Impact Africa - Serve, Educate, Rescue

Back when I was in High School, God gave me a burden for orphans. I loved spending the summers in inner-city Chicago working with children who needed physical, emotional and spiritual nourishment.  The unwanted children were the children I wanted to love, and somehow show them the love of Jesus. Throughout my twenties I have been reminded again and again of that season in my life where I was ready to move overseas and work at an orphanage, but I never did it. I never took the leap. Then I graduated college, got into the work force and somehow 6.5 years has gone by in a blink. There have definitely been times when I have been reminded of going overseas, but I let lack of PTO or finances always be my excuse. Over the last four months, God has been reminding me, gently pushing me, and encouraging me to just go for it. My natural instincts were to say that my boss would never allow it, I couldn't afford it, or that it wasn't safe. However, sometimes the most uncomfortable conversations are the most fruitful and choosing to live outside your comfort zone is bound to teach you many valuable lessons. I am thankful to work for a company and a boss who have been supportive of  me saying yes to this.

With that being said, I have decided to go serve with Gateway Church and Impact Africa in South Africa. Every day, 3 infants are abandoned on the streets of Johannesburg. The Impact Africa Baby Rescue Center exists to prevent baby abandonment by counseling desperate mothers and educating them on life-saving alternatives to discarding their unwanted children. The Rescue Center also rescues abandoned babies with their 24/7 baby dropbox, and cares for them until they are legally cleared for an adoption process. The team I'll be joining will be ministering in a community through evangelism in homes with a transient group of people, visiting a Gateway sponsored school project, and serving in the baby rescue center.

One of the things that confirmed this was the trip for me was Impact Africa’s mission statement: "to serve, educate, and rescue individuals while provoking them toward a passionate relationship with Jesus Christ through socially relevant outlets of ministry service; which in turn deeply impact individuals, communities, and nations." I love that. SO much.  I believe the work we do with these mothers and infants will have a ripple effect that we won't even be able to comprehend until eternity. James 1:27 says, "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." (NLT)

I am excited about this opportunity and am hoping you can support me with prayers, finances, or both. Your actions matter and you can help make a difference. The trip is October 2019 and will cost roughly $3,540. Your donations are tax-deductible. Any money raised above that will be donated directly to Impact Africa's Baby Rescue Center. You can learn more about them here: www.impactafrica.org.

Thank You & God Bless!