Thankful for God's blessings

My highlight was when our daughter in law Kristin joined us for church service.  She made an effort to be ready and I appreciated being able to share the music, food and fellowship of our Christian friends with her!  She wants to find a church when she returns home and I pray she will find a loving body as I have!

I am so excited about the opportunity and have started to think about what I will take in my half of the suitcase!  Of course after talking with my 13 and half year old grandson, I was reminded that fun items are also necessary so I will be taking some new Legos.  I am looking for a neat set so if anyone has ideas, let me know.  My AJ and Kati spent many hours of fun with building and planning!  I am reminded of important it is to plan and to learn from everything in life.  Sharing, laughing, building, trying new plans and a good foundation in the Lord are what I have learned this weekend! 

In spite of my ugliness, God used me to help others laugh this weekend!  Good times!

New Departure Date

The dates I will be leaving with the group are February 24-March 4.  The original date the air fare was going to be $300.00 per person to fly over spring break so I will be going sooner than I thought! 
I can't wait until the meeting on Dec 6th to find out more information!  I'm getting really excited!  My heart is bubbling over with joy to reach the Haitian people for the Lord.  Of course I won't be able to bring any of those baby's back but I can love them while I'm there!

Just a note, some medical supplies that were donated went to a mission in Liberia instead of Haiti since we would have to hide them to go in with us to Haiti.  I'm sure those supplies will be well used and Liberia actually has a clinic there.  That might be where Holli and I are to serve some day!  You never know where the Lord will lead you if you're listening!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Plans for the Trip

Many have asked about the shots and my safety on the trip!  Please be in prayer for this as I receive my Hepatitis A shot this week at the Health Dept.  My follow up Hep B I will get 2 months before I go and then 3 weeks prior I will get a Rx for typhoid and malaria.  Dr Nightengale did some research and has been monitoring my before care plan.  

The craft show was a great time and very successful for the Senior Center as well as my sales!  It was tons of fun to be with my friend Amy and her friends and my new friends Kim and Cat!  They were so gracious to allow me to setup on with them and that helped my overhead. 

My friend and teacher Susan G will be finishing up our women's bible study this week and I have learned so much to help me teach when I go!  She is such a beautiful person and the wife of our youth pastor Sean.  I really enjoy serving the Lord along side of them at the First Christian Church. 

Pray without ceasing for my work for His kingdom!

The Date Has Been Set

The date has been set by the Mission Board and the team will be leaving on March 16 and return on March 25, 2011 from Haiti!  There is a meeting on De. 7th that I have been invited to attend so pray for my ability to listen close to the words they are speaking!!!  God is revealing great lessons everyday to me!  You just have to faith and listen! 

I will be at the El Dorado Senior Center this Saturday, so stop by and say Hi if you are in the area!!!!!!!  The Band Simple Praise will be offering our musical message to the services at the First Christan Church so if you can't make it Saturday, come Sunday at 8:30am or 10:30am at 300 W Central in El Dorado.  Thank you Lord for letting me serve you!!!!!!!  Also please pray for comfort for my friend Marty.  She is having a double mastectomy today and even though I told her she didn't NEED them she is struggling with this decision.  Her family is with her and so is our Lord!!!!!!

Please pray for the mission and the team that we can make a difference and bring those that don't know Him to him.  I keep thinking about those beautiful children and how much they need to know him! 

Hurricane Update

I've been trying to keep up-to-date on the weather and here is the most recent conversation from Jan Thompson to Kirk Day our Mission Team Leader at First Baptist Church in El Dorado

Good Morning,

 The rain has stopped. The river canals were widened and work done after the hurricane in 2008 and it is showing.  The water has receded, has not come up into Jan's house.  They actually drove around this morning and toward the river to check things out. They could see where the water was higher with debre left behind but the water had receded. Praise God, thank you all for praying….Love and Blessings, Barbara Day-Kirk's Mom

Singing for the Lord

This is the praise band Simple Praise!  The band plays at the First Christian Church in El Dorado twice a month at the 8:30am service and at the 10:30 service.  The group is comprised of 5 members who love singing for the Lord and encouraging others.  My husband Kris Howell plays bass, acoustic guitar and piano, Linsey Cutsinger is our dedicated drummer and keeps us all together on the beat!  Susan McCoy plays bass and piano.  Then there are the 2 singers in the group: Amy Becker and myself.  While we don't play instruments at this point, we lead others in the worship experience.  We sing all kinds of music from southern gopsel to contempoary worship.  Contemporary worship is my favorite and I am a big KLOVE fan.  I have it on usually all day if I'm at home and when I can at work.  I am so blessed to be singing for the Lord, it makes my heart so happy to help other praise him with music.  If you are in the neighborhood stop by, I'm sure your heart will be blessed.

Arrgh!

So bear with me while I work on having patience figuring out this new blog system and my slow Internet connection, it's hard to work slow for me as some of you know!  There were many typos and new creative words on the last post so I will try to do better in the future but you get the message!
Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Funding for the Trip

I have began to think about and actively start looking for the funds to pay my $1200 for the trip.  While I don't have to submitted to the Mission Board until March 1, I hope to have it secured by the end of the year so I can focus on what the team needs to gather and send.
 
There a a couple of ways you can support this worthy mission!
I have a thermometer on my page that will be updated to show where I'm at. 
If you would like to make a donation, you can do so by making checks payable to the First Christian Church  with Haiti Mission in the memo field and mail it to: 300 W Central in El Dorado, Kansas 67042

I am also exhibiting at the El Dorado Senior Center on Saturday, November 13 from 9-3pm for their craft show.  My good friend Amy B.as asked me to help her with a table there!  How exciting, my first craft show!  I have always wanted to be an exhibitor so this should be fun!!!!!!!!!!  I am busy getting ready with neat greeting cards and other items I will have for purchase.  If you can stop by or tell others to see me on this day that would be great!  All proceeds from my sales will go to the trip God is taking me on!!!!!!!
Thanks for your prayers and help!
Susan

Hurricane Danger

I received this word from Jan Thompson yesterday that said:

"A hurricane is supposed to hit us Friday and then even harder on Saturday.  We are to get high winds and lots of rain.  We are praying that it goes a different direction because we drove by the tent cities yesterday and there is no protection at all--no trees, no buildings, nothing.  I am dreading going through what they say may hit us in a cement house with a cement roof.  Can't imagine going through it in a tent!!  We are preparing for the worst but hoping for the best!!"  I'm wondering what my new mission will be when we go down in March.  God has big plans for me!  

An Update on where we are on plans:

I have received most of my shots and are working on getting the rest.  The Mission Board at the Baptist Church is making the final decisions about our trip.  Enlight of the current situation, I'm not sure how this will play out.  

We are tentatively looking at Spring Break which will be great for my scheduling since I only work 3 days that week.  

Be in prayer that all are safe for the Hurricane coming to the area on Friday!