Cote d'Ivoire Update

Bonjour!

Well it’s been about a week since we arrived in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. I honestly don’t know where to start. I guess first of all, thank you for your prayers! We spent two days in Houston, Texas training students and briefing them on what to expect. Travel was relatively smooth and painless. The flights were long, but no major delays so praise the Lord for that!

We arrived in Abidjan last Thursday night. We headed straight to campus on Friday morning. It brought such joy to my heart to see familiar faces. I think my favorite thing about West Africa is the people. They are the warmest, kindest people I have ever met and their joy is contagious. If you read my blog at all you know about two girls I met back in February. We had some pretty good conversations, but they are Muslim and don’t believe Jesus is God. The University of Cocody is a campus of 60,000 students. I knew the chance of running into them was slim, but I asked the Lord to help me find them that first day. God totally answered that prayer because within the first hour I was there I ran into those sweet girls! I’m so excited because I got their phone numbers and am looking forward to meeting up with them over the next few weeks. What I want more than anything this summer is for those girls to surrender their lives to Jesus. Please pray for me as I continue to talk to them about Jesus. Like I said, they are Muslim and it is really hard for them to see the truth in the Gospel. I know the only thing that is going to change their hearts is the Lord. 

We spent Saturday settling in and unpacking. Sunday we went to a local church. It’s all in French so I didn’t understand much, but I LOVE the way they worship the Lord. We went to campus every day this week. Ministry here is very different than back in the states. On one hand it’s really easy to get into spiritual conversations. You can literally walk up to someone and ask if you can share with them about what it means to have a personal relationship with God. On the other hand, the language barrier often makes it hard to communicate. I’m thankful for the power of the Holy Spirit. I know he bridges gaps and grants understanding despite language and cultural barriers. I had a ton of conversations last week, but I’ll just tell you about one that really stuck out to me. I met a girl named Anna studying in one of the classrooms in the English department. We started walking through the Gospel, but her teacher came to start class right in the middle of our conversation. I was disappointed because she was really tracking with me, but fortunately I got her contact information and we got to meet up today. I finished sharing the gospel with her. She was already a Christian, but admitted that she hadn’t been living a life surrendered to Christ. She wanted all that to change and decided to commit to following Jesus with her entire life. Right then, we went through a follow-up lesson. There are six total that talk about what a real relationship with Christ looks like. It was so fun to see the wheels turning and things start clicking. I am so excited to keep meeting with her and see how the Lord changes her throughout the summer.

The other thing I’m really excited about is the American students we brought with us to Africa. Our team has already had so much fun together and the Lord has blessed us with great unity thus far. I have the privilege of discipling three women: Kelsey, Leslie, and Renee. I am so excited to get to know these girls better. They have been bold in sharing their faith and I know the Lord is grow them a ton this summer. I’ll tell you more about them in a following update.

Here’s a brief rundown of our weekly schedule so you can pray specifically for us.

Monday

10-2: sharing on campus

3-5: French class

7: team Bible study

Tuesday

10-2: sharing on campus

3-5: French class

7: fresh bread (check-in. How are you doing? What are you struggling with?)

Wednesday

10-12: sharing on campus

12-2: distance campus (local high schools)

2-4: fun adventure (seeing the sights and experiencing the culture of Abidjan)

7: discipleship with my girls

Thursday

8-11: prayer meeting with Ivorian staff

12-2: weekly meeting with students involved in Cru

2-4: soccer with students

7: women’s time

Friday

10-2: sharing on campus

3-5: French class

Saturday

Rest, random events (teaching Bible stories in orphanage, market, etc.)

Sunday

Morning: Church and rest

Evening: family time (special surprises planned by staff. Last week a water balloon fight.)

May Newsletter

Fresh Bread

I’m so thankful for your prayers. I know I wouldn’t have made it through the end of this semester without them. This has been a really hard few weeks. Some of you may know that my Grandma had been really sick these past few months. She passed away last night. I had the opportunity to go visit her at the beginning of this month. I was thankful to spend that time with her! With all of that going on the end of the semester really snuck up on me! The Lord was so gracious to give me strength as I tried to raise support to go to Africa, finish up on campus, and walk through emotional family things. By God’s grace I can stand here at the end of the year in awe of everything the Lord has done. There were so  many days this past month when I didn’t have the strength or energy to move forward, but God, as he always does, showed up and was my strength. I clung to a few verses in Psalm 71 these past few weeks and want to share them with you.

71:14-15 — “But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.”

What a good and worthy God we serve! Although we will never know its measure, I’m thankful to get   glimpses of his salvation every day.

Quality time with my Grandma watching her favorite team, the San Francisco Giants. 

On another note, I’m so excited to report that God raised the support I needed to go to Africa on summer project. I will be leaving Saturday, May 18th for six weeks. Since I’ll be overseas I won’t send a June newsletter, but I will try to update my blog as much as possible so if you want updates check back periodically. I will mail out an update newsletter as soon as I get back around July 6th. Raising funds for ministry is always a humbling and trust-producing process. There are days when you’re not sure the Lord will provide and then he gently reminds you of his faithfulness. THANK YOU for   being a part of God’s provision either through prayer or financial gifts. Words cannot adequately express how grateful I am for you and making it possible for me to go to Cote d’Ivoire this summer. Reading Romans this morning I empathized with Paul as he expressed his longing to return to the church in Rome. Thank you for making that longing a reality. I can’t wait to return and celebrate with you all the Lord does this summer in the lives of Ivorian college students and the American students that are going with me.

Excited to be reunited with Collette, one of the national Cru staff women. Such a joyful lady!

From Campus

The end of the year went quickly, but I am blown away by what the Lord is did in the midst of the craziness. I got to sit down with each of the girls I disciple and go through a “vision plan” with them. We do vision plans at the end of each year. Basically, I get to tell them all their strengths and share with them how the Lord has gifted them. Then I encourage them in a few areas they could grow over the summer. I am so thankful the Lord has entrusted me with the girls I meet with. They are each so different, but amazing and beautiful in their own ways. I want to give you an update on what they’ll be doing for the summers so you can pray for them with me.

Jess: going on a mission trip to Uganda with one of the athletic trainers from MSU. They will be loving on orphans, sharing the gospel, and encouraging men to step up as father figures. Then she is heading to Guatemala to complete an internship for school.

Shelby: working at home over the summer. She is  trusting God to help her share the gospel with her family and maybe discipling one of her younger sisters.

Allie: studying abroad in London. She’s looking forward to making this academic endeavor a mission opportunity.

Ruth: working at Kanakuk, a Christian sports camp in Missouri then heading to Brazil with her church for a missions trip.

Ashley: going to Nicaragua with the Missouri State volleyball team for a tournament and a few days of service projects.

Lauren: working in Springfield, excited to invest in her co-workers and friends.

Mandisha: working for SOAR at MSU. SOAR helps incoming freshman get acclimated to MSU’s campus. She can’t wait to meet incoming freshman she can invite to be a part of Cru next year.

Laura: will be raising support to be a part-time intern with Cru next year. I’m so excited she’ll be a member of our staff team!

Kiley: going on summer project with Cru to Alaska. She’s excited to share her faith in a very spiritually dark community.

I’m thankful for these wonderful women who are committed to serving the Lord with their summers! Please keep them in your prayers.

These ladies are proof the Lord is entirely too good to me. I have been blessed by the friendship and encouragement of these women. The end of the year is a bittersweet thing. Lizzy (bottom, center) and I will be returning to intern at MSU. Tina (bottom left) and Carrie (top right) are joining staff with Cru and are waiting patiently on their placement location. Chrissy (top center) and Kelsey (bottom right) are spending a year in Cote d’Ivoire and will be moving in September to do ministry over there. These girls hold a special place in my heart and I will never forget this year at the Manor.

Ways You Can Pray

• Please pray for our graduating seniors. Ask the Lord to help them find good community and continue to be passionate about sharing the gospel.
• Pray for our trip to Cote d’Ivoire! Safety. Ivorian hearts ready to receive the gospel. American students’ growth. God-honoring staff leadership.
• My family as we mourn the loss of my Grandma.
• The girls I disciple! Please pray their summers would be a time of immense growth and dependence on the Lord.

Thank you for your support!