Heading to Nicaragua!

I'm headed to Nicaragua for a missions trip February 7-14th!!  I'm really excited to go and see which part of the puzzle I fit with the team of 12 going. It will be an adventure for both me and Bobby with the girls back at home. It's approaching quickly!  I wanted to share the letter I wrote and sent out to some people so I have a memory of it as well:

In the past few years, since we have been attending Maryland Community Church (MCC) and have joined their C-groups (small groups), I have noticed a common, occurring theme: “Am I listening for God?”  This theme has popped up in almost every single small group session.  Although I have never not known God and have believe for as long as I can remember, I have been struggling with this, as I have never heard an audible voice from God, but often see His work after the fact and can then understand how all the pieces fit together.   However, am I really listening for God on a daily basis?  If He can trust me with the little, day-to-day things, then He will trust me in the big things!  By no means am I perfect and I falter every day it seems, but I have felt in the more recent months a sense of contentment, less anxiousness and knowing that through God, I can handle anything.  I have been praying to God for some time now for him to lead me where he can use me. Although when I was praying this prayer, I was praying more specifically job-related in my mind…like should I expand my photography business or should I try something different professionally in the occupational therapy field.  Little did I know that God was taking my prayer in a completely different direction.

Recently, there have been some clear moments where, although I still do not hear the audible voice of God, I know God is “speaking” to me through others on several different occasions where I feel led to travel with several other people from MCC to Managua, Nicaragua. This is definitely putting me out of my ‘comfort zone’ and has never been something on my ‘to-do list’ in my spiritual journey, but I feel up for the challenge to help others but also grow myself during this experience. We will be leading Sunday school with children, meeting with the teachers to assist getting ready for their upcoming school year, light construction tasks, making home and church visits, as well as two food distributions to assist local families with 10 days worth of food which they currently only have enough food for one day at a time.  In addition, there is hope for a future MCC medical mission in Managua, so my medical background will help me basically ‘scout’ for the future mission so there is a better understanding of the medical needs in this community.

I will be gone from February 7^th – February 14^th. I am writing each of you to first of all ask for prayers as I try to follow the path I feel God is directing me toward. Also prayer for Bobby and the girls as they will be without me for a week and although I know they will survive, it will be a different routine for all of us in that week!  After looking at the NRN website (www.nicaresourcenet.org) and prayerful consideration, if you feel led to offset some of the cost I would be very grateful to you for helping me on this endeavor. Also, any extra funds I am able to gather I will be able to give directly to the families I encounter to assist them with any food/shoes/clothing costs they have. Plus, it’s tax deductible if I get it before the end of the year! J

            Thanks for sharing in this adventure with me!  I am sure I will have several stories and photos, which I plan to document on my blog when I get back. I love each of you that I have shared this email with.

THANKS FOR PRAYING!!!

Love,

Brandi

If you would like to contribute to the trip, checks can be mailed to my home and made out to Maryland Community Church. “Nicaragua-February” can be added to the subject line.