First blog of the new year, and as it is still just within the first half of January it sort of feels like it's ok to write something that is in the spirit of 'new year hopes and dreams'.
I know there tends to be a lot of this type of writing around at this time of year, so please forgive me for following the trend in that way, but in this slight lull before the full on busy-ness of life resumes, I'm going to seize the moment.
Looking forward into the coming year for CRED, there are some obvious events that immediately lead to prayer pointers. In February we have a team going out to Uganda to work with the Acholi children, in June we have a small team of vulnerable young people going on a 360 trip to Uganda, in July we have teams going to Rwanda and Malawi, and hopefully Bulgaria, and then in October we have teams going to Bulgaria and Uganda.
There are also 3 other possible teams yet to be confirmed this year, and some planning for 2016.
From that come some immediate prayer needs, that tie in with hopes and dreams: for the young people preparing for the trips - that all the monies will be fundraised, that all the plans for the trips will be fully carried through, and that on the trips they will gain a greater understanding and experience of God at work in this world, in and through them, as they come alongside out partners and both give and receive from the inspiring and faith-centred work taking place.
Ultimately, may God be glorified and His Name made increasingly known through the vehicle of CRED Team Trips.
Moving on to the CRED partners, there come a whole other raft of hopes and dreams.
For each partner there are unique hopes, dreams and prayers -
For Spurgeons academy in Kenya - that the political situation would settle down, to enable the teachers to teach and the children to learn, as they are so desperate to do. For safety for the children and staff living in kibera slum, and that one day things will settle enough that we can send a team out there again
For FIAM in India - that the weather will settle down enough for the parents of the school children to get good harvests in, earn some money and be able to pay school fees that in turn gives the school a more secure foundation.
For our partners in Ethiopia - that the elections this year pass peacefully allowing the work of the partners to continue in a secure way, and ensuring that we can take teams out there again from 2016
For GNPDR in Rwanda - that they will secure some funding to help bring long term security to a couple of their vulnerable yet much needed programmes.
For Link in Uganda - so many exciting facets and aspects of potential growth going on here that I don't know where to start - thank goodness God does!
For Partners on the Thai/Burma border - that their ongoing work supporting the ethnic minority groups of the area continues to flourish and bring increasing security and stability to the lives of those who have been so marginalised and outlawed for so long; and that if possible we can resume team trips to this area.
For our newer partners in Malawi, Bulgaria and Mexico, as we continue to build relationship with them - that we will put down strong deep roots of partnership hat can grow in the ways that are right for each individual project.
Of course these are the hopes and dreams that I have for the partners as organisations, but the truth is that the partners are made up of individuals, who each have their own set of hopes and dreams. Whether it is work-related, or family- focused, or a mixture of all sorts, may the hopes and dreams of each individual in each partner organisation be realised.
As I think about our various partners, and their individual circumstances, it is a relief to remember that, at the end of the day, nothing is too hard for God. Yes He may have different timescales to us on getting things down, but the reality is that His timescale is always the perfect one, whilst ours are often way out of line, and born out of a desire for everything to happen now!
And I am also reminded that our hopes and dreams aren't necessarily God's hopes and dreams, but that His are the best ones, and so the important thing is to make sure that my to-do list is based on Gods plans, not my plans, and that prayer is the starting point for all actions.
I could include in the hopes and dreams for 2015 something about financial security, and something about staffing levels. But God knows what we need, and when we need it, so I'll leave those details to Him.
For now, here's to 2015! May it be a great year, when we each draw closer to God, and gain a better understanding of what He has in store for us, as individuals, as community. And may it be a year when, by the end of it, we can look back and rejoice at all the amazing ways that we can see God answering prayer, and being glorified in and through and despite all that we have done.
Happy New Year to you all, may you know God's blessings in it all.
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