It is Well

It is Well

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

It is well….those are not the words that I thought would come out of my mouth when I thought of my Grandmother’s passing.  The shock of the phone call from my mom telling me was unreal and at times felt like a really bad dream until I reminded myself that it was very real.  Those next few days in Zambia were a real struggle because I couldn’t understand God’s timing, but also knowing at the same time, His timing is perfect even if I don’t understand it.  Four days after my grandmother went to be with Jesus I was begging the Lord for His strength because all I wanted to do was get on a plane and come home from Zambia.  God is so good and He is always faithful.  That Sunday morning I went up to the top of the villa put in my earphones and went to scroll back to my playlists.  A song started playing that I hadn’t selected and it was Phil Wickham’s “It is Well.”  Immediately tears started rolling down my face.  I think I may have listened to that song 5 times before I could catch my breath and utter those very words out of my mouth.  The Lord knew that I needed to be able to truly know in my heart that it is well before I could keep going with what He had called me to do in Zambia.

Lord, thank you for your presence and that you never leave us!  God it is well with my soul!  There are days that it is hard to say because I want my grandmother here to talk to and hug, but because of you Lord, the tomb is empty.  My grandmother’s spirit is alive and well praising the Lord.  It is well that she is whole, healthy, and praising you in heaven.  It is well that she is no longer suffering, no longer needing help to do everything, and no longer in that nursing home.  It is well that you promise those who love and believe in you that we will one day rise to heaven and all be rejoicing as we worship you.  Lord, it is well that I depend on you for my next breath and steps to direct me here on this earth.  Lord it is well that apart from you we can do nothing, but through you we can do all things you have called us to.  Lord it is well that my heart aches to see and talk to my grandmother again, but that it is you that will carry me.  Lord it is well that death does not have the final say but that You do!  It is well that one day there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, and no more suffering.  You will wipe away our tears Lord and for that we must say it is well and we rejoice in you!  Lord never once will you leave me alone and my heart must continue to say, It is Well!

If you would like to hear the Phil Wickham’s “It is Well,” click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51vThumuArE

Family & Friends,

   As I sit here writing an update from this past summer and plans for the upcoming summer, I am in the midst of packing for Zambia!  I am leaving this weekend for a special trip to kick off the school year and help implement a reading curriculum that will be in all 18 Family Legacy schools.  Once again, I am in awe of the Lord and all that He is doing!  This past summer, we piloted a reading curriculum over the two weeks I was there.  It was amazing to see the progress the kids made as well as the teachers.  The excitement in the teachers and kids’ faces was priceless.  There are so many stories I could tell you from this summer, but it would take lots of pages.  I was in a grade 1 classroom and it was filled with some of the most beautiful children!  There were a variety of kids; one with a seizure disorder, one with cerebral palsy, and one who was almost completely deaf.  Most of Zambia looks at children with disabilities as worthless, but the beauty in it all is that the Lord made them perfect in His image.  He picked them out and said you are worthy and placed them in an amazing school!  I was inspired by the strength, courage, and boldness they display.  Just as much as the Lord loves them, it is a constant reminder that He loves all of His children that much, you, me, every one, no matter where you are.  The Lord is so good and I am excited to see what he continues to do over the next three weeks and what He is going to do while I am in Zambia again this summer.

I have loved seeing the growth in the children through the ministry of Family Legacy.  It is nothing any one person has done, but what God has done through those He has called to go to Zambia as well as the Zambians that He is empowering to partner with the ministry.  The Lord also uses friends and family to support those that are going.  I am so thankful for each and every one of you who partner with me.  Not only for the financial support you provide, but more importantly the prayers leading up to my trip and while I am there.  My time in Zambia wouldn’t be the same without each of you!

As I go this year, I would ask for the following prayers:

1.    That the Lord would be glorified in everything we do from the airport, to the schools, and to the Americans and Zambians we interact with.

2.    That any frustration will be covered in prayer and grace.

3.    That any challenges we encounter in the classroom, as far as how to get through to the students and teachers, would be covered in wisdom.

4.    That our team of teachers would quickly bond and work well together.

5.    That the Lord would keep us healthy, give us energy, and give us stamina to get through the long days.

6.    That we would be safe and have a hedge of protection around us.

7.    That we would be sensitive to the spirit in His moving and that we will step out in faith when called on.

8.    That above all else, everyone we come in contact with would be pointed to Christ.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers.  If you feel led to help support me financially as well, my first deadline for a portion of the money is due February 1^st.  The full amount of $4900 is due by April 1^st.  To donate towards my trip, you can send a check made out to Family Legacy International and in the memo line, please write Allison Rhodes/TeachOne2016. Their address is Family Legacy, 5005 West Royal Lane, Ste. 252, Irving, TX 75063. 

 Or you can donate directly to my account through this link: www.camplifezambia.com/allisonrhodes

Thank you for your continuous support!  I am forever grateful for you and your family!

                                                                                        Love,  Allison Rhodes

 

Many of you ordered shirts from me last year.  I will be selling shirts again this year to raise money for my trip. If you would like to purchase a shirt as well, please see the order form below.  You can either email me with your shirt order at allisonerhodes@gmail.com or you can mail your order form and money to me at:

            Allison Rhodes
            10437 Nettie St
            Keller, TX 76244

***Please let me know how I can be praying for you and your family.***

 Africa T-Shirts

Thank you for supporting my return to Zambia! This year I have short-sleeve and long-sleeve shirts available in the Gildan SoftStyle brand.  The color of the short-sleeve shirts will be Heather Navy and the long-sleeve shirts will be Navy.  If you order youth sizes, they only come in short sleeve and they do not come in softstyle.

 

                                                Sizes Needed:

                                                     

Children’s Short-Sleeve Shirts $20  _______        ________      ________       _________     
                                                    YS       YM      YL       YXL                                                                 

 

Adult Short Sleeve $20 _____      ______      ______     _______      _______     _______       

(add $2.00 for 2XL or 3XL)  AS     AM     AL     AXL    A2XL   A3XL

 

Adult Long-Sleeve $25   _____      _______      _______     _______      _______     _______       

(add $3.00 for 2XL or 3XL)   AS     AM     AL     AXL    A2XL   A3XL

 

   **All orders are due by Wednesday, March 2, 2016**

If you need your shilrt mailed to you, please add $4 for shipping.

                   

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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Hi-VMxT6fc

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

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 50^th 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

Zambian Summer 2013!

Well it only took me 6 months give an update since I am back home, but here it is!

Friends & Family,           

I am home!  I got back from Zambia at the beginning of August and I truly hit the ground running with school starting back!  I first want to thank everyone for their prayers and support on my journey to get to Zambia and while I was there.   Having the privilege of spending 6 ½ weeks in Zambia this summer was like no other time that I have been there.  It was definitely the hardest work I have done for that long of a time period, but also so rewarding.  I wouldn’t have traded it for anything!!  I was able to blog some stories while I was there and would love for you to read them whenever you have time.  The website for my blog is: www.myhopeisingodalone.blogspot.com

This was my fifth time to return to Zambia and every trip brings a deeper desire in my heart for God’s orphans.  I cannot put into words how much my heart breaks for these children and the conditions in which they have to endure.  One thing that I do know is that through their pain and hurt, the JOY of the LORD radiates out of their little bodies!  What a great promise to us all, no matter our circumstances or situations we have a God that can and will fill us with Joy and Hope!  Once again, throughout this summer, I met and fell in love with beautiful and broken children!    “I have made you and I will carry you.  I will sustain you and rescue you.”  Isaiah 46:4

Throughout my time in Zambia this summer, I had the unique opportunity to visit all 15 of the schools and do a lesson.  I loved seeing the different schools and seeing how God has them full of His children that are eager to learn.  Going back to the school I was at last year, was a HUGE blessing.  They have done so much at the school since I was there last year and it is amazing!! The pride that is in the school and the way the teachers pour their hearts into those kids is a testimony to the passion God has given them to change the children’s futures.  Some of what we were able to share with them, I could see in some of the other schools too.  They have a couple of times a year that they have teacher trainings and they were able to share with the other teachers what they learned.  It was encouraging to know that God is using the Teach One trips to make a visible and immediate difference.

I listened daily to the song “Oceans” by Hillsong United and prayed these words in the song.  “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders,  Let me walk upon the waters,  Wherever You would call me, Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander,  And my faith will be made stronger,  In the presence of my Savior”  I never knew where each day was going to take me while I was there in Zambia and would often find myself in situations that I had to completely trust the Lord to lead me in how to handle a situation.  God would reveal ideas to me to try that I knew only came from him because I wouldn’t have ever thought of them.   Each step I took this summer was in total dependence on the Lord.  I’m so thankful we have a God that has each step planned for us.  As much as my heart longs to be in Zambia, I have felt like the Lord has told me that I am not supposed to go back this next summer.  As much as I am missing those sweet kids, I know that God has a time and season for everything. 

Please continue to pray for the Zambian teachers and precious kids that God is working in and using to change the face of Zambia.  Also, please pray for the Americans that are living full time in Zambia. 

I love this quote from Katie Davis:  “I have learned that I will not change the world.  Jesus will do that.  I can, however, change the world for one person.  So I keep loving one person at a time.  Because this is my call as a follower of Jesus.”     What a beautiful reminder of what God has called all of us to do no matter who we are and where we live.   

      Thank you again and I pray that 2014 is full of endless blessings for you and your family!                                                                         Love,  Allison

A Mother's Heart Part 2

All of my life I have wanted nothing more than to have my own family and to be a mother. I can remember just like yesterday a time when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I was at my grandmother's house and she and my mom were getting things ready for dinner and it was my job to set the table. I looked at my mom and grandmother with a napkin in hand and said, "when I grow up, I am going to have 100 kids." I remember my mom laughing and saying, "I think you will change your mind when you get older." I continued to insist that I would have 100 children. I have always loved kids and my love for children has increased more and more the older I have grown.
I have the priveledge of sponsoring a precious young lady named Paulina who lives at the Tree of Life. She has never known her parents since they passed away when she was only a baby and before coming to live at the Tree of Life, she lived with her grandmother and aunt. I have loved every minute that I have been able to spend with her during my trips to Zambia. This time, it came with an even bigger blessing. I have had the opportunity to attend church with Paulina every Sunday as well as see her every Friday night. There have been some other opportunities to spend time with her, but no better blessing than a letter she gave me. As I opened it, my eyes were not ready for what I was about to read.... "Dear Mom,". The thought that she considers me a mother to her is a huge priveledge. I love her just as if she were my own and my heart yearns for every opportunity I have to spend with her.
The Lord knows my desire to have children of my own, but until then, he has given me the biggest priviledge to love on precious children here in Zambia who are either double orphans or single orphans. I don't know why God has chosen me, but I am so thankful and humbled that He chose me and has blessed my heart so much with these children!!!
Even though I am not officially a mother, I feel like God has given me a small peek into the heart of a mother's love for her children. I know how much my heart completely LOVES these children that live on the other side of the world from me, and that the depth of the heart of a mother is greater than one can imagine!!! Only second to the love that comes from our Heavenly Father, my prayer is that everyone can feel the love that comes from a child!!
Lord, thank you for Your unconditional love you give us and thank you for the love that comes from these precious children and the precious children at home too!!