Some of you might have asked yourself this question already: what the heck is up with the whole goose thing? Well, have no fear and I shall make it quite clear...

When I was interviewing applicants for this trip, one of the questions I asked them went a little something like this: "So you’re a goose." and then they would laugh or look kind of frightened or just surprised because they have no idea where this is going. And then I would continue, "And you’re in a flock, of like 7 other geese or so and you’re heading south for the winter. Which goose are you in that flock?" Sometimes this was met with more laughter, sometimes the interviewee was just at a lost for words, and sometimes they new exactly what goose they would be.

Their answers varied from being the second in command, willing to help if needed, some were a few geese behind on the left or right, just filling in and doing their role well, some were the last goose so they could make sure everyone stayed together. Their answers certainly were interesting and gave me a little glimpse into the role each individual would play in the whole group.

As I have watched the group get to know each other better and work together on fundraisers and such, its fun to watch them take on roles. Sometimes it’s easy and it clicks, and other times there is a little butting of heads. One of the many things we are all going to learn on this trip is teamwork and how we all can pull our own weight but also how different that looks in different situations.

As it turns out, we are a group of 14, traveling south for their winter. Pretty ironic, huh? Hmmm... God is good.

So, you’re a goose. And you’re in a flock of 7 geese, flying south for the winter. Which goose are you?

While in South Africa, we are going to be with an organization called Thrive Africa which Colorado Christian University has partnered with in the past. They have been wonderful in handling so much of the planning and training for us. It certainly has been a blessing working with them.

Since they are the main contacts in Africa, I figured it would be helpful for those of you following our trip to know a little more about them.

Niel and Alece van Rensburg are the founders and directors of Thrive Africa. They have nine people whole work full time for the ministry in a variety of roles and positions. Alongside these people, is the indigenous staff that works at the reserve as well as out in the field as translators and coaches in the schools. In addition to this, several interns come out to Africa for the year or the summer to serve as well.

Thrive Africa is all about raising up leaders in South Arica to make an impact in that community. Their mission statement is: “to equip and mobilize indigenous leaders to become strategic, Godly influences in their cultural communities. Our model of ministry is based on II Timothy 2:2: ‘…Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are able to pass them on to others.’”

A main focus of Thrive Africa is to get into the schools in Africa and begin teaching the students about abstinence, raise awareness about AIDS/HIV, and spread the Gospel. Their website says that 90% of pastors in South Africa have no formal training, so training of these leaders is important to Thrive Africa as well.

This organization has been working in South Africa for 10 years now and they have been blessed with a 2,500 acre reserve. We will be staying on this reserve while in South Africa and will be very blessed by the people and facilities there.

Thrive Africa has truly been advancing the Kingdom in South Africa and I just can’t wait to get over there an experience it all. If you are interested in learning more about Thrive Africa, you can go to their website at thriveafrica.org. The site is a great resource and has tons more information for you.

As I am planning this first mission trip of mine, I am realizing how much prayer I need. It truly is a humbling experience to take on a group of peers and try to lead them; I feel like it’s kind of like the blind leading the blind. I just simply have very little idea of what I am doing.

But God is good, greater than I have the ability to understand and He proves this to me everyday. He is bigger than me and more powerful than me and His glorious plan is so lost to my weak little eyes. Everyday I fight the urge to take control and do this my way; praise God that He is gracious and patient and loves me more than I can ever know. I am living proof of the cliché that God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called.

One of the things the Lord is teaching me on this infinite list in Leading 101 is how powerful prayer is. On a personal level, connecting with God has calmed me and handing control back over the Creator of the Universe gives me a lot of peace. But prayer has also proven God's commitment to us as a team and His ability to provide for us. He has been answering prayers all over the place and we are just at the very beginning of this trip. I think it's easy to see that God is going to be teaching us much more than this.

As for our prayer requests right now, the one topping the list is finances. I have heard from the head of missions at CCU that most teams are really struggling to get the money together this year and that is hard to hear. It’s comforting that we aren't the only team struggling but I wish this economy was more forgiving.
To put things in perspective: we are only about a quarter of the way to our team goal of about $45,000 as a team total. We have all sent out our letters to friends and family and we now have to scrape together the remaining. I just pray that we can trust God in bringing in these funds for us whether that is moving our friends and family to give more or in encouraging us to work harder and harder in our fundraising and working efforts. If you could be praying about these funds and the means to which all the teams at CCU are going to be getting them, it would be much appreciated.

This entire trip has been a constant molding of the Lord. In the first stages of our planning, this trip had a very different look then it does now but God has been really re-working things. This is certainly a huge praise; I am most comfortable with God in control. However, at the same time, it’s hard to see the Lord change things so much lately and not know what He is doing. Would you please pray for daily renewal in the Lord’s sovereignty and our ability to hand over control to Him every day?

Lastly, would you please pray for me as a leader? Sometimes I feel incompetent as a leader but I know God is giving me the means to accomplish His will. Please pray for humbleness, selflessness, and reliance on the Lord.

Thank you all for bearing with me in this incredibly long post. Your prayers, support, and simple reading of this blog are bigger blessings then you know.

I am excited, and a little scared if I am being honest, to tell you that I have been chosen to lead a group of fifteen college students to South Africa during the last two weeks of May, 2009. We will be going to Qwa Qwa which is the poorest part of the country and lies just outside of Harrismith. While there, we will be working with an organization called Thrive Africa where we will be helping people with household chores like laundry, carrying water, putting in gardens and whatever we can do to help. We essentially want to build relationships with the families we meet, listen to their stories, and share with them the love of Christ. In addition to this, we will be visiting AIDS patients and running a kids’ ministry in the afternoons were we hope to spread the Gospel and some smiles. God willing, it will be the trip of a lifetime.

Like any missions trip, it takes a team willing to go and serve and do whatever the Lord leads them to and it also takes friends and family to support them. As a college student, coughing up the $3,500 it costs for the plane ride and missionary support looks dang near impossible but, “With man, this is impossible but with God, nothing is impossible.” I am sending you this letter with the hope that you would pray and consider joining me in the mission trip as a financial partner. Asking for such a thing is a little painful to me so I write this as a reminder to myself: this money isn’t going to a college student in need of a bailout but rather a daughter of Christ who has it in her heart to go and be whatever the Lord needs her to be.

It was once explained to me like this: Missions work is a mixture of senders and goers. Those who send need to have someone to send, and those who go, need help in getting there. My team and I feel that we have been given the role of goers. Would you pray and consider coming along side us as a sender in this journey of ours? If you feel called to donate to our team, you can contact me at leharder@ccu.edu, I can give you more information on what that looks like.

I know that during this season, things are a little tight and sometimes giving money isn’t an option but I again ask that you would join this team and support us through prayer. We do have a pretty big price tag for this trip but prayer is certainly a way to help us reach this goal.

And so, I thank you with everything in me, for reading this, for considering, for giving of your bank account and time, for coming along side us in this wild adventure. This God we serve and have come to know a little more each day is one of spontaneity and adventure and I am so blessed to be called on this trip. Take care, God bless, and thank you once more.