What's the time

Just so you know I have added a clock on my blog that tells what time it is where I'll be from Sept. 4th to the 11th. But if you know how to add 8 to a number you can probably come up with the time all on your own, but here is the little clock sample just for fun....

Powerful lyrics

We rest on Thee, our Shield and our Defender,
We go not forth alone against the foe.
Strong in Thy Strength, safe in Thy keeping tender,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

We go in faith, our own great weakness feeling,
And needing more each day Thy grace to know,
Yet from our hearts a song of triumph pealing,
We rest on Thee, and in Thy name we go.

Song sung by the five missionary martyrs serving the Waodani Indians the day they left to make their visit, and sung later by their wives upon receiving the news that all their husbands had been killed.

Summer Camp Celebration Dinner

You are officially invited!


click on image to enlarge

Africa Trip Letter

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to some family and friends about my upcoming trip to Africa.

Dear Family and Friends, I hope all is well with you and your loved ones and that you have had a great summer. I am writing to you in regards to my upcoming mission trip to North Africa. My trip will take place September 3-12, 2010. I will be traveling with a couple from my church, the Gieseckes. Though I cannot disclose the specific country or city we will be visiting here in writing for the safety of the missionaries we are visiting, I want to share as much as I can about my trip.

Over a year ago Tim and I were blessed to meet a beautiful missionary family, the Hatfields, at our church. They were staying at our church’s mission house for their time in the states. During one of our Sunday School class fellowships it was mentioned by our Missions Pastor, Jim Witt, that upon their return to Africa we should plan a time to visit them to be of encouragement.

The H’s, are what I like to call “undercover missionaries” working with an unreached people group, meaning that the Bible and the message of Christ has not been shared with the vast majority of the people of their native language. Part of their mission work is a goat farm project where they raise goats to be given out among the most needy widows in their area. The people keep these goats for their milk. I am very excited to learn more about their work from first hand experience. Our primary objective is to be of encouragement and prayerful support to the H’s. We will join them in some of their regular work of befriending the natives, sharing the love of God, and praying for them.

I look forward to learning about what it takes to run a goat farm and what the life of a missionary in Africa is like. I am excited to say that well over half of the cost of the trip has been covered with the help of my First Baptist Garland church family. I am trusting the Lord to help me cover the other $1,000. My plane ticket has been purchased, the vaccines have been scheduled, and I am already making my list of things that I will need to pack. This is my first time overseas and I am not gonna lie, I am excited and nervous all at once over this new experience.

Please remember to pray for me during my travels. Please pray that God’s will be accomplished in and through me and that I will be sensitive to His leading. Please pray for health for all of us as we travel. And now that you know about the Hatfields please think about them as you pray, they have two preschool children and two on the way (they are expecting twins). I look forward to sharing with you about what happens as I go. Because Christ said “go” I am on my way.

Thank you for your prayers and support,

Rebeca E. Carpenter

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28: 19a

Sydney on true generosity

Sydney:
"Mami, a bugger"
(holding a little bugger on her finger)
"You can put it in your nose."
Mami:
"Oh, thank you Sydney, that's very nice of you."
Sydney:
"You're welcome, Mami"

silly goose sydney

Sydney is my sweet, silly, and sometimes obstinate girl (takes after her Papi).

I sometimes call her "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary," when she is being particular.
There are times when Sydney is playing dress up and she calls herself "Mary, Mary."

Just for the record and to remember a story to tell when she brings friends around I would like to immortalize her first poem here on this little blog sphere. Sydney found this her first poem quite amusing, and she cracked herself up repeating it about a dozen times.

Mary, Mary quite contrary
how does your garden grow?
with poopie and mustard
poopie and mustard
poopie and mustard
The End

I know this is improper and gross and all, but hearing her crack up about this made me have to hide my smile while getting after her.

T-shirt info.

Selling some t-shirts I designed for my North Africa Trip.
I am going with a small group of three including myself from my Sunday School class to visit some "undercover" missionaries in North Africa (Top Secret location).

My shirts are just $15 (but of course I'll take more if you want to contribute more for the trip)

I am making it super easy for you to contribute by placing a Donate through PayPal button on the left side of my blog. www.carpenterfamilylife.blogspot.com.

I will ship t-shirts to you for an extra $5 donation

Send me a message if you have any questions or if you would like to make a donation to be tax-exempt.

heart with zebra pattern and "For Africa With Love" logo

gray origami elephant with small "For Africa With Love" logo

Quote on Servanthood by Elisabeth Elliot

If we call ourselves followers of Jesus, obviously we must walk the path He walked. "The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister." We must get this straight. We have come, not to be benefactors, but to be servants. "Slaves" is the word Jesus often used. Our perception of this truth will make an incalculable difference in our attitude toward the people, which in turn cannot help but affect their attitude toward us. To be a benefactor is to be a superior. Quite apart from the rightness or wrongness, morally, of this view, I became aware that it was a bad mistake. To the Auca I was not a superior by any standards. To be a servant is to be an inferior, and unless we are willing to accept this position we are not followers of Jesus Christ. The servant is not greater than his lord. And lest we think there is some merit in what we do, we are reminded that when we have done all we are still "unprofitable." We are in debt. We owe it to Christ, we owe it to men, savage or civilized, to lay down our lives daily.

The Savage My Kinsman by Elisabeth Elliot