Hello all! I just wanted to take a few moments and update you an all things office. I am getting used to the cubicle world- well really I am nestled in a cubicle corridor which honestly is a little more challenging with all the noise and movement than a three sided cubicle would be but non-the-less. The longer I'm here the more I feel like I have on my plate. With all the new roles and responsibilities I made the executive decision yesterday to make a weekly work schedule. I love schedules. They bring order and manageability to chaos. Now everything that I have on my plate has a designated time slot during the week. I even have some "random" time slots scheduled in to take care of the not so regular tasks that get assigned. This is progress.. and it feels good. The majority of my time is spent on my five locations. Let me tell you a little more:
Appalachia
Appalachia is technically broken down into two locations: Sevierville, TN and Sneedville, TN. One location will be used for Adventures Youth (youth group) trips and the other for Adventures Encounter (adults 18+ and family trips). So far between these two locations we have 14 trips planned for this upcoming summer. In addition to these "standard" trips we will also have custom trips which will bring our trip total up into the 20s. Because Appalachia has grown so large we are needing to establish another site from scratch. My goal as of right now is to set up a third location for custom trips somewhere in Western North Carolina near Asheville.
Bahamas
The Bahamas is one of my favorite locations to think for- and not just because of the natural beauty although I'm loving the Wednesday afternoon timeslot in my schedule to look at pictures and make phone calls. The crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and a only-child imagine make "work" a joy. Just yesterday I was able to speak with two different housing/ministry partners in the Bahamas (this is huge considering how many emails and google seaches it takes to get to the phone call). Both contacts seem to really have a heart for reaching the Islands with the good news of Christ. Now it's just continuing to press into them to determine their viability in terms of logistics and budget. Good things to come for sure.
Dallas Tx.
Up until this point in life I really haven't thought much about refugees in America. I've heard a little about them through the news or other friends who have been involved in some of the refugee communities in Atlanta, but really not much experience personally. It turns out that America is home to refugees from all over the world that are escaping the bondage and violance of their homelands. We are hosts to these refugees as they seek to build a better life for themselves and their children. Dallas happens to be a major hub for refugee relocation. Our hope in sending teams there is to reach out to the children through VBS or sports camps and to the adults through possibly teaching english or basic lifeskills. Many details are still uncertain but I have a pretty strong folder of info from some of our past trips inlcuding several possible lodging and ministry parters. Dallas, primarily a youth location, will be a neat opportunity for us as the body to minister to the "nations" while remaining right here in the United States.
Harrisburg Pa.
Another domestic location, Harrisburg is being set up as a custom location. "Customs" are trips that we will set-up and send at the request of the participant. For instance if you live in the Northeast and want to go somewhere local but not to the other NE locations or at a different time than the standard trips you can call our office and Admissions will begin the dialog of trying to get something set-up. As long as we have enough participants and enough time we can send folks just about anywhere in the world they want to go, at any time, with almost any ministry methods. We have a contact in the Harrisburg area that is excited and ready to host teams as soon as we can get them registered and on their way.
New York City
The city that never sleeps. New York is a completely new location for us. We have two AY (Adventures Youth) trips scheduled so far with not one contact in the city yet. Ha! Another opportunity to trust God to provide and to lead us to the lodging and ministry partners that He would have us work with. So far I've sent about six or seven emails to various churches and organizations in the City with little to no repsonse back. It can be difficult to build relationships from far away. BUT God is good and He is sovereign. I believe that He will in His timing provide contacts and awesome opportunities for us to step out in faith in New York.
Prayer Request:
- Please pray for each location-that God would begin stiring in the hearts and souls of many as He prepares His harvest for laborers to be sent.
- Pray that God would lead me as I spend endless hours on google searching for potential contacts. Pray that He would take us exactly where He wants us to be at the time He has appointed us to be there.
- Pray for communication via email and phone. It can be difficult to hear someones vision for ministry or their specific reservations about potential partnership. We want to communicate clearly and effectively.
- Pray that God would begin raising up a team of laborers for each of these locations. Participants with a heart to serve and speak forth the gospel and with a willingness to grow and be challenged.
- Pray that God would raise up Project Leaders to lead each of these projects (trips).
- Finally please continue to pray for me as I seek to set these locations up. Pray that God would continually remind me of truth and that His grace would be my final motivator in all that I do. I want to boast not in myself but in Christ who dwells within me.
Thank you for your partnership in the gospel!
–
Robin
