Learning to walk

Hey tumblr peopleee!

For this coming Spring Break (March 9-18), God has granted me the amazing opportunity to serve Him in the mission field. I will be going to New Orleans with a team of college students in New England who are involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. There, the team and I will help out in an ongoing project called Katrina Relief Urban Plunge (KRUP), where we will be building and fixing houses that were damaged during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Not only will we be able to see what people who were hurt by this disaster must face, but we will also get to use this mission trip as an opportunity to share God’s great love.

KRUP is very different from any other mission trip I have ever served in because all of the teams consist of both believers and non-believers in Christ. This trip provides us with many opportunities to spread the gospel to those who do not consider themselves Christians, starting with the thirty-hour bus ride from Boston to New Orleans. Spending so much time together, we all have countless opportunities to talk about things that would otherwise not be discussed. In the daytime from about 7:45am to 4:30pm, we will work together at the sites. During the nights, we will have a series of discussions and guest speakers with which we will explore the intersection between service, justice, and the Christian faith. Throughout all of these, I look forward to sharing my personal testimony of how the Lord has worked in all aspects of my life with those who have yet to see Him in their lives.

Our team will need both monetary and spiritual support before, during, and after the trip. I know that if we pray continuously, that God will provide for our team and make a difference in the non-believer’s lives, as well as in the lives of those who are suffering from Hurricane Katrina. Here are some prayer requests that our team has:

1. That God will be present in all aspects of this trip. Planning for this trip has been difficult, and it is so easy to get caught up in the logistics of things like distributing scholarships, planning for transportation, and coordinating with other fellowships that we are serving with. Our mission trip will accomplish nothing without His wisdom, guidance, and presence. Please pray that we will continue to seek the Lord for help before we take matters into our own hands.
2. That I will go with a heart of servitude, with my eyes, mind, and heart fixed on God. Please pray that He will give me the words to say to the non-believers who are going with us, so that they may see His love and grace through me. Ask God to constantly remind me that none of the work that is being done there is from my own hands, but is really from Him and His unfailing love for them.
3. That those who are not followers of God will go with open minds. Please pray that they will feel comfortable with the rest of the team, even though they will be meeting them for the first time on the trip. Also pray that they will listen to what speakers and other people have to say during the discussion sections, and that they will also want to contribute their views on the discussion topics. Ultimately, please pray that God will show His love and grace to them during the trip, so that they can begin relationships with Him.

Alongside with support through prayer, I am trying to raise money for the trip. I have been asked to raise $575 by March 7, 2012, which covers transportation to New Orleans, all transportation within New Orleans, lodging, food, and materials. Would you be interested in giving a gift of $10, $25, $50 or more? Unfortunately, these donations are not tax-deductible. Please make your contributions to me, and send them to me at:

                        Box 1289
                        277 Babcock Street
                        Boston, MA 02215

Thanks for taking the time to read about this upcoming trip. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Thank you for your gracious support,
Stephanie Li
(626) 483-7994
sfli722@bu.edu