Community Works
The other night I was talking to my brother about the void I have felt as I prepare to move to Rwanda. That void is obviously one I wish could be filled by my beautiful mother. If you knew her you would agree that she would have loved helping me plan for the next two years. She would have been thrilled at the idea of teaching at KICS and working in missions. My mother was an excellent teacher and mentor. She truly loved the Lord and people!! I am simply filled with sadness when I think of how much fun the two of us would have had dreaming and planning this move.
My mom in her early 20's teaching a ladies Bible Class in Zambia.
While tears and sadness represent life without mom, I am also experiencing something wonderful. I am experiencing community, I am experiencing "church". While my father is away in China and my mother is deceased I have had to rely on others to fill the roles my parents would have filled.
The Lord has truly provided people to be my mentors, to give me wisdom, to give me advice on money, insurance and health care, to listen to my worries, to pray for me, to be excited with me, to financially back me and to believe in me. The church is made of many parts, each of us have different gifts. Gifts that are used in a variety of ways and on a variety of people. Though she is not perfect and she has made a number of mistakes, Christ's bride is still beautiful and I have witnessed how wonderful she can be!
Praise God for providing such an abundance of funding. On Sunday a dear friend of my family organized a glorified bake sale at Downtown Church. Service was held in the Benson Auditorium so we set up tables in the lobby. We decorated the tables with African decor and I posted pictures of Rwanda and myself in Africa. Thanks to friends and family who baked pies and cakes and helped me set up the sale the day was a success. By the end of the day I had $3500 more for my second year in Rwanda!! Praise the Lord and thanks to so many generous people. After the fund raiser I was expressing my amazement at the generosity from so many I do not even know. A friend replied by saying "Yes, but they know who you're working for."
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posted by Amanda Moore @ Monday, July 24, 2006
7 comments
7 Comments:
This was good for me to read. I do believe your mom is excitedly watching you prepare for this, just as she would be here on earth. i cant be one of the people giving you financial or insurance advice, but i am thinking of you, praying for you and SO proud and excited. Tell me where I can send money.
You are such a beautiful young woman of God. I know your mom would have LOVED Sunday's fundraiser! It was such a neat idea. And I love the picture of the woman in the tea field. I put it on my blog. Thanks for sharing with me why you love it so much. It reminds me to count my blessings (among other things). I enjoyed your blog so much. I hope there are lots of young Christians like you. If so, the Good News will spread like wildfire wherever you go! My family will be praying for you as you get ready to go to Rwanda. God bless!
How beautiful your words are, and how courageous you are to write about your mom. I have friends my age who so hurt from the loss of their moms that they avoid the processing of those thoughts and feelings. I love the picture! and I love that you are honoring the heritage of service that you have been given.
God continues to use you as an encouragement for me. I'm glad you were able to share this message with us.
Amanda: Wow! Thanks for being so vulnerable with us. God has gifted you in some special ways. You are a blessing to me and will be to many others. May God spread His light and joy through you.
Amanda, you are so inspirational and adventurous! i truly admire your spirit and your willingness to listen and obey God's calling. knowing what you are doing makes me so happy! im so excited for you and the way God will use you in countless ways! i wish i had had more time to get to know you even better while you were at Harding. God bless you!
Marci Blackshear
Amanda,
I just want you to know that you are in my thoughts and prayers as you depart for the beginning of this next chapter of your life. I know you cherish the chapter that you had with your mom, and I am glad that I could know her somewhat during our college days. However, more than that, I can see how she continues her influence and light for Jesus through you--your relationships at Harding and the future relationships in Africa. My mother died just shortly after my first child was born, and I also grieved the loss of her, along with the loss of having shared experiences with her throughout my life, and for me also, God provided other wise women from churches where all we lived. So, also, I pray for you to have wonderful African women during the next two years to be sensitive to your needs and to fill that space -- and you in turn will fill a space in their lives. May God bless you richly, and have His hand in all you do.
With gratitude for you,
Arlene Morris
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