The day has arrived

After more than five months of preparation, the time has come for our departure. The Lord has answered so many prayers along the way. We have prayed for love and unity within our team. At our final team meeting on 2/20 it was evident that we have grown to know and love one another. A I was waking this morning, the Lord brought to mind something about each team member that I am thankful for. I look forward to serving with this group over the next 10 days. The Lord has also provided for us with a wonderful prayer team with hundreds of people committing to pray for us each day. Thank you Lord! Jehovah Jireh has also provided for all of our financial needs.

Lord willing, our plan is to hit the road for Dulles Airport in Wash, DC by 10:30AM this morning. We have a 5:40PM flight arriving in Dakar, Senegal at 6:10AM on March 4.

The team is healthy (as of yesterday)! We have packed up more than 600 pounds of school supplies and donated another 250 pounds of supplies to the Bridge Academy in Coatesville and the Chester County Food Bank. We are in awe as to how our local body of believers at CFC responded to this opportunity to bless MIS and the village in this way. We thank the Lord for our local community of faith at CFC.

My thought for the day comes from Ephesians 6:10-20 and Psalm 91 as we walk in the power of the Spirit and abide in Christ. He is our strength and the battle is His. May we live with a growing sense of urgency and complete dependence on Him for all things, especially open doors to share the good news, in both word and deed.

If we have access to a computer will try to post a few updates during the trip.

In Christ,

Mike and the Team

Ephesians 6:10-20

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Psalm 91Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty, I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

You will not fear the terror of night,

nor the arrow that flies by day,

nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,

nor the plague that destroys at midday.

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

You will only observe with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”

and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread on the lion and the cobra;

you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;

I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

He will call on me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble,

I will deliver him and honor him.

With long life I will satisfy him

and show him my salvation.”