So, updates, updates: Mission trip planning is going well, and our teams are coming together nicely. My co-leader Michael and I will be taking five students on the China trip, which is an increase from the three we took two years ago. In addition to China, Wesley will be leading trips to eight other countries on four other continents. It's exciting to be an integral part of the process this year! I've enjoyed working with our travel agent and trip finances, especially because I get the chance to be a part of the process administratively and practically.
The main objective of our trip is to encourage and partner with the work that the missionaries we're staying with are already doing in China. We will be working with children's homes, the homeless, and unreached people groups in their area. It is a real privilege to be able to visit our hosts again, as I believe that the work they are doing in their area is so obviously necessary, especially as their region has little Christian representation.
Unfortunately due to the smallness of our group - we are limited as to our group size because China is a closed country, meaning that missionaries and preaching the Gospel are illegal there - Michael and I will have to pay full price for our trip. Usually, intern leaders receive a discount of anywhere from 40 to 60% off the student price of their respective trips. The overall cost is $2500, and the timeline for my payments will be $1800 due on January 14th, and the rest, $700, due in April.
I completely trust God to provide for me and for each person on the trip. I know that God often provides through the generosity of others, and so I am asking for you, my readers, to consider whether or not you would be interested in helping me. I know that many who are reading this support me month to month, thus allowing me to continue doing the work in Athens that God has placed on my heart. However, if you do decide to further support me in this, know that all donations are tax deductible and should be made out to the Wesley Foundation with "Jessica Taylor - China" in the memo line (no online donation options are available as of now).
I'm praying that God would lay this trip on your hearts, not only for financial support, but for prayer support as well. Despite the fact that I have been there before, we are going into a closed country and interacting with an underground church that is very illegal. Please pray for our team members as well as the Chinese believers that we will be working with once there.
On a totally different note, I want to share about a new friend I've made. She and I share a common friend who recently moved out of state, and as my new friend is a Chinese international student, I was happy to make her acquaintance. She had only been in the country for a few months when she ran into some very confusing legal trouble. I firmly believe that God put me in her life when He did to allow me to be a resource and source of comfort for her through this time. Please pray that justice would be served and that my friend would not feel bitterness towards God or towards her accusers. She has shown a very marked interest in having a relationship with God and has allowed me to pray with her on several occasions. I'm hoping for her to come to know the Lord soon!
Here are some pictures from our most recent event. Enjoy!
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| Some of the people who turned out for our pumpkin carving event. We had over 100 people there from 19 different countries! |
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| My pumpkin carving group! |
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| All our pumpkins |
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| Our group's pumpkin. See that "hat" on the top right? We were very proud of that :) Til next time! Jessica |
