Dearest family and friends,
In 25 days and counting I will depart on a 2 month journey to Cape Town, South Africa. I will be working with a missions agency called, Living Hope. It has been clear from day one that this opportunity was the will of the Big Guy. I will be working alongside a team of Christians close to my age, and our mission will be spreading the Word & love of Jesus to the people of Cape Town. I know this will be an experience of a life time and truthfully I would not be where I am today without all of you, and I want each and everyone of you to be apart of this journey with me!
There is nothing that makes me happier than loving. Eph. 5:1 tells us, "Be imitators of God." Day-to-day I strive to live by this truth. My passions has always been for missions, and I think it's because it's the simplest way to glorify Jesus. To go and spread His love and word. It has been my prayer for a long time that I might be presented with an opportunity to serve to further His Kingdom, and after many years of patience those prayers have been answered.
God is love. And like I said I have been trying to live that in the life I currently have. It is so easy to pray for those people in other countries, but loving who you live and go to school with is the biggest challenge. I work at trying to see my life as a mission field, and not just THIS trip. It has been so awesome to see how God has used this new approach to everything from how I smile at the homeless man on the corner to the way I treat people in traffic. But now, it's time to take the things that I have learned to a new longitude and latitude.
Living Hope is a mission agency that brings love and hope to the children of Ocean View (which is the community I'll be based out of!!) their mission is to teach kids life skills and the importance of making good choices, while encouraging them to be the best they can be in the community, and outside of the community. And most importantly to spread the hope and message of Jesus Christ.
When it comes down to it, Jesus laid out a pretty simple religion for us, didn't He? Love God, love others, and love ourselves. Deciding to go was easy, but preparing myself for what's to come is the hard part. I hope that you'll join me in lots of prayer. The more the merrier, eh? Pray for South Africa, Living Hope, and Ocean View that its community would be united as One body. Pray that my heart and mind stay focused on the Truth, and that God would give me the strength and faith to serve the people of South Africa.
I'm so jazzed! I cannot wait to see what is to come!
Carley
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