A Beautiful Thursday Morning!

Well, as I write and I the sunshine is pouring in my window--I just can't believe the journey ahead of us! There are so many people that have been praying and supporting the team financially, assisting in fundraisers......it's just so humbling to see how much our friends and family came along this mission--and how much God orchestrated to make it possible! All I can say is WOW!

I'm off work today to finish up some things for the mission trip. I get to stop at church and get the last-minute financial details together. Our Peace Financial Assistant, Adrienne Taylor--has been amazing with keeping all our receipts together. Lots of wonderful gifts given to deposit and organize for this Brazil mission trip budget. Praising God for her this morning....and for heart for serving. She may not be going on this mission trip--but she certainly is instrumentally apart of it! Speaking of the financials, it's so exciting! God exceeded what we needed for this trip! We'll have a little extra to give to a person or family in need, once we are on the River. Each mission trip participant needed to raise $2,100 to cover airfare, food/lodging, vaccinations, to obtain their visa, mosquitto netting, etc. The cost increased by $100 because of vaccination costs--but God met that need. HE EXCEEDED THE NEED! It's just unbelievable to me. We are in a recession--but yet God made this trip and orchestrated all who He wanted to be on this trip. His economy is certainly not our economy!

I praise God too, for our Peace Missions Ministry--who approved this trip a year and a half ago. Who came along side me to encourage and equip me to present this opportunity to our church family. Our church to gave us the opportunity to do some really fun fundraisers--to assist the team in the costs for the mission trip. We were able to run the "Parking at Peace" at Fallfest last year--Jim and Janet Schaver were instrumental in letting us use their tent and worked the weekend to help make that event a success ($900 raised). Then we had the Spaghetti Supper--that Sue D'Ercole and Gwen Hoff led. It was so much fun--because of all their hard work of organzing all the important details. We actually ran out of food--because the crowd that came was unexpected--and the food was that good (over $1,500 was raised)! Wahoo! Our last fundraiser was the Pancake Breakfast--George Bender ran that event and provided some wonderful volunteers who worked away in the kitchen--and made it look so easy as they fed hundreds of people with the greatest of ease (over $1,800 raised)! God is so good! Just praising Him as I write as I see the journey He has taken this mission team on--as we prepared for this journey that is right in front of us now.

This will probably be my last blog to you--as our fantastic volunteer, Sarah Leemon, will be updating this blog daily for the mission team, beginning Saturday. Sarah is such a blessing to me. She not only volunteers two days a week at PASS--working with me on our events (you may have seen her at the Hike for Life--she did an amazing job running the prize drawing), but she is such a wonderful friend. She loves the Lord and loves to serve! Sarah and her husband DJ live in Frankfort township and they attend Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Frankfort. Her pastor, Kevin Hahn introduced us this past winter--and we have been friends ever since! Isn't it neat how God gives us exactly what we need. It's such a blessing to have a good friend--brought into your life when you least expect it!

Well, I better get off to my chores for the day--as I organize things before this big journey. Praising God this morning for my Peace Church family, my PASS family--who encourages me and blesses me in the work I do, and for my friends and family. My life is rich because of who God has placed in it!

Thanks again for prayers and support. Please continue to keep the Brazil missions team in your prayers as they get things organized at home and at work so they can serve.

In our devotions--I came across Psalm 16:7-11 and would like to share the words that have encouraged and blessed me today:

"I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the LORD walways before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in your presense, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand."

God is so good--all the time! Have a blessed day!

Love,
Margie :)
Psalm 9:2

P.S.: We will have a satellite phone to use while we are on the field--to leave voice mail messages with Sarah to update our Peace Church family, friends and supporters of what our prayer needs are, as well as our praises. If anyone needs to get in contact with us regarding an emergency situation, feel free to contact our church administrator, Tamara McDonald (815/469.2868). She will have the number to get in contact with us. <><