Christie Lyons - Camp Sonshine International 2017

In 2002, God gave me an overwhelming desire for mission work. Since then the joy I have received by serving others has filled me to overflowing. But I knew the call to missions was not just serving in a local capacity, it was for international mission trips too. I did not know when or where this would take place, but I knew I needed to start getting ready.

The first mission trip was to Haiti in 2004 and even though I thought I was going to teach and show young children the love of Jesus Christ and pray their lives would be changed, I was the one who came home a changed person. I have also taken mission trips to New York and Pennsylvania to minister through Vacation Bible School, neighborhood clean up projects, and street ministry. But all throughout the years I have known that someday I would be going to Africa. I started recalling memories from my childhood and schoolwork I did that dealt with Africa and meeting a Kenyan prince in sixth grade. God had started preparing my heart for what was going to take place in the future. So when my sister started going to South Africa through Camp Sonshine International and sharing the stories of how young lives were being changed and the relationships that were being formed from their service, I knew that one day I would join her on one of the missions trips there.

A trip like this is not inexpensive. It will cost $2000 for transportation, food, accomodations, and ministry supplies. It is a large sum of money, but if I could get 40 individuals to give $50 each, I would have the necessary funds to go.

But support comes in different ways. The most important support I need, our team needs is prayer. I ask that you pray for me and the team I am going with, starting now and continuing through our trip, which is December 30, 2016 - January 12 and afterwards. Yep, even afterwards, because we want the seeds of God's love that are planted from this trip to flourish and bring forth more fruit to reach more people.

You may share this letter with you church family. The more people praying, the power and strength we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. The greatest gift you can give me is your prayer for the team and me.

By giving you are making an investment in the lives of people who may have never heard the name of Jesus Christ before. Oh what a joy you would experience knowing that you were a part of someone coming to know Jesus Christ and starting a personal relationship with Him.