From Their Hearts to Ours...

There are few things that make my heart smile more than getting an encouraging word from someone in the form of a card or letter or email...knowing that someone out there is praying and standing behind me and that gave of themselves and their time to tell me as much...I really do love it.

This week, I was blessed many times over when I received a package from America with this inside:

A beautiful stack of homemade cards! Each summer for the past few years, I have been the "Missionary for the Week" at Lake Aurora Christian Camp in Florida. I love going to work with the kids and seeing these young people learn about God and about loving the world the way that God loves the world. Their theme for this year was "Shine For Jesus" and trust me when I say that these kids are doing just that. I was obviously unable to join them in person this year, but with the beauty of technology, I was able to do a couple skype video calls and still be a part of this program all the way from Cambodia. I also had my friend and co-leader join me for one session to say hello and teach them a few Khmer words. I still remember the missionary from Haiti coming to my camp years and years ago, knowing that even then, without really knowing, God was planting something in my heart for missions and the world. I love knowing that God could be using me in that same way in the lives of these children. I have had a few of them tell me that they really want to do missions and even some say they want to come to Cambodia.

The kids decorated the cards not just for me, but for the students in the discipleship/missions class that I lead.

Today, I passed out the cards and there were such smiles of surprise and joy on my students' faces as they received the cards and they asked if we could pray for the kids and maybe even write them back! We have prayed and will continue praying for the specific children that decorated our cards, and we'll have to see about the pen pal idea. Thank you Tod and Cora and all the other staff, volunteers, and campers at Lake Aurora for your prayers, your love and letting your light shine all they way to Cambodia and encouraging us as we let God shine through us here!