I have an hour left in Ventura, until I head up to Santa Barbara for a 5-day team bonding camp. From there, I will directly leave to LAX and catch my flight to London, England. I will spend a day there, and will arrive in Uganda on July 5th. I am getting a little emotional right now, because I am sad to leave my family. I pray for tons of strength!
I was unformed a few days ago that I will have no internet access while on the trip, so unfortunately I will no be able to blog as I thought I would be able to. However, there will be a team blog that will be recieving frequent updates. If you'd like to follow that one, the link is: http://impactuganda.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for all your support, I love all you guys so much and I will miss you dearly! Be safe so that I can come home to each and every one of your beautiful faces :)I love you all! God Bless!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
4 days 'til training.
As of today, I have 4 days until I head up to Santa Barbara, CA for 5-days of team bonding/strengthening time. In 11 days, I will be in Uganda! I've been looking at maps and globes my whole life, but Africa has always just seemed like a far-off, distant land that I would never come in contact with. Knowing that I will be there in just 11 days is still so surreal to me. I am getting extremely excited though. Today, I went shopping for the mandatory long skirts. I found 5 ones that I liked. $20 for 5 skirts, not too bad!
As many of you may know, I have been a little short on funds. Yesterday alone, I was able to raise about $500 in committed donations. Meaning I haven't recieved the donations yet, but if everyone stays true to their word, that's how much I will have. Yesterday, before church, my college-aged friend, Christina called me and asked me to meet her so she could turn in her donation. When I met her, she pulled out $100 in cash. I was blown away that a young college student as her self could be selfless enough to give her hard-earned money to my cause. I was so grateful. I asked her how she could do that and she said that to prepare for her own upcoming missions trip to Honduras, she's been reading a book about how you shouldn't store up your treasures on Earth and you shouldn't be greedy with possessions, such as money. This really got me thinking about how greedy we all are by nature. I try to be selfless, we all do, but in the end it always ends up that I put my own needs before everyone else's. I want this to change. Recently, everyone I'm going to Africa with was asked to choose a goal. And now this is mine. I want to strive to put other's before myself. I want to share with people. I want to be quick to give up my own possessions to those who need them more.
Yesterday after meeting with Christina, I headed off to youth group at Ventura Missionary church. I hadn't been for a few weeks, so I was so excited to have some free time to go spend in fellowship there. The service/meassage was incredible and it was awesome to just be able to get right with God. We worshipped and took communion. During worship, I got on my knees to pray for my funding on my Africa trip. I surrendered everything I had been holding inside of me to the King. I felt a surge of relief wash over me and I felt immediately comforted. When church was over, Josh (the youth pastor at VMC) invited me up to be prayed for. We also had Katrina, who will be travelling to Cambodia, come up as well. Everyone came up and laid hands over us and just prayed for everything we will be faced with on our journeys. It was great to feel so cared for. I know God will be with both of us as we depart. When church was over, Josh, knowing I still had some money to raise, took an unexpected offering for me. I didn't think much would come from it, because many people had already left, but when Josh gave me all he had collected, I went to my car and realized that I had recieved almost $250 from the youth group alone. A bunch of teenagers! (♥) It is incredible to see the things God can do through the people you'd least expect it from! So thanks for everything, VMC. I love you all :)
As an update, I still need about $400 more in order to participate on this trip. If you'd like to help, you can reach me on here, on facebook, on my cellphone, or through e-mail (daddysgirlheaven@yahoo.com) Thanks so much for reading, God bless :)
In Christ,
Heaven
As many of you may know, I have been a little short on funds. Yesterday alone, I was able to raise about $500 in committed donations. Meaning I haven't recieved the donations yet, but if everyone stays true to their word, that's how much I will have. Yesterday, before church, my college-aged friend, Christina called me and asked me to meet her so she could turn in her donation. When I met her, she pulled out $100 in cash. I was blown away that a young college student as her self could be selfless enough to give her hard-earned money to my cause. I was so grateful. I asked her how she could do that and she said that to prepare for her own upcoming missions trip to Honduras, she's been reading a book about how you shouldn't store up your treasures on Earth and you shouldn't be greedy with possessions, such as money. This really got me thinking about how greedy we all are by nature. I try to be selfless, we all do, but in the end it always ends up that I put my own needs before everyone else's. I want this to change. Recently, everyone I'm going to Africa with was asked to choose a goal. And now this is mine. I want to strive to put other's before myself. I want to share with people. I want to be quick to give up my own possessions to those who need them more.
Yesterday after meeting with Christina, I headed off to youth group at Ventura Missionary church. I hadn't been for a few weeks, so I was so excited to have some free time to go spend in fellowship there. The service/meassage was incredible and it was awesome to just be able to get right with God. We worshipped and took communion. During worship, I got on my knees to pray for my funding on my Africa trip. I surrendered everything I had been holding inside of me to the King. I felt a surge of relief wash over me and I felt immediately comforted. When church was over, Josh (the youth pastor at VMC) invited me up to be prayed for. We also had Katrina, who will be travelling to Cambodia, come up as well. Everyone came up and laid hands over us and just prayed for everything we will be faced with on our journeys. It was great to feel so cared for. I know God will be with both of us as we depart. When church was over, Josh, knowing I still had some money to raise, took an unexpected offering for me. I didn't think much would come from it, because many people had already left, but when Josh gave me all he had collected, I went to my car and realized that I had recieved almost $250 from the youth group alone. A bunch of teenagers! (♥) It is incredible to see the things God can do through the people you'd least expect it from! So thanks for everything, VMC. I love you all :)
As an update, I still need about $400 more in order to participate on this trip. If you'd like to help, you can reach me on here, on facebook, on my cellphone, or through e-mail (daddysgirlheaven@yahoo.com) Thanks so much for reading, God bless :)
In Christ,
Heaven
Monday, June 21, 2010
7 days. 1 week. Still lacking funds.
Dear friends:
In 1 week, I will be traveling on a missions trip to Africa with IMPACT to work with needy children and families in the broken country of Uganda. While there, I will be working in multiple schools with orphans, participating in street ministry of the capitol city of Kampala, and by going door-to-door to the homes in rural areas.
I would like to ask for your help. Above all else, I ask for your prayers as I prepare both emotionally and spiritually to serve. There will be many challenges. I will need God’s help and your support.
I would also like to ask for your help in another way. In addition to my personal contribution, I was asked to raise $3,900 for this trip which will be used to supplement my travel expenses and for project supplies. As of right now, I am still lacking the necessary funds to participate on this trip. If you would like to support, please send checks (ASAP) to:
IMPACT, 8180 Telephone Rd. Ventura, CA 93003. Please make checks payable to "The Presbytery of Santa Barbara" with the memo line stating my name, Heaven Mize.
Thank you for your support, in whatever form that may be.
In Christ,
Heaven Mize
In 1 week, I will be traveling on a missions trip to Africa with IMPACT to work with needy children and families in the broken country of Uganda. While there, I will be working in multiple schools with orphans, participating in street ministry of the capitol city of Kampala, and by going door-to-door to the homes in rural areas.
I would like to ask for your help. Above all else, I ask for your prayers as I prepare both emotionally and spiritually to serve. There will be many challenges. I will need God’s help and your support.
I would also like to ask for your help in another way. In addition to my personal contribution, I was asked to raise $3,900 for this trip which will be used to supplement my travel expenses and for project supplies. As of right now, I am still lacking the necessary funds to participate on this trip. If you would like to support, please send checks (ASAP) to:
IMPACT, 8180 Telephone Rd. Ventura, CA 93003. Please make checks payable to "The Presbytery of Santa Barbara" with the memo line stating my name, Heaven Mize.
Thank you for your support, in whatever form that may be.
In Christ,
Heaven Mize
Sunday, June 20, 2010
8 days.
As of today, I am 8 days away from the beginning of my trip to Africa. I am filled with mixed emotions as I sit at this old computer desk in this noisy house and think about my upcoming trip. I can barely find the peace inside my head to think.
Firstly, I am nervous. I have never been away from my family for more than 2 weeks. For this trip, I'll be away from them for an entire month. Not only that, but I'll be on an entirely different continent. Halfway across the world. It is mind-blowing to me that I, an 18-year old girl from Southern California, will be used by God in the remote areas of Uganda. My only prayer is that I would not let the absence of my family, friends, or boyfriend bother me enough to get in the way of the work am I called to do while in Africa. I am also nervous about getting sick in Uganda. I pray for a strong immune system and that I stay healthy while on my trip so that I may be used to my full-potential.
Secondly, I am SO excited! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me to learn while there. I am anxious to meet as many people as I can and love everyone I come onto contact with. As strange as it sounds, I cannot wait to get there and have my heart broken. I want my heart to break for what breaks my Heavenly Father's. I want to be humbled by these peoples spirits. I know that they have so little but are grateful to even be alive. I can't wait to have my outlook and perspective on life changed, to receive a new found sense of gratitude and thankfulness for the things I have been blessed with. I pray that I will be humbled in every aspect of my life. I'm looking forward to growing as a person, growing in maturity, and most importantly, growing spiritually in my walk with God.
Thank you all for reading my blog. Your prayers and support are appreciated more than you could ever imagine. Thank you for everything, God Bless you!
In Christ,
Heaven
Firstly, I am nervous. I have never been away from my family for more than 2 weeks. For this trip, I'll be away from them for an entire month. Not only that, but I'll be on an entirely different continent. Halfway across the world. It is mind-blowing to me that I, an 18-year old girl from Southern California, will be used by God in the remote areas of Uganda. My only prayer is that I would not let the absence of my family, friends, or boyfriend bother me enough to get in the way of the work am I called to do while in Africa. I am also nervous about getting sick in Uganda. I pray for a strong immune system and that I stay healthy while on my trip so that I may be used to my full-potential.
Secondly, I am SO excited! I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me to learn while there. I am anxious to meet as many people as I can and love everyone I come onto contact with. As strange as it sounds, I cannot wait to get there and have my heart broken. I want my heart to break for what breaks my Heavenly Father's. I want to be humbled by these peoples spirits. I know that they have so little but are grateful to even be alive. I can't wait to have my outlook and perspective on life changed, to receive a new found sense of gratitude and thankfulness for the things I have been blessed with. I pray that I will be humbled in every aspect of my life. I'm looking forward to growing as a person, growing in maturity, and most importantly, growing spiritually in my walk with God.
Thank you all for reading my blog. Your prayers and support are appreciated more than you could ever imagine. Thank you for everything, God Bless you!
In Christ,
Heaven
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