The Porch is our young adult’s ministry at Watermark
Community Church. Every Tuesday night over 1,500 Dallas young adults gather to
hear the Gospel and learn God’s word. I have been blessed to learn, serve, and
lead in different ways with this ministry. It truly has been the biggest
blessing in my life. (www.theporchdallas.com)
Discipleship trips are more than just the week we spend in a
different country serving and sharing the Gospel. We train beforehand by having
meetings together to learn about the country we are going to, learn more of God’s
word, and this trip we are reading When
Helping Hurts to learn how to best help those we’ll meet.
My past discipleship trips have been life changing. I was
baptized in the Amazon River on my first trip, and also learned how huge our
God is, yet how intimately he desires a relationship with each of his children,
even those in the middle of the jungle. While standing on top of the boat one
night, and looking at literally a blanket of stars (Isaiah 40:26), I couldn’t
believe that the God, who created all the heavens and the earth, also cared
deeply for each one of us (Psalm 139). God is so big and mighty, yet so
personal.
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| (Amazon 2010, JP baptizing me in the river) |
In Uganda I learned from the
women there to have a heart of gratitude. Even after going through more than I
could imagine with the LRA, AIDS, and poverty, they were the most joyful and
thankful people I have met. I pray every
day that I never lose sight of how blessed we are, not by material things, but
by all the Lord has done for us (Colossians 3:15-17).
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| (Uganda 2011, JOY) |
Haiti has a very special
place in my heart. The number of orphans and the destruction is overwhelming;
yet I learned while on that trip to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). At
times when I felt helpless I would just pray for whatever child I was holding,
or whatever village we were driving by. It was awesome to see how the Lord is
using our partners there, Mission of Hope, to truly transform their country. (www.mohhaiti.org)
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| (Haiti 2011, precious Yonyon) |
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to
look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being
polluted by the world.” –James 1:27
I can’t wait to go back and see all the Lord has done this
past year and half in Haiti, and also have the opportunity to meet the little
girl I have been sponsoring named Annaxil Linda. Our team will be working with
our partners there at Mission of Hope to serve by helping in the new villages
they are building, playing with the orphans, and most importantly sharing the
hope and grace we have found in our Savior Jesus Christ. I’m excited for our
team to grow through this discipleship trip and learn even more how we can
serve our city better when we return.
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| Annaxil Linda (my sponsor child) |
I wanted to share this letter to share some of what I’ve
learned through these trips, ask you most importantly to pray for our team as
we prepare, and for the Haitians we will get to meet. If you would like to help
support financially checks can be made out to “Watermark” with “Haiti-Allyson
Black” on the memo line and mailed to: PO Box 112489, Carrollton, TX 75011.
Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and
support. I truly mean it when I say I am always so humbled by the support I
receive, and you really are a part of what God’s doing all around the world. I
appreciate you more than you will ever know.
Love & Prayers~
Allyson Black
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” –Isaiah 6:8
(I will continue updating my blog as we prepare for Haiti to share with you more about out trip.)
(I will continue updating my blog as we prepare for Haiti to share with you more about out trip.)
