Mother Africa Trip - Here we come Benin!

Kendra and I are very blessed to have the opportunity to go on what will probably be a life-changing trip in a little over a month.  My twin brother, Randy and his wife Kelly are missionaries ("international ministers" as Randy prefers) in Benin, West Africa.   They have been there for several years working with the Aja people in several villages close to where they live.   They have made some great friends and have some great fellow believers to worship with, pray with and live everyday lives with there in Aplahoue.   Randy and Kelly are supported by family, friends and their home church (RHCC).   They have recently been blessed with some new teammates from RHCC.   Steven and Dawna Price (and their family) are members of RHCC and felt the Lord calling them to join Randy and Kelly this year.   What an amazing blessing to have the Price family there to bless the Aja people.

Anyway, back to our trip.  Earlier this year, we felt the Lord calling us to go to Benin some time in 2004.   We've wanted to go for several years but timing was just never right with kids, pregnancies, work and financial thoughts to deal with.   However, it's exciting when we step back and let God take over.   We have seen all the timings work out perfectly.  We have witnessed incredible peace and support from family, co-workers and friends.   And we have just been so incredibly blessed to have generous supporters who have given to our cause.  God has truly blessed us more than we could possibly ask or imagine !!  (wow, that scripture actually means something now! :)

We leave on Tuesday, August 31st from DFW and arrive in Cotonou, Benin on Wednesday, September 1st.  Yes, that's about a full-day flight !!   We will spend several days with R&K at their house and then a few more days visiting other areas of Benin before we leave.   We will leave Benin on the following Wednesday (Sept. 8th) and will have the opportunity to stay over one night in Paris on the return flight.   I can't believe I get the chance to take my wife to Paris !  We will return to DFW on Friday, September 10th and very anxious to hug and kiss our kids.   Oh, did I fail to mention that?  Yes, Kendra and I are taking this almost 2-week international journey without our 2 boys, Tyler and Colby.   No worries though as they will be in the trusted care of some incredible generous (and brave!) grandparents (both sides), a wonderful Aunt Moni and some of the boys' closest friends.   Again, we are so blessed and marvel at the way God has orchestrated this whole event.

Please join us and our family in praying for this trip.  We know that God will be with us and our boys as we are separated and I ask that you pray for that void in our hearts (that will exist by being away from them) be filled with incredible experiences involving the Aja people and loving family and friends, respectively.    If you'd like to know more about our trip, email me and I'll give you more specifics.    Look for an update on my blog as we get closer and obviously after our return.  Until then ...

God bless you all,

SJ