Thursday, February 11, 2010

It has been three months since we made the decision to follow God's calling on us to Africa. It has been a long journey and we haven't even left yet. We made many contacts that just didn't seem the Lord was in. Doubt had risen, and the calling all together was in question. Why wasn't my petitioner opening any doors? I still have an opportunity to test with the Evansville Police Department and pursue a career there. I felt at the end of my rope. “ Was I not called? What are these foolish ideals that I thought were from the Lord? Am I an irresponsible father and husband? Am I supposed to just hold down a regular job? What am I supposed to do? What do you want from me God?!” I was ready to quit. After my heart had been rung out like a dirty wash cloth, crumbs and all, He began to move.

It was a Saturday night, Emily and I were driving home and we were talking about Moses and his calling. More particularly, we were talking about God sending Moses his brother to be his “voice” since he was slow of speech. “where does it say that?” Emily asked. “I don't know.” I answered “but it's in there I promise!” It was Sunday morning coming down(JC-he who has ears let him hear) and were visiting a close church of ours that we hadn't been to in a few years. Pastor Derrik was teaching out of Exodus 4! Now we know reference! Derrik spent most of his time talking about Moses calling and how sometimes it's our family that God uses to confirm and support our calling and if that calling exists in us it is no accident, we must follow the call. We went to lunch with my parents afterwards and my father emphasized the importance of us contacting a Calvary Chapel in South Africa. Our journey started in the Uganda area and the “doors” seemed to keep closing on us there and we were currently struggling with a “door” in South Africa. So, remembering Derrik's wisdom, I heeded my fathers wisdom and contacted a Calvary Chapel that I had found, thanks to Google, in the Durban area of S.A.

The next morning I had a response! I wasn't familiar with an immediate response and one that sounded positive, at that. He asked us to tell him more about ourselves and our calling. So the Renders, the other family moving with us, sent Pastor Shaun Strauss an email explaining our hearts desire to work with the “unloved” the “beaten and the damned”(MCR-he who has ears let him hear). As it turns out, while Shaun and his wife were discussing our first email she asked him what we would do if we moved there, keep in mind they had not received our 2nd email explaining to them what we feel called to do. He answered to his wife saying that he wants to reach out to the skate and rock kids in there area that are completely unreached and have us work alongside the orphanage that they want to do more with!

Isn't God good? Two opposite ends of the spectrum in ministry that we wanted to do and God finds a way to connect them, making our calling certain!

Shelby and I have raised the money, much thanks to our families, and are going to spend a little over two weeks with Calvary Chapel 1000 Hills, spying out the land, visiting, and getting to know the Strauss family and the church there.

We have an opportunity to take a trip with Pastor Shaun to a small country called Losotho, Africa to minister to the locals there that have never seen modern people before.

There are big moving expenses from passports, vaccinations, air fare, a savings account to prove for our visas that we can leave if need be, etc.

It will cost $1600 to $2000 dollars a month for us to live there. We are raising support starting now so we can save up and build a fund to work with Please pray for us on a daily basis and donate monthly. We have a long journey ahead of us and we cannot do it without Jehovah's help and yours as well. Donations can be made through Youth Inc. You can email me Jesse@youthinc.net for more info. Or call if you have my number. Thank so much!

For Him and His Children,

The Fullers