It seems like I just sent you an update of our ministry, but there have been a lot of things going on recently. We had a desire to leave for Kenya before April, which did not seem possible late last year. However, the Lord continued to bless abundantly with new partnerships, and we have now purchased our tickets! We have so many things to get in order before March 31!
We are very excited that we will be on the field in just over a month, but we are busy getting ready. All of the children need to get their passports, which should arrive with time to spare. We were able to get our passport photos at no cost for all five children at a local AAA office—a $60 savings! I was also able to get my international driving permit there.
We have been in some really great churches of late, with some choosing to partner with us and others hoping to. This past Sunday was very special. We had two great meetings. In the morning, we were in a church that we have been visiting in Florida since my knee surgery. The Lord just knit our hearts together. The pastor and I have similar testimonies, and our wives got along great. He just took the position of senior pastor in November but has been at the church for years. It was exciting to see his passion and zeal for the Lord. Our evening meeting was also a great meeting. We heard back from them on Wednesday morning—praise the Lord for a new partnership!
My knee is coming along. It has been over two months since my surgery. The brace is off—praise the Lord—and my range of motion is over 130 degrees. By the time you receive this letter, I will be done with my physical therapy and focused on strengthening my quad muscle. I’m almost to the point of walking up stairs normally.
I had an exciting opportunity to work at an Amazing Grace Ministry booth at the Florida State Fair. My friend travels with the ministry, and we have tried for three years to work together. It was encouraging to hear from other brothers and sisters in Christ and hear their encouragement. On the other side, it was heart-wrenching to see so many who were lost and didn’t even realize it. I was able to lead 6 young men to the Lord one night, which was really amazing. I led another young man to the Lord the next day. After the second day, I was pretty wiped out, but it was worth it.
The next month is very busy for us. We have already said our farewells with Elizabeth’s family and will be visiting mine just before we go. We are leaving Florida and going to Louisiana, Indiana, Toronto (Canada), and then Maine. Pease pray for these final meetings to be productive.
Prayer Requests
• For the final bit of support to come in
• For us to purchase the remaining items we will need in Kenya
• For our housing to be finalized before we arrive
• For our van to make it through our last trip
Yours in Christ,
Corey McDonald