Dear family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ,
Thank you for taking the time to
read this update on the exciting plans God has given me for this year!
The short and sweet:
A 7-9 month training, serving, encouraging, and vision-casting journey
to Uganda & the UK.
The details:
From August 2012-January 2013, I
will be in a Discipleship Training School
(DTS) in Jinja, Uganda, with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) at their Hopeland base there. YWAM
describes the purpose of a DTS as “to encourage committed Christians into a
deeper personal relationship with the Lord, thus equipping them to serve Him in
whatever capacity He calls them to. It is also an introduction to the values of
YWAM and a chance to explore the opportunities we can offer to develop a
calling into missions.”
Following the DTS, my plan is to
spend another month in Uganda, visiting other YWAM bases and ministries.
After this, I’ll stop in the UK
on the way home for as long as finances allow (anywhere from 1-3 months), visiting YWAM bases, family, and friends
all over the UK and Ireland.
I’m especially interested in spending some time at YWAM Paisley, a base in Scotland that
focuses on living in creative, worshipful, intentional community. I also hope
to have the opportunity to visit my cousins in Northern
Ireland and to visit friends in Galway, Ireland,
where I studied abroad in high school.
What's the point of all this?
As I’ve prayed and planned and
prepared over the past year or so, the vision has slowly come together for this
journey. The purpose of the trip is
fourfold, which is great, because I like bullet points.
- Training: Having never had any formal Bible teaching, I am so excited to do a DTS—intensive study and biblical teaching for three months, followed by two months of application on the DTS outreach. And all of this in a non-Western setting—such a source of perspective and depth!
- Serving: During the DTS, I’ll be able to use my gifts, my training, and my willing hands to partner with YWAM Uganda in the amazing work they are already doing and lighten their load in any way I can. In my travels following the DTS, I will also happily offer my services, skills, & training in any way I can be useful to the bases I visit, working for my keep.
- Encouraging: it can be such a breath of life to have a visitor, to hear stories of how God is moving across the world, to share commonalities across cultures, to laugh and learn and worship together and minister to each other. “Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” (Proverbs 25:25) I feel incredibly privileged to get to be that breath of life.
- Vision-casting: the vision-casting aspect of this journey is both personal and corporate. Personally, I’m wide open to the possibility of long-term ministry in any of these locations. Both Uganda and the UK have been on my heart for years, and I’m eager to see what my future looks like in relation to those places. On a larger scale, I look forward to fostering the partnerships God is waiting to build between ministries and members of the Church across the world. One of my great passions in life is to see the Body of Christ realized in the fullness of the way He planned it.
In closing:
I feel like this journey is the beginning of a new season of really walking
in the dreams God has for my life, using all the gifts and training and
blessings and passion He has given to me. I feel incredibly blessed to be
walking in the footsteps of such believers as Paul, getting to see the bigger
picture of what God is doing worldwide and working to weave stronger
connections among His Bride, while having the honor of meeting and sharing
fellowship with so many diverse brothers and sisters in the faith.
Partnership:
With all of the ways God has opened
doors and confirmed His heart for this plan, I have no doubts that every penny
will come in in His perfect order. That said, I am in the process of fundraising. I’ve been blessed this year
with great jobs that have allowed me to put a good deal away in savings, but as
of June 5th, I still need to raise about $2000 more for these nine
months or so (plane tickets, the DTS, visits to other bases in Uganda and the
UK). Please pray about it and give only what the Lord leads you to give—I can't wait
to watch Him supply every need!
I am also support-raising, which is even more exciting. This is the part where I get to travel around, spend time with so many amazing people, share what God's doing in my heart and life and in Uganda and the UK, and build connections with the Body. I’ll be leaving the States in mid-August, so if you'd like a phone call, email, Skype, or real live visit, or if your church really loves missionaries, let me know and we'll figure something out! This is my favorite part. Except the part where I'll be traveling all over the world, chasing the dreams God has put in my heart. That’s my real favorite part.
I am also support-raising, which is even more exciting. This is the part where I get to travel around, spend time with so many amazing people, share what God's doing in my heart and life and in Uganda and the UK, and build connections with the Body. I’ll be leaving the States in mid-August, so if you'd like a phone call, email, Skype, or real live visit, or if your church really loves missionaries, let me know and we'll figure something out! This is my favorite part. Except the part where I'll be traveling all over the world, chasing the dreams God has put in my heart. That’s my real favorite part.
More information:
www.ywam.org
www.ywamhopeland.com
www.ywamuganda.org
www.ywampaisley.org
Contacting me:
www.ywam.org
www.ywamhopeland.com
www.ywamuganda.org
www.ywampaisley.org
Contacting me:
Leave a note here and I will gladly get back to you! If you're not a member of my mailing list and would like to be, just let me know!
Grace and peace to you from our sweet
Lord Jesus, blessings on your families, life to your hearts, and favor on the
work of your hands.
Molly K. McKinney
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