I would like to introduce you to a family who has been
greatly involved with the orphanage, and who will be making a trip as a family to the
orphanage—leaving in a little over a week from now. They are
the Marquis family—Ben and Joanna and children Drew, Addison, Levi, Westin,
Claire.
Although this family has been praying and also financially supporting
the orphanage for some years, they especially became committed to the children
there about one year ago.
I think that to tell you about it, it would be best
to simply share an email that the mom (Joanna) sent to me on the 11th
of July of last year. Remember, the decisions that she speaks of in the email
came only after the entire family: mom, dad and kids, had been praying for some
years for the children of the orphanage.
Here is the email from Joanna, 7/11/22:
Thank you so much for your email!!
Some big things have happened for us since we've last touched base. Drew
(almost 15 years old) attended a camp with our church youth group. He
experienced a very real calling from God, and he feels very passionate about
it. He explains it as the Lord has told him to start a nonprofit for the Log Church
orphanage.
Ben and I wanted to get your
thoughts on this, and we also needed to educate ourselves and learn what this
would mean or entail. Ben talked a bit with the lawyer at his company, and we
also got clear encouragement from our youth pastor who has a lot of experience
with this area.
To be a little frank, Drew feels
like (and I agree) that even just a little awareness for some people in our
circle would yield financial support and prayers that are much needed and would
be much appreciated at the Log Church orphanage. He feels God calling him in
this area.
Addison (13 years old) also went to
the same camp. She has been very interested in missions work, and has been
passionate about going to Africa in particular. She asked God to show her a
sign that this was HIS desire for her and not just her own interest. She
describes a very real and distinct "cool breeze" washing over her at
that exact moment.
We cannot ignore these ways we feel
like God is calling and prompting us!! As a family, we have been praying and
are hoping to go to Kisii in summer of 2023. What can we do to become more
involved in some of the behind the scenes that you do?
Hoping and praying all is well with
you and Vivian. Sending love and prayers!!
So that is the email, and the trip she wrote about is
happening in a little over a week from now. It will be quite an adventure for
them, but as you can see, they feel quite strongly that God has called them to
this work. Also going will be one of Joanna’s brothers, Josh Jast. I think that
Josh must be about 21 or 22 years old.
It is of great joy to me that this beautiful family is
becoming involved in the orphanage in this way. It has been my prayer from the
very beginning of the orphanage in 2017 that God would raise us some younger
people to begin to take on some of the responsibilities.
Vivian and I, as you know, are no longer 21 or 22 years old.
Please pray for this family as they set out on this trip. I hope to be able to have some updates and perhaps photos from them from time-to-time that I can share on this blog page.