To Concerned Nanas and Papas

I know that some of our Christian family members here at the Hendersonville church of Christ may be concerned about our children joining us on our journey to Africa so the rest of this article is an email response to my mom and dad to ease their concerns for us as we go. I hope this may ease yours as well. We love you all and look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Mom and Dad:

I know you guys are concerned. We have never spent more time in prayer over anything in our lives than this trip. Yes, we may be sleeping on the floor for 3 nights in a house with strong walls and a tin roof. The Meeks have stayed there countless times with their own children. Shawna, Gaines, and Ana will be sleeping in my two-man tent that we are actually going to set up in the room we will be in.

We have done our homework! We have many people around us like Don Yelton who are giving us great advice on what all we need to bring. Our family has been prayed over by countless people in the last week and our faith has increased because of this. We love Jesus! Our faith would not be where it is today if we did not have the wonderful parents that God has blessed us with. God has given graciously to us in the financial area of this trip and I don't think He would have blessed us so richly had He not supported what we are doing. Besides those 3 days in this Kenyan's home we will be in much more normal American style living conditions. Think of it like a 3-day camping trip which we have done with Gaines before. We have already been sleeping on the floor in the tent to get the kids ready for the trip.

Many have wondered why we must take our kids. The answer is simply we are a family who love Jesus and we serve Him together. Just a week ago Gaines and Ana stood in the back of our van handing out granola bars to homeless men as they came out of the rescue mission while we gave them hot coffee and cider. Gaines and Ana will remember these things just like I remember you taking milk out of our refrigerator and food out of our pantry to give to King Solomon (a neighbor in AR that had a checkered past). I knew it was because you loved Jesus. That’s why Dad sat on the front porch and prayed and studied with him.

I would ask you and Mom to have peace about this trip as we do. Trust in our Father and remember how crazy His love is for us!

Love, Will