Our Tickets are BOOKED!!!

40 days left. . .

40 more days here in the USA. . .

then AFRICA!!!!!

Uganda to be more specific!!!!

We are thrilled. . yep, jumping out of my skin! I know you are thinking "What the Heck? Back up a bit Brandi!"

Ok, ok. . breathe (I'm telling myself, not you!) Let me start from the beginning. This all goes back to our conversation with Tom Davis a couple months ago. Actually, I guess I could scroll it back to first reading about the book Red Letters on my friend, Jamin's blog. Anyways, at that lunch, Tom invited us to consider going to Africa WITH HopeChest. We initially didn't think their planned Uganda trip would work. So, we scheduled a new trip with Tom to go to Ethiopia and Uganda. Those trips took on lives of their own and had to be 2 separate trips. Well, as much as I'd love to visit Ethiopia, my heart is in Uganda. Why? No clue! There are a few places that God has laid heavily on my heart and Uganda is one of them. So, we talked to Dan, the Outreach Director for HopeChest and the team leader of this trip. Dan and I brainstormed and prayed and considered lots of options before coming to this actual trip REALLY happening! Now, here we are. . .E tickets in hand! aagh!!!!! Whoohooo! Oh my dear, I'm going back to AFRICA! And not only to Africa, to MC and Jackson's homeland and the heart of my dear friends Scott and Erin. The land of Kisses from Katie and our sweet Rapha kids. Soon to be the home of my friends Katie and Charity.

You're probably wondering WHY. The purpose of this trip is to identify orphanages / orphan care programs that HopeChest would possibly work with if they open this as a country. We get to be on the ground floor of God opening a whole new country to HopeChest and their ministry. When they work in a country THOUSANDS of orphans are sponsored and poured into! How amazing that God may allow me to be a tiny little part of that? How absurd! In fact, we are going to bring HopeChest and the team directly to Jinja so that they can see Katie and Rapha / Bethesda all for themselves. Please join me in major prayer for this. Pray that God will lead us to exactly the children and orphanages that need our help. Pray for clear direction and an awesome team trip.

Speaking of team, guess who's going? Ok, you may not know him, but my pastor is going!!! Jon is one of my favorite people in the world. I am so blessed to serve under his leadership. In fact, all of this amazing Africa stuff has left me in a bit of a funk at times. While I love the areas that God is allowing me to be a part of. . I've really wanted it to be under his leadership and a part of our church stuff because I am absolutely committed to all that God is doing in our amazing body. Ok, that is a whole blog in and of itself, but I am Thrilled that Jon is going with us. God works amazingly in Jon and when he catches a vision, it can't be stopped! I'm excited for him to be on the ground floor of this movement in Uganda and excited for what it brings to Westwood and to HopeChest and Uganda! We also have 2 more friends possibly going. One has a blog, so I'll wait till he announces it before sharing his news here and the other is praying about it.

Can you tell I'm giddy? When I counted it up and realized that it's in 40 days. . wow. . freak out a bit. Especially since most of my free time is going into planning women's retreat which will take place 4 days before Uganda! agh. Pray for us!

Also, pray for our kiddos. I have been leary of leaving them and praying majorly about it. I feel confident that God has called us to go on this trip and I know that HE makes no mistakes. What He calls me to, won't be good for me and bad for them. He works for the good of all of us! Thankfully, my inlaws have asked to keep ALL THREE kids the whole time! This relieves my heart so much. Especially for Davis. This also frees the rest of my friends up to get on the schedule and pick my kids up just for a play date (hint, hint. . let me know! ha ha)

hey, did I say that I'M GOING TO AFRICA!!!! Someone pinch me!