Central America

We are getting ready to embark on our newest adventure and our first mission trip as a married couple. We are leaving for Managua, Nicaragua in a week from tomorrow. We are going down with an organization called World Orphans (worldorphans.org). The team is being led by Jesse Blaine and his wife Sarah. We will be accompanying them as they introduce two churches from the states with an indigenous church which also supports a local orphanage. The orphanage also needs some help in building it up to get it into maintainable working order.
Alfred will be helping with any sort of construction that will need to be done whether it be planning for it in the future or heading it up while we are there depending on what we find the need is when we get there. He will kind of be Jesse's right hand man helping with details as we go. Bailey will be the team photographer, getting pictures for the churches who are sending their leaders down. These churches will stay connected to the church in Managua and be the state-side support so they will want pictures of the location and the people they will be supporting. Again we are keeping our expectations at a minimum and our flexibility at a maximum so we can be prepared for anything that comes along! These are just the "jobs" we are aware of as of now!
We are so excited about this and are in prayer that God will be changing our hearts and working through us to further His kingdom and reach those He loves. There are a lot of unknowns as we go down there, but the one the we do KNOW is that God is in control and if we are putting ourselves aside He will be able to lead us in what He has for us. As soon as we start to run the show things go down hill so please pray with us that we will constantly be putting ourselves aside so we can be aware of God's hand. We don't know anyone that we are going down with except Jesse and Sarah so pray that God is already creating a bond amongst all of us.
We are also needing some assistance with the funds for this trip as sending two people is not inexpensive, but totally worth it. The total cost of the trip for the two of us is $2600 covering our airfare, food and lodging. We are also taking down some toys such as baseball gloves and balls and anything that we know the children would enjoy. If you feel led to give you can contact us at savedbeyegrace@mac.com or leave a comment here and we can instruct you on how to give.
Thanks so much for the prayers and support and I will post with pictures ASAP.
This is a list of prayer requests if you would be willing to lift them up for us...

Team Unity and flexibility - We are headed to a third world country where plans can change at the last minute.  Pray that our team will remain flexible and united in Christ, so that we may always be reflecting Christ while we are there.  

Guidance -  That we would be sensitive to the Spirit on decisions made on this trip and in the greater context of Orphan Ministry, Community Development, and Church Planting/Growth.  We would recognize the source and continual need for God's blessing in the midst of these projects.  That we would not only be touched emotionally, but moved to long-term faith-based action. 

Sense of Joy and Celebration -  God is doing some great things in Nicaragua and around the world.  Pray that we would catch a sense of the joy it is to be apart of how God uses us to further His purposes and Kingdom at home and abroad.

Haiti - For the devastating situation that exists in Haiti today.  That God would show his mercy on those in need. 

Church - For the local churches involved in this trip in Nicaragua, Delaware, and Missouri.  That these churches will have a renewed sense of God's calling on them as corporate bodies.  And that the church has unity in spirit and purpose.