Going to Africa

I was toying with the idea of creating a web page to record my up coming trip to Africa, maybe even post a few pictures if I can figure out how that's done. But, then I realized that I could just post on the Lydia site. The reason this makes sense to me is that what I'm about to embark on is a faith journey. I will be going someplace I've never been before, surrounded by the unknown, and (at least for the first week) doing this on my own. Yeah, I think that translates to some of the things many of you experience everyday.

I'll be going to a country that is no doubt, full of "Lydia Women". These women are our sisters. I am looking forward to introducing you to them. The country I'm going to is Liberia. It's located on the West Coast of Africa. While there I'll be leading several small groups of women through some basics of the Gospel, some encouragement of how God loves them and values them as women and finally I'll attempt to do a little biblical counselor training.

The need for biblical counselling in Liberia is huge! The people of Liberia have just come out of many years of civil war. The ones who survived are witnesses, victims and some perpetrators of all sorts of evil acts. Healing and restoration is so badly needed, both physically, spiritually and economically.

The need is so great the question that first comes to mind is "I'm only one person, what can I do?" But as I've learned more about the horrors suffered, and I begin to care for individuals in that suffering the more powerful question for me is, "It's so bad, how can I do nothing?"

The plan is to leave from Jacksonville on June 12th and arrive back two weeks later.

Please pray for me to keep my eyes on God for wisdom, so that I am able to see clearly what He wants you to know about your sisters in Liberia.

Shelly