"May the God of Hope fill you with all Joy & Peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with
HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit" Romans 15:13





Sunday, September 6, 2015

You Make Me Brave

You Make Me Brave
I have so many different stories from my time this summer in Zambia but this one continues to be brought back to my mind over and over again.  My last day in the classroom in Zambia, the teacher asked the students if they would like to get up and tell stories.  I thought they would be telling pieces of their life story but that was not the case.  They were given the opportunity to get up and make up stories and they were so excited!  The first little girl to eagerly raise her hand was Emeria.  She is one of the older students in the class and has a seizure disorder as well as what appears to be minor cerebral palsy. She can get around but walks with a limp, her hands are a tad withdrawn, and she has a speech impediment.  As she walked to the front of the classroom, I wondered what her story would be.  Emeria began telling her story in Nyanja (which is the native language in Zambia) and for the first time I heard her stuttering.  I immediately wanted to jump up and help her because I was taken by surprise that she stuttered.  It wasn’t a little but a lot!  Even though I couldn’t understand a word that she said, I was fighting back tears as my heart was breaking for her more than it already was!  All I could see is how BRAVE and courageous she was amidst the laughing that was coming from the class.  She is physically handicapped and not only is her speech hard to understand, she stutters.  I know that if I were in her shoes, I would have never raised my hand and I am pretty sure I would have been staring at the floor in hopes that I wouldn’t make eye contact with the teacher. 
Precious Emeria




God just keeps reminding me that it is Him that makes us brave if we will allow him to.  God calls His children to step out in faith and I wonder how many times I haven’t been obedient because I have allowed fear to stop me.  He loves us more than we can imagine and when He calls us to something that we don’t think we can do, I just have to remember that it’s not me, it is Him.  Lord I pray that my faith will be big enough that I allow you to make me brave!  Thank you for using a 10 year old little girl who in the Zambian society is most likely looked down upon to remind me of the confidence that can only come from the Lord!!  Thank you Jesus that we can put all of our trust and confidence in you!

 There is a song that immediately popped in my head when Emeria was up speaking called You Make Me Brave.  Below are the lyrics which continue to speak to me and challenge me.

You Make Me Brave by: Bethel Music

I stand before You now
The greatness of your renown
I have heard of the majesty and wonder of you
King of Heaven, in humility, I bow

As Your love, in wave after wave
Crashes over me, crashes over me
For You are for us
You are not against us
Champion of Heaven
You made a way for all to enter in

I have heard You calling my name
I have heard the song of love that You sing
So I will let You draw me out beyond the shore
Into Your grace
Your grace

You make me brave
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves
You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the love that made a way

You make me brave
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves
You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the promises you made

You make me brave
You make me brave
You call me out beyond the shore into the waves
You make me brave
You make me brave
No fear can hinder now the promises you made

To hear the song click the link below:





Sunday, February 8, 2015

Love Africa shirts

As I am preparing for my return to Zambia, I am selling t-shirts to help raise money for the cost of my trip.  I am super excited about the design and can't wait to get the shirts.




I will be selling shirts through the end of February.  Sizes Youth Small- Adult XL are $20 and 2XL & 3XL are $22.  The shirts are Gildan SoftStyle and are Heather Gray.  If you would like to order a shirt, please email me your size at allisonerhodes@gmail.com and you can mail me a check.  If you need me to mail your shirt to you, please include $4 for shipping.  Thank you so much for always being so supportive of my trips to Zambia!! 
                                                                                                              Love,   Allison

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Going Back to Zambia!






Dear Friends and Family,     
   I am so excited to tell everyone that with much prayer, I feel like God is calling me back to Zambia this year!  Each year that I have gone to Zambia, it has brought about a different experience and has taught me so much about God and myself.  I am expectant that this year will be no different.  Though I will not be there for 6 weeks like last time, I will be there for a couple of weeks working with some of the teachers employed by Family Legacy in their private schools.  Since I was there last, they have opened a new school and are in the process of building some schools for the students that are in grades 8-12.  Over the past three years of the Teach One trips, they have seen AMAZING growth in the teachers and the students.  
"Look at the nations and watch and 
be utterly amazed.   For I am going 
to do something in your days that 
you would not believe, even if you 
were told.”  
                     Habakkuk 1:5

The last time I was there, my sweet Paulina could barely read at age 13, but this Christmas I got a letter from her that she wrote and there is no doubt that she has made huge progress and is now reading!  What a beautiful gift to be able to read that so many of us takes for granted.  Zambia just celebrated their 50th year as a country and the theme for the children in Family Legacy’s program is “I am the next 50.”  That couldn’t be truer and the next 50 years for these children are filled with joy and hope for a better future.  I praise the Lord for all that He is doing in and through these children as He is growing them to be leaders.  Not just academically (which is huge), but spiritually He is giving them the hope of a future that many didn’t have before.  They truly love the Lord with all that they are and they know that they can do all things through God’s strength, guidance, and promises. 

The teachers that work in the schools are amazing and are hungry for new and different ways to teach and better help their students.  I am extremely excited to partner with them and work together to find ways to make the kids more successful.  These children come from extreme poverty and often abuse.  The heart of these teachers is like no other.  Not only are they educating each child, but they are also nurturing them as well as guiding them spiritually.  I will forever have the imprints of the teachers and children on my heart!  




I am asking that you would partner with me in prayer with the following requests:

   1.       That God would give me His heart for His people.
   2.  God’s guidance and wisdom in the best way to help equip the teachers and students while I am in Zambia. 
   3.     God’s love, hope, and joy to be poured out over the people in Zambia and that they would long for more of Him.
   4.     Safe travels to and from Zambia and safety while in Zambia.
   5.     God’s Word to ring in my heart and to have ears to hear all that He wants to teach me during my time there.
   6.     For my heart to be teachable and sensitive to God’s moving.  
   7.     That I would stay healthy; specifically pray against stomach problems, sinus infections, and against upper respiratory infections.
   8.     That all the American teachers would come together and bond as a team to make the biggest impact in the school. 

If you feel led to do so, I would love for you to partner with me financially as well.  I need to raise $5000 for my trip by the end of March, and your donations are tax deductible.  I have always been blown away and overwhelmed by the ways in which God has provided the funds for my trips.  I am praying expectantly and believing He will provide what is needed again. 
If you would like to contribute toward my trip, you can donate online to this link:
http://www.camplifezambia.com/allisonrhodes
                                                Or, you can send a check to:
Family Legacy Missions International
5005 W. Royal Lane Suite 252
Irving, TX 75063
 In the memo line please write: Allison Rhodes/Teach One 2015

I appreciate each one of you more than you know and I am so thankful that God has placed you and your family in my life.  I can’t wait to share with you about my time in Zambia.  I will send updates through email as often as possible (that all depends on if the internet is working or not), as well as update my blog: myhopeisingodalone.blogspot.com  If you are not currently on my Zambia email updates and would like to be, please send me your email at:  allisonerhodes@gmail.com  Thank you again for your prayers and encouragement, they mean the world to me!!!

                        
                         Love, Allison Rhodes


“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what he has done and be amazed.  They will put their trust in the Lord.” 
        Psalm 40:3