I'm going to India!

I'm going to India!I appreciate your ongoing prayers and support for our Deaf ministry. It is evident that the Lord hears them and answers! Transportation is an ongoing concern but I've found that even having a week or two here and there where I'm not responsible has allowed me to feel renewed and able to help on the weeks that I am needed. Willy recently started a job at Goodwill which is super exciting because he really suffered with identity and confidence. He spent 15 min at church the other day telling me about his training- the difference it is already making is clear from the smile on his face and the way he carries himself. He will not receive his SSA check now that he has a job, and what he makes at Goodwill is actually less than he received from the government so he continues to beg me for money and ask to come to church so he can beg people there. This is an ongoing battle of me telling him (weekly) that we at Trinity do not give people cash but connect them with the resources available to meet their needs. Allison McGill has given me a list of food banks, clothing, etc and I have gone over it with him. He still begs. This is where he and I both need prayer. Lewis originally came with Amy, but last week he texted me to see if I'd pick him up even though Amy was unable to come. He exchanged the peace with Merry even though Amy and Merry aren't speaking. That was a powerful moment to me. Tonya's aunt is in the hospital and neither Merry nor I have been able to contact her to follow up. Merry continues to take pride in her connection to Trinity, telling the new folks how long she's been a part of our church and explaining how communion works, etc. We invited her to spend July 4th with a bunch of our friends, but her boyfriend was in town from TN so she sent the kids with us but did not come. Amber and Ashley have perpetually overslept and not come since their first Sunday. Last week they invited Daniel and me to a Deaf social at the Mall of Ga. I've been looking for an opportunity to connect with them outside of church so this was an answer to prayer! We took Merry and the kids with us and had a great night hanging out, meeting new deaf people, and seeing some old friends of mine. Amber and Ashley came to church the next Sunday. Yep. Jerry was staying with Merry but one of her older sons kicked him out because he failed to help with rent. He's rotating stays at different shelters. I have 2 numbers for Jerry but I was not able to reach him on either for a while. He finally replied next week, asked to come to church, went to 5 pts, but then bailed when he realized Merry would also be at church. Amy and Merry are still in a court dispute, so Amy wasn't coming to church for a while. I asked to hang out with her outside of church, at Underground. We had a wonderful afternoon hanging out and talking. It seemed to make a big difference to her to know I cared about her as a person not just her attendance at church. I was able to dispel some of her thoughts that just because I have a strong relationship with Merry that I'm taking Merry's "side". I told her I wasn't involved at all and cared about each of them individually and equally. She returned to church the next day.  An update on what the Lord's doing in my life: I have been given the opportunity to return to India in the fall for 3 weeks. Our God is a mighty good God who hears and knows the desires of our hearts. I've been longing to return for a while now but chances were good that I'd want to stay there once I did. After 2 years of praying and being used by God to serve the Deaf community here, I am content with where He has me. Naturally, that's when He'd open the door to return, right? It gets even better. . . The purpose of my trip will be to equip me to better do what He has started in me HERE, in the States at Trinity. I will be studying under a lady from KY who will be in India, working with some of the same deaf people I worked with, teaching them to share the gospel with other deaf through storytelling. I had already been praying about using this form of teaching in our small group for the deaf in the fall. My plan was to hopefully go to KY to meet her and learn from her, but God had bigger, more creative plans! I'll keep you posted as to how to pray, and I look forward to testifying all that God does in the coming months. Thank you for the opportunity to serve God with the gifts He's given me. I appreciate your ongoing prayers and support for our Deaf ministry. It is evident that the Lord hears them and answers! Transportation is an ongoing concern but I've found that even having a week or two here and there where I'm not responsible has allowed me to feel renewed and able to help on the weeks that I am needed. Willy recently started a job at Goodwill which is super exciting because he really suffered with identity and confidence. He spent 15 min at church the other day telling me about his training- the difference it is already making is clear from the smile on his face and the way he carries himself. He will not receive his SSA check now that he has a job, and what he makes at Goodwill is actually less than he received from the government so he continues to beg me for money and ask to come to church so he can beg people there. This is an ongoing battle of me telling him (weekly) that we at Trinity do not give people cash but connect them with the resources available to meet their needs. Allison McGill has given me a list of food banks, clothing, etc and I have gone over it with him. He still begs. This is where he and I both need prayer. Lewis originally came with Amy, but last week he texted me to see if I'd pick him up even though Amy was unable to come. He exchanged the peace with Merry even though Amy and Merry aren't speaking. That was a powerful moment to me. Tonya's aunt is in the hospital and neither Merry nor I have been able to contact her to follow up. Merry continues to take pride in her connection to Trinity, telling the new folks how long she's been a part of our church and explaining how communion works, etc. We invited her to spend July 4th with a bunch of our friends, but her boyfriend was in town from TN so she sent the kids with us but did not come. Amber and Ashley have perpetually overslept and not come since their first Sunday. Last week they invited Daniel and me to a Deaf social at the Mall of Ga. I've been looking for an opportunity to connect with them outside of church so this was an answer to prayer! We took Merry and the kids with us and had a great night hanging out, meeting new deaf people, and seeing some old friends of mine. Amber and Ashley came to church the next Sunday. Yep. Jerry was staying with Merry but one of her older sons kicked him out because he failed to help with rent. He's rotating stays at different shelters. I have 2 numbers for Jerry but I was not able to reach him on either for a while. He finally replied next week, asked to come to church, went to 5 pts, but then bailed when he realized Merry would also be at church. Amy and Merry are still in a court dispute, so Amy wasn't coming to church for a while. I asked to hang out with her outside of church, at Underground. We had a wonderful afternoon hanging out and talking. It seemed to make a big difference to her to know I cared about her as a person not just her attendance at church. I was able to dispel some of her thoughts that just because I have a strong relationship with Merry that I'm taking Merry's "side". I told her I wasn't involved at all and cared about each of them individually and equally. She returned to church the next day.  An update on what the Lord's doing in my life: I have been given the opportunity to return to India in the fall for 3 weeks. Our God is a mighty good God who hears and knows the desires of our hearts. I've been longing to return for a while now but chances were good that I'd want to stay there once I did. After 2 years of praying and being used by God to serve the Deaf community here, I am content with where He has me. Naturally, that's when He'd open the door to return, right? It gets even better. . . The purpose of my trip will be to equip me to better do what He has started in me HERE, in the States at Trinity. I will be studying under a lady from KY who will be in India, working with some of the same deaf people I worked with, teaching them to share the gospel with other deaf through storytelling. I had already been praying about using this form of teaching in our small group for the deaf in the fall. My plan was to hopefully go to KY to meet her and learn from her, but God had bigger, more creative plans! I'll keep you posted as to how to pray, and I look forward to testifying all that God does in the coming months. Thank you for the opportunity to serve God with the gifts He's given me.