T.I.A..... This Is Africa!!!

we are here safe and sound after only a few delays in columbia and atlanta. we are IN AFRICA!!!! God has belessed us with great flights and we trust that he will continue to bless our ministry as we minister to the people of old naledi.
we are in the jo-burg airport for the next 15 hours..... yes - 15 hours... part of the new international travel regulations kept us from being able to have a layover any shorter than 2 hours.... but our attitudes are fantastic!!!
we met some groups on our flight that are doing mission trips to malawi- we will pray for them and their group(s) as they serve the Lord by serving others this week!!!
we are tired and look forward to our night of "sleep" in the airport while taking turns bag-watching.
we love you guys and covet prayers. thank you and God bless!!!

the night before

we leave in the morning.... bags are packed, weighed, and weighed again.... the day is finally here, and the countdowns can now hit "zero." our group has been counting down the days for the past several months...
please pray for safe travel and the God will open MANY doors for us to share the gospel... we will keep you posted as often as possible...

the week of:

we are starting to pack up all of our supplies this week. it's hard to believe that the past year of planning, training, and raising funds has finally turned into "go time." i can't wait to see what God will do in us and through us! please begin now to pray for safe travel.

2 weeks and counting

Well, we leave in a little over 2 weeks for ADBC's third trip to Old Naledi. It will be my second trip back and I cannot wait! Our team of 10 eagerly waits for what we know God will do in us and through us! Please pray for our safety and travel! We will keep you up to date on everything Botswana!

6 Months Later

Can you all believe that it has been almost six months since we returned from our amazing mission trip to Botswana? March seventh it will be six months since we eleven stepped off the plane in Columbia as changed people.

Our mission trip to Botswana was my very first (and NOT last) mission trip. I can honestly say that I was NOT ready for it. I didn't do the things I was suppose to do to really prepare for the trip. I did not spend enough time on my knees in prayer about the trip and I didn't study the Bible stories enough.

What I saw and experienced in Old Naledi changed my life forever. It may have taken a few months, but man oh man has God done a MAJOR work in my life!

Everywhere I go, I am STILL telling everyone and anyone who will listen about our trip to Botswana, to Old Naledi and how God took this emotional woman and totally changed my view on my life. I NEVER, EVER want to look at people, situations, circumstances or life the way I did before I went to Africa.

God has brought me closer and closer to Him since I have been back. I have made an honest effort to stay close to Him in prayer, Bible study and in giving Him my problems daily. (Sometimes more than once a day)

I am so very excited about what God has done in Old Naledi since we left also. To see the pictures of the new church astonished me. I can't believe that it was completed so quickly. God is so good!

I love to hear the updates from Moruti James on the people that are coming to church there. It fills my heart with so much joy to hear how the teenagers and the children are going to church there. Then I found out that they were able to buy a bus! How fantastic is that?! Amazing. I cannot wait to return there one day ... in HIS time.

There is a wonderful Christian song by Brandon Heath called "Give Me Your Eyes," that sums up how I feel since returning from Africa. I want the Lord to give me HIS eyes so I can see people's needs around me.

I can't wait to hear the news from Nathan and his group when the go back to visit our family in Old Naledi. I am so thrilled for him that he gets to go back so soon. I am a little envious though, I would love to be able to go back this soon; but I know it will have to be in HIS timing.

I pray that you ten have been as blessed as the Lord has allowed me to be. My health is getting better, and since returning from Africa I have lost 35 pounds for a total of 75 pounds lost since last March (2008). My stomach has been doing much better with the awesome help of my GI doctor and many prayers from some of you. Thank you very much for that.

With my weight NOW under control and in healthy range for the first time in years, I am now trying to live according to my New Years Resolution. That is to apply the word MODERATION to every area of my life. My main areas of struggle are as follows: talking too much, not eating as healthy as I should, spending too much time on the computer and continually beating myself up about my past failures and not recieving God's grace.

I pray that you guys that went with me on the trip are doing well. I don't seem to talk to but a few of you guys. Everyone seems to be pretty busy with life, which is normal I guess. Please know that I think of you all often and you are in my prayers. Thanks again for such an AWESOME, AWESOME trip!

While we were in Old Naledi, we were all excited to see that Naledi Baptist Fellowship did Awanas on Wednesday evenings with the children of Old Naledi.


Learning to walk in HIS grace,
Kim Wright

"... as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

Naledi Baptist Church's Awana Program

Shoes Delivered to Old Naledi

After I got back from Botswana, I sent out an e-mail to friends, family and mainly people that helped me go on our trip, about our trip and what the Lord did in my life through our trip.

 

One of my friends, Jamie Caselli felt moved to do a shoe drive for the children of Old Naledi. Jamie and her Air Force family moved to England from Shaw AFB two years ago. Their family use to attend Alice Drive with us, and she was very involved in our church and the community while she was here.

 

When she finished her shoe drive, she had collected 143 pairs of shoes. She mailed these THREE HEAVY boxes of shoes and paid out of HER pocket the $643 to mail these boxes to Old Naledi. I sent her a copy of the letter I got from Mark Partin (about us mailing these things over there and they would not be resold, and what not) so she could get HER Chaplin at her church on base in England to do up the same type of letter. This way Moruti James will not be charged the customs fees on each pair of shoes.

 

Moruti James e-mailed me on Monday to tell me that he got the three boxes of shoes! Praise GOD! They arrived right before Christmas! I am so excited about this, because now so many children in Old Naledi will now get some new shoes and won’t have to continue to pick the thorns and glass out of their feet. I watched this the week we were there and it broke my heart!

 

I pray that you all have a very Merry Christmas!

 

P.S. Sharon can you please forward this to Amanda Adams, I have misplaced her e-mail address. (AGAIN)

 

In His Steps,

Kim  

Video clip

Here is a video clip I put together today of some of our men playing with some of the children of Old Naledi. It turned out really good. Enjoy! I really miss our friends.

Blessings,
Kim Wright