’d text Omar and say, “It’s Church Day! We get to go to Church tonight!” Pyper was growing up in a catholic home, and his father didn’t always let him go to church. He called Omar very disappointed to say he wasn’t going to be there one Wednesday night and Omar told him, “Don’t worry about it you can do what we’re doing at home. Just read your Bible.” Omar got a text in the middle of the night from Pyper that read, ”I think I’m almost half way through but I’m getting stuck on all these stories about these old guys killing each other.” Pyper was literally trying to read the entire Bible. Pyper often sent text messages to friends containing scripture references, so much so, that occasionally a friend had to text back, “Pyper, just use your words, I can’t keep stopping to look these verses up!”

Gracie and Pyper had a lot of fun lifeguarding at the Wave Water Park together. He loved to tell stories, loved to make people laugh and according to all who knew him, he was always smiling. He also had a serious side and had some good conversations with Gracie about faith and values and how he wanted to live. He told her he respected the way he saw her make decisions that he thought it was great that she told people she would only date Christians and that she was open to others about being a Christian. He told her he wanted to be more like that and hoped he would grow to be a Godly man. He said he was going to get a tattoo when he turned 18. Taken from Romans 12:2, his tattoo would read, “Do not conform.” He was thinking about having it written across his chest backward so he’d read it every morning when he looked in the mirror. He said he wanted a daily reminder.

Pyper had plans. He intended to grow. His friends often heard him say he was living to turn 18 so he could start his life. He was going to make some changes and he thought he had time. We all think we have time. Pyper’s enthusiasm for growth, his hunger for the Word, his contagious joy, and his words of encouragement inspire and challenge me. I can’t remember the last time I woke up thinking, “Today’s a church day, and I get to go to Church today!” Can you? Not bad for a 17 year old.

Gracie and Pyper were going to take a Ballroom Dance class together next semester. Gracie wants you to save a dance for her Pyper! She knows she’ll see you again.

Pyper's 18th birthday was Sunday, 9/27/09. Local News Coverage about Pyper...

It's Amazing That We Survived. (or "What We Did With Our Summer.") By Alison Sales

Chase (11)
Chase had fun this summer going to summer school and being with his friends. His class took fieldtrips to the grocery store to get ice cream weekly. He got to spend lots of time doing fun crafts and coloring. Chase also spent tons of time in the pool; he’s a regular fish out of water and swims very well. But one of the highlights of his summer was going to the movies every Tuesday with his sisters! Chase has also been talking and singing a lot more, we think it’s because of all the time he’s spent “running” with mom and dad while listening to his iPod. :) He’s getting to be quite the little jogger, stomping along and waving to everyone that goes by. He also allows mom the pleasure of pushing him in his stroller when he gets tired. This year he’s very excited about playing soccer for the Blue Dragons Team. His favorite part of the game is still the snack and the cool uniform. Overall Chasey-boy had a great summer.

Olivia (14)
This summer Olivia had a great time getting involved in the high school youth group at church. She signed up for the student leadership retreat and headed off to weekend of fun and friends. After coming back she had fun planning lots of her signature Thursday night parties, beach outings and sleepovers. She even signed up for air bands and got up in front of hundreds of kids to lip sync pop songs and dance with her friends. Olivia also spent time three days a week helping Gracie teach private swim lessons in our pool. She got to help some very cute kids learn, "big scoops”, blowing bubbles, and “motor boat, motor boat”. She was also very blessed to spend a week at the beginning of summer at AWANA Leadership camp. She played AWANA games, recited verses every morning and ended up getting sick during the first hours of camp. She had a great week especially enjoying the paintball course, the archery range and the intermediate ropes course. Not a bad summer, eh?

Alison (16)
Alison had the pleasure of going to a camp with each sister. First to the Student Leadership Retreat with Olivia, where they spent lots of time brainstorming, hanging with friends, enjoying good worship music and eating junk food. And second to Lake Shasta with Gracie. Where she got to spend a week learning how to wake board, listening to some amazing lessons, meeting tons of new friends, experiencing the beauty of more stars then she’s ever seen and having a very messy mud fight. She came back with a light tan and more Shasta parties and social events then her Mom could drive her too! : ) Alison also spent lots of time relaxing, reading and eating watermelon by the pool. She even got to go see some great musicals with her Mom. All in all it was one of her best summers ever!


Gracie (17)
This summer Gracie continued to lifeguard at the Wave Water Park. She got accepted to the Top Gun training program and taught swim lessons to lots of little “guppies”. Gracie also went to Lake Shasta and had a great week. She even jumped the wake while out on one of her wake boarding runs! She met lots of new people, washed her hair in the lake (just for fun!), went on the ring of fire (a very wild and fast inner tubing run.), enjoyed evening worship out on top of the house boats and laughed a lot with her very silly group of girlfriends. Gracie then came home and planned an amazing Shasta party at our house. There were about a hundred or so teens dressed all in 70's/80’s clothes dancing on our deck, swimming in the pool, jumping on the trampoline and just having fun. It was a great night! Grace finished off the summer by dressing up with her sisters and friends as pirates and going to the movies to see “The Veggie Tales, Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything”. Arrrghhh!


The kids finished off the summer by having a sleepover on the trampoline, going to a movie in the park and getting frozen yogurt with their Daddy. :)

God is Good!

Let me tell you of God's goodness. A few weeks ago I was praying that God would encourage me, because support raising has been so difficult. I began reading a book called People Raising. It was very good, so I contact the author and we got to know each other. He invited me to a People Raising workshop. The only problem was it was in Kansas City, MO. Well, I prayed for about a week asking God if I should spend the money to attend and decided that I should take the step of faith and book all the necessary reservations. The next day I received 2 unexpected checks in the mail that covered the total expense. ;-) One was with a note that read "Have a great summer!"

People Raising Class in Kansas City
www.PeopleRaising.org

My mother offered me the use of a Buddy Pass, so I got a round-trip flight for under $200 to Kansas City. There was only one catch; I had to fly stand-by, which meant that only if there was a seat on the plane then I would get on. I arrived at 4:30am at the airport to be informed that all flights were over sold and if I did get to Salt Lake City that I would not get on the next flight to Kansas City. Well, to make a long story short... I told Lisa that she could go home and I was going to trust that I would make it. At each gate they told me the same thing, but God worked it out, so that I flew First Class all the way to Kansas City. ;-)

On the way back it was the same story. The last leg I was number 13 of 23 on the stand-by list… everyone had boarded and they announced that all stand-by passengers would have to wait for the next flight, which was the next morning. I was sitting next to another man that was also flying stand-by and he told me this was his 3rd day trying to get on and that he would never use a Buddy Pass again. Next thing you know... I heard them call 3 passengers up to the gate to stand there and wait. One was an airline steward, then they called a few more stand-by passengers, but they had left already. They called me, so I went up the counter and asked if I could give my spot to the man that had been waiting 3-days. She said that is very nice of you, but if you give up your seat we have to give it to the next person on the list. She then told me that I can get on the plane. The 3 others standing waiting looked at her like “hey, we're here before him,” but I just followed directions and went to the plane. I couldn't believe... from #13 on the list to getting on a full plane. I took the last seat. The other stand-by passengers all ended up having to wait for the next day. I was blown away and just kept shaking my head in awe that I was on my way back to San Diego!

That is not all... in my early 20's I served at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa in the High School Ministry. One of the teen girls looked me up on FaceBook and found out I was going to Kansas City, so she asked if she could introduce me to her family and if I would share with them about our ministry. Well, she brought her mother-in-law too and after dinner when they were dropping me back at the hotel her mother-in-law asked if she could give me a gift for our ministry. I was so blessed by her generosity! It was just what we needed to make it through another month. GOD IS GOOD!

I was also encouraged when the instructor at the workshop invited me out to dinner with him and his wife. What an opportunity that was for me to "pick their brains."

If you have a story of God's Goodness we would love to hear it, so please share it with us by clicking "comments" below.

Making a Difference

Read about an elementary school teacher who went on one of our serving trips and how she is making a difference in many lives here in her community and in Malawi...

Bathgate Elementary School
Creates A Warm Heart FOR Malawi!

"Alone, we can do little,

yet together we can do so much!"

Bathgate Elementary School, Mission Viejo, CA

Dottie Anderson went on a 15-day trip to Africa last summer, with her daughter, Jordan, and friend, Jake Berry. She writes, "I have been unable to forget the people of Malawi. The country is known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” and for good reason. Gratitude and compassion amongst the people there was overwhelming! Over and over, we witnessed people serving people despite their own circumstance. We knew we would be changed by this experience, as anyone would be, but where would that lead? We didn’t just want to BE changed, we wanted to BRING change".

With school starting just days after our return, my fourth grade students got a chance to hear about some of our experiences. During recess each day, they watched me pull cans and bottles from trash cans around the school. At first they just observed, but when I told them where the money was going, they joined in taking what would have been trash and turned it into treasure. By December, we had raised close to $1300.00.

Amazed by their efforts, my students wondered how much they could raise if the entire school were to help. What if we encouraged others to re-think recycling? What would happen if we brought awareness to those here and invited them to gift the money to people in desperate need? Together, we did just that!

With the help and support of Principal Kimberly Hall and student council members, Ricky Kuciemba and Lauren Henchel, collections began. Jennifer Bullockus, a student in my class, organized and managed “green teams” during recess time to sort and bag donations. Jordan and Jake used their talents to paint a huge sign to bring awareness. It reads: Re-Think, Re-Gift, RECYCLE for Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa. Over the past three weeks, Bathgate families contributed daily, and on the morning of February 11, the entire student body was seated inside the “Warm Heart FOR Malawi!” The heart was formed using all the bagged aluminum cans and plastic bottles we collected totaling close to $700!

The message: Alone, we can do little, yet together we can do so much! Our character trait at school this month is unity. Students at Bathgate were able to be part of something bigger than themselves. They experienced firsthand what is possible when people unite. It creates ‘Synergy which makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts.’

We still have a ways to go before reaching our goal of $6,200.00 in order to fund a clean-water well, but we are dedicated to bringing hope and change to this world. When people ask us, “How long will you be recycling for Malawi?” Our answer is, “Forever!”

To find how you or someone you know can donate aluminum cans and plastic bottles for Malawi, contact Dottie Anderson at dottie@mountainviewchurch.com. Check out the website too at www.y-malawi.org.

Together, we can be the change...

this world needs to see.