God's Birthday Gift To Me- A Raised Missionary Budget!!

      As some of you may know, I raised all my missionary budget!!! I am so thrilled. Now they are starting to do the logistics of getting me to the field. I am not sure when I will be leaving yet. But I know it will be soon. The time has finally come. I've put in so much and learned even more. The crazy thing is how I got the rest of my budget. I do not like "testing"the Lord as one may say. I don't think at all that is how that works. So to me I felt a little like I was doing that. However, in my spirit I felt like I got the okay. Here is what went down:


     A few months back I thought of this request. I constantly got people asking me about dates- when was I leaving or when did I want to leave. I only always said the fall. This is very vague but left me wiggle room. Growing up things were not accomplished often. If I didn't want to finish something I would quit. I had few proud moments of accomplishment. And the things you do in your youth do effect your outlook on life. Of course, you can change that, especially with God! I knew how badly I wanted to get on the mission field. I felt like I had run the resource well dry though. I knew my friends and family are supporting me a great deal. I wanted to tap into the miracles of God! You know, what we hear about but don't see much in our lives....maybe because we dont ask!! So daily, I boldly would ask God to raise my budget. The catch was I was asking him to raise it by my birthday as a gift. This seemed a little far fetched but HE is God and can do anything. So I was asking and praying I would receive it in Jesus name! My precious Aunt and Uncle had me out to visit them. During the visit we went to their lake house. We left on Friday and came back Sunday. Monday was my birthday. On Friday I had $140 left to raise. We left and on Sunday I came back with no more new supporters. I was setting myself up for not receiving the miraculous gift. I then realized that someone said they would support me prior. So then it was $100 monthly. That is still a lot to get by my bday, I posted it on facebook. Not long after, I received a message saying someone would support me $100 monthly. I was in shock. They told me I needed to be there now. I agreed! So, June 24th I raised my whole budget! One day before my bday. I kept it quiet for a bit because I wanted to get my numbers right when I got back home. Even after I got home, I had more people wanting to support me! How amazing is our God! He totally granted me my hearts desire! The best bday gift ever!!!

Dinner Theatre with my Aunt for my Bday



Friends surprised me with balloons w/photos attatched



















Where am I at now?
    Well, I am waiting for the paperwork to come through. I know have all the support raised. They (missions office) need to see it on hard copy. It takes some time, after one fills out the form, to show up on record. I do have visa clearance! I don't have to apply for a long-term visa until I arrive in the Philippines. Once I receive financial clearance then the process can go quickly! This is my desire- quickly indeed! As much as I love you all, I've been here long enough:) I'm ready to go! My ideal goal is August. My last day working my job is August 3rd.


     I would love to do a prayer night before I go. More details will come. My financial supporters will be apart of my mail out. If you want to be part of an email list, please let me know. I will also try to keep up the blogging.


Thanks for all your support.


-Ames sooooo on the way!

I am currently the dot on the left...soon hope to be the red one on the right!!!

        Spring time is here and new growth has begun. I am excited to see the growth of my supporters! I have been stretched to get outside of my comfort zone but it has all been worth it. I need to raise $1,700 in cash and $370 in monthly sponsors. Im asking the Lord to help me reach my goal by my birthday, June 25th. Then hopefully all the processing can be done in time for me to be in the Philippines in the fall. Please pray with me as I ask my Heavenly father for this birthday gift. If you would like to partner as well, email me at Ameshaynes@gmail.com. I really need monthly sponsors most. If you can't help financially then you can help by spreading the word to others that perhaps are into missions. Even if they don't know me. It's about the kids and the Kingdom of God. I'm just being used to help, and so are you!

   

      I have been thinking over my different roles that I will play at the children's home. It gets me so excited to start something new. It's like creating the best job description ever. I'm so excited to be there for these kids. One thing I am looking forward to is discipling my kids in America about the kids in the Home. By that I mean my nieces, nephews, youth group and even preschool where I currently work. It's great when we can go on missions trips but not every one can do that. I want all these important people in my life to realize the effect they can have on those that live on the other side of the world. I'm not sure what this will look like but God has planted that seed in me to grow when I arrive in the Philippines.

I'm getting there!!

Ames on the Way

Resolution VS. Goals

Pre Field Orientation in Missouri

Missionaries across the world!!

    It's the end of January of 2012. At the beginning of this month many people set "Resolutions". I had many ask me what mine were. I did not make any. I already have the biggest goal I could think of: getting back to the Philippines. This big goal is not going to happen without many small ones. Pastor Robbie Johnson has taught me well on setting goals that get accomplished. We must set attainable goals, keep track of them and set new ones to keep growing. I find myself making many lists and finding the joy when I get to mark off one. My goals recently are relational and financial ones. I believe in giving people the opportunity to sow seeds into the Kingdom. However, I also know that there is a twisted view of giving financially. I believe it comes from how people ask and our own hearts when we give. I am learning that God can untwist this view in provision of my goals. He has shown me that I can't let the fear of people stop me from asking. By not asking I'm not giving them the opportunity. I myself know this all so well.  During the holidays I LOVE going to Publix or another shopping center that has organizations at the register to give toward. Such as donating to a food bank. I love to give but I know I cannot  give every time I walk into a store. If they ask I give. If they don't I won't. What is this saying if I don't ask? This revelation shook up my preset notions of what people are thinking. I have to truly trust God and allow Him to move me toward my goal. I recently prayed and was able to get my monthly budget reduced $400. This was an amazing answer to prayer! I know it brings me so much closer to the field. I also was blown away when I was checking my account and had seen a large donation from someone I don't even know. I know that God has called me to live in this orphanage for at least a year. I have set and attained many goals over the years to get there. Two main factors in this has been prayer and a passionate heart. I prayed often and intensely about this. I never lost heart on the promise that God gave me at a young age.

        I hope you are setting goals that are accomplished and not resolutions that fail. The differing factor I believe is allowing God to set these for you.

     If you would like to help me reach my goal you can give through this link. I need monthly partners but I have a cash budget I need raised as well. Anything helps me attain my goal.

Thank you for your prayers and support!'

Ames definitely on the way :)

https://secure1.ag.org/contributions/detail.cfm?LedgerID=e7b6bb71-478f-4ac1-b94b-eb60f3c54301

Confessions of the ending year...

I have a confession to make....I'm not very good at this blogging business. I find it hard to choose the words to write and the time to put it up. Now that it's been 2 months since my last post I figure I should change that. So here it is. I had a Christmas blog written but never posted because I didnt find time to go on an actual computer to adjust the font.(iPad won't let me) This time I shall just post and not care about the font.
Here is what is on my heart: I'm thinking the new year is about to approach. I'm thinking about how I have heard that missionaries take a year to raise their budget and frankly I don't want to wait that long. I want my faith to grow. I want to leave for the philippines so badly in July or August. That is so close when you consider the amount I have to raise. If you ask me in person I'd be glad to discuss it with you. I just am going to choose to not post it on here. I've thought much on how I will raise my budget. Nothing seems like a 1+1=2 method. I don't find myself the bold type to ask for money. I don't find myself the successful type with the best paying job as I would probably keep my current job if they told me tomorrow it had to be a volunteer position now instead of a salary one. I love beng a preschool teacher and feelng like I am helping mold these kids at their prime years....even if they won't remember me. I think about the missionaries I have seen at my church and seen how the Lord has blessed them when they have been humble. At the same time I know I must ask. But how? My heart is so not wanting to offend anyone by asking for support. I want to spare them the shame if they can't or decide they would rather not. This is where I need more faith!!! I'm praying for an increase of that this year. I feel the pressure of the question of how is your goal of budget raising going? At the same time I feel no pressure because it's all in God's timing. It's different than a summer missions trip with a deadline. I know the Lord will provide. I have wanted to wait until after the holidays to really ask for the much needed support. I know that Christmas brings more stress than needed. I don't desire to be associated with that. I would love to be associated with the real meaning: Christ but it seems that since we are human we often forget and get caught up in the spending and silly traditions. So I wait for it to pass and pray that the Lord will stir hearts to remember what it's all about. Now that we face a new year we can realize what it's about and exam our lives to see what more we can do to make a difference this year. That is what I do. Right now I'm being stirred to remember my calling and having faith to be bold and yet walk in humility to ask for provision to get back to these beloved kids that I would adopt all myself if I could.
So please pray with me. What is it that you need to do this year? Pray that I get provision and my budget will be met for me to go when God wills. Pray if you should support me monthly(needed most). Pray that these kids in the Kings Garden Childrens Home will know how much God loves them.

Thanks for reading this and for your prayers:)
Ames trying to keep on the way.

Episode 2 of my visit!

        The next morning I woke up hearing little children singing. It was such a beautiful thing. I couldn't quite figure out where it came from. I knew they had children's devotions every morning though. After I got ready I went down for breakfast. They were all so cute in there white tshirt and blue bottoms uniform. And of course they all had flip flops to wear. To get ready for a meal they all gather around the tables. They stand behind the chairs. The house mom says "are we ready?"  and the children reply "yes we are."Then they say "let us pray"...then they pray for there food. Possibly one of the cutest ways to pray that I have seen. They eat with a fork and a spoon. You don't usually find knives they use spoons for that. After breakfast they all finished getting ready for school. They left shortly after. The staff gathered for morning devotions. Each morning a staff morning would lead and they would also have worship. Then Monica addressed anything on the agenda. Then we dismissed to go about our day. I spent a lot of time with the preschool aged kids. In the mornings they had 3 little ones ages 3-5 roughly. They went over normal education stuff they would learn here, had lunch and napped. When they woke up the elementary kids would be back for lunch. The schools do not provide lunch and not every family can send lunch so all the kids go home at lunch time. Our driver goes to pick the kids up and brings them back to eat. When the elementary kids are done eating 2 of the preschoolers go back with them to school. They don't come back until dinner time. It's a long day. When the kids come back around dinner time they shower and get ready to eat. After dinner they have study period. This is probably one of my favorite times. I got to go around and see what the kids were working on. The schools can't afford books so the kids copy everything. A lot of the children wanted to read to me to practice their English. I really loved this. If the kids didn't have work they could read or draw. Most kids there are obsessed with angry birds. However it's more of an icon not an app game on there phone. They had no idea what the game was when i showed it to them on my iPad. A lot of the kids are very good at drawing. After study period they get ready for bed. Lights out at 9. And yes I would be in bed then. The sun goes down really early and the heat and humidity wears you out. Sleeping is not a problem...except for the jet lag:).

That is roughly what the day looks like around the Kings Garden.

More to come!!

Orphanage Visit: Episode 1

        I now can officially say I have been in the King's Garden Children's Home. This is the orphanage I have been desiring to go to since I was a little girl. The whole trip was impactful. From the Kids to the bugs!! God spoke in so many ways I cant even tell you them all. So please ask me questions whenever you would like to!

         I was about to check-in and ofcourse there was something wrong...I am thinking it was the young worker who didnt know what he was doing. I was thinking I definitely payed a lot of money to get on this flight. It eventually worked out. I was traveling for 28 hrs. It was a long time and yet it flew by. I couldnt believe I was going to be walking through the doors of this home soon.

When I finally arrived in the Philippines Monica Jarvis, Director of KGCH, and Kim Snow, Missionary to KGCH, both greeted me. We stayed the night in the Assemblies Missions Home. When morning came I met more missionaries. Because this was the headquarters for missionaries to check in I got to meet a few. I even met someone who almost lost his arms from a machete attack. He was robbed. The interesting part is because the people in the town knew and loved him so much they "took care of it." What an impact this missionary had on his mission field.

           We drove out to KGCH that morning. The Philippines is such a beautiful place. There is so much to look at. There are cabao,chickens, goat, horses, dogs, cats and kids all running around and in the streets. The home was pretty much at the end of the road. The road was bumpy, narrow and just dirt. We pulled up to this home and it was so surreal. We got there before the kids were home from school. Monica led me on a tour. They are truly blessed and steward all that God has given them.

          One of the biggest moments of impact was when I was sitting in Monica's office as the children arrived home from school. In walks this high schooler. She needed to make copies for school. They dont get their own books. I fought back the hurricane of emotions inside of me. I have been to an orphanage before. I have seen the babies but this is a high schooler. I couldn't believe how hard it hit me. I work with youth the same age in America. This was a defining moment for me.

          After this impacting moment I wandered around after being introduced time and time again. I felt a little awkward as the new white woman. I love to listen to people and get to know little kids, but this was hard because I didnt understand their first language. They are learning english but dont speak it regularly. I eventually got to know the kids and felt more comfortable.

         The first night in my room I spent a lot of time getting aquainted with it. The water heater was tricky-but I was extremely grateful for it. The water pressure and my long hair battled it out. There were 2 fans and an aircon (airconditioner). I never used a fan in the US. I dont like the noise. However I slept with it because of the weather and to help keep bugs off of me. It also wasnt that noisy I use to sleep with a tv on because I couldnt go to sleep with my mind racing. However the windows are open with a theatre of outside noises. It was so beautiful. I slept wonderfully. I went to bed at 9 my first night and woke up at midnight. The Lord has a serious conversation with me that I am still praying through. I was experiencing some jet lag!!

There is sooo much for me to share about my trip. This is just part. I want to be able to give it to you in pieces so you are not overwhelmed and can experience as I did.:) So I will share another episode of my adventure at a later date!! Stay tuned for my first morning as I awake knowing Im really here in this orphanage.:)

       

          The time has come and I will soon be on the other side of the world! I have longed for this moment for most of my life. Even when I went to China I saw the Philippines on the map and secretly wanted to go there as well. This time the map will show the Philippines as the target goal. I couldn't be more thrilled.

            I am so thankful for all the people in my life that God has used to help me get to this point. The thing that has blessed my heart most is Mrs.Frontera's Kindergarten class at Westwood Hills. This is the classroom across the hall from me at work. They adopted me as their class missionary. I was able to come in and speak with them about what I am going to be doing. They in turn have being bringing in their money to put in the piggy bank. Now every time I see one of the little girls she says, "You're a missionary!" It just blesses my heart. I also have the prayer of impacting one of their lives like Monica Jarvis, director of the orphanage I will be going to, impacted me when she spoke to my youth group. God truly plants seeds at a young age. It's such a beautiful thing to see it bloom.
          I am ready to have my life changed by God's little ones. I've always had such a love for kids. But I can't help but know that there is going to be something deeper that will shift in me as I get to care for these orphans. I know they have such different stories. They also hold such a precious place in God's heart. I know I will not be the same when I return. I also know that God will speak louder the calling over my life. I am so ready to start this journey. All the prophetic words and visions will come to pass! I'm reminded of when someone spoke in a small group setting. She said had a vision I was overseas as a missionary loading kids onto a school bus. She knew I was a preschool teacher but had no idea I longed to go overseas to go work with orphans. What a gift from God that he uses people to encourage us not to give up on our dreams. He has a perfect plan for us. We must set our lives up in such a way that it directs us toward that. We must set ourselves apart from the rest so that we may be prepared when our time comes. Now my time is coming. Thank you Jesus!
    I leave the 12th!!!!!