October Newsletter

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him" (1 John 5:14-15).

Pictures:

Julia and I at the Cleveland County Fair.

Julia feeding the animals at the fair.

The best part of the fair!

Julia perfecting her sewing abilities.

We attended a Carolina Panthers Game.

We went to the National Zoo in DC. It was a long day!

We spent a weekend at Liberty University.

Julia spent time with her sister.

We said good-bye to our care group from church.

Julia's dog is sad to see her leave.

Story:
Julia and I are grateful for the time we have been able to spend with family before leaving. But, I guess we felt the need to squeeze two years’ worth of calories into three weeks. I have gained so much weight, the scale is nearing “are you back in college weight” It’s almost shameful, really. Julia and I were reflecting on all our good times over the past three weeks and all our meals... like all of the casseroles we have eaten including poppy seed chicken, baked ziti, lasagna, and shrimp pasta. Our parents showed their love with a wide variety of meals including: chicken nuggets, homemade mac and cheese, fried okra, garlic mashed potatoes, bar-b-que, chili/onion hot dogs, wings, steak, mashed potatoes, and sausage biscuits. We have gorged on desserts; including, cookies and cream ice cream, frozen yogurt with all of the toppings, Chick-fil-a chocolate chip cookies, funnel cake, fried Oreos, Chick-fil-a brownies (they are better in the fridge), tiramisu and dessert pizza. And than there are the restaurants; La Carreta, Vinny's pizza, Potbelly subs, Chick fil-a (on multiple occasions), Sake's chicken and rice with yum yum sauce, IHOP, Mellow Mushroom, Red Lobster (all you can eat shrimp), Outback Steakhouse, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut (2X).  And there was one final trip to Krispie Kreme for hot doughnuts. I mean, really, this could only happen in America. While I’ll miss all the grease and sweets, I can’t even think about missing out on all the times our families will gather around the table without us. But, it’s probably best for everyone’s cholesterol for us to leave, and I know it’s not the end of our button-popping meals together. 

Devotionals:

1. Lessons we have learned when saying goodbye
2. Psalm 96: The Missionary Psalm

Prayer Requests:

1) Julia and I leave for Africa on Monday, October 15th. We will fly out of Charlotte at 2:40 pm and we will arrive in Africa on October 16th at 4:00 pm. Please pray for safe travel. 

2) When we fly we will be checking seven bags. We have a lay-over in Washington DC as well as a layover in Belgium; these are two chances where are luggage could become lost. Pray that none of our luggage is lost and that all of our luggage arrives safely with us in Africa. Please pray no-one steals anything out of our luggage.

3) When we arrive in Africa we will have another month of training. This training is more hands-on and will focus on life in Africa.  We will spend 15 days learning about city life and 15 days learning about life in the village. The training will end with us living for three days in the village with an African family. Pray we would be focused and engaged while in training. Everyday we will have opportunities to share our faith, pray that God would use us to draw Africans to Himself.

  

4) Please pray that we would recover from jet lag (four hour time difference) and we would adapt to African culture. Pray we would labor hard among the Mamprussi people and that every time we open our mouth the Gospel would be proclaimed.

Serving Him,

The Welchs