Mission work

My niece, Regina Jones, has found a very special calling. Her courage and strength are continuing to amaze me. I am so proud of her. We received this message recently . . . If you can help, I promise you won’t regret it.


Greeting in Christ!

This has been an amazing year for me, particularly in regards to my journey of faith. What a great adventure this life is!

Many of you can look back and remember when I decided to relocate to California after graduate school. I knew I wanted to move to Southern California but I had no idea where I was headed. I quickly found a job working as a therapist with adolescents and their families and I thought that I had found my “calling”. This wasn’t a surprise to anyone, considering my personal history and education. I also found a home church, The Crossing, and began attending every Sunday. Church helped me deal with my overwhelming feeling of homesickness and I got involved with a group that serves in El Nino, Mexico. One Saturday a month, the group goes down to paint houses, play with the kids and be in community with our friends in Mexico. I know some of you were thinking, “Yeah right! Our Regina, painting houses?!” Believe it or not, I the first time I went was one of those moments that people talk about - one of those moments where in an instant a whole life changes. Not only do I now spend one Saturday a month in El Nino, Mexico, but I even joined the build team which goes down for the weekend to build houses. I can even do drywall now!

Through Mexico I made a friend who was going to Africa and for some reason he felt compelled to ask me to join him. His team was traveling to Zimbabwe to take food, medicine and The Good News to people in Gwayi River and the surrounding villages. This is where I said, “Yeah right! No Way.” Even so, I prayed about it and something inside me was curious. All of you know that I ended up going…kicking and screaming the entire way! When I landed in Zimbabwe I was overwhelmed with emotion. When I remember back on how I felt, I’m ashamed. I was angry and I wanted to be anywhere except where I was. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I knew that God was going to have to soften my heart in order to help me make it through the trip. Needless to say, I was not a joy to be around.

While in Victoria Falls, we met the boys in this picture. I would love to say that immediately after meeting them, my heart was softened and I was ready to serve God in whatever way I was called…but that would be a lie. I still felt sorry for myself, knowing I was expected to spend the next two weeks in the African bush. It was not until the next day, when I was wandering around and praying for clarity, begging God to show me why he had brought me around the world, that I was finally able to hear God’s voice. I will never be able to articulate what this was like for me in a way that would do Him justice; however, in that moment my entire life changed.

On November 19, 2005 I asked God for answers and He led me back to the parking lot where I saw these boys sleeping, curled up with one another trying to stay warm. At that moment I heard, “These are my children that I love so much. They are hungry.” So we ate. We spent the next hour in a restaurant eating Sadza and stew while we talked. I learned the heartbreaking stories of how these boys were orphaned. They ate until their stomachs were full and I promised them that I would return on Thursday (our Thanksgiving) and we would eat again. I don’t know if they believed me or not, but I know that they had hope.



On Thanksgiving,
our team hosted a party with these boys as the guests of honor. It was the best night of my entire life. There was a moment where I took a step back, out of the busyness of that day and all of the preparations for the party, and saw these children laughing, singing, and dancing with a group of seven misfits from California who were loving them the way Jesus taught us to. Right then, I knew that in someway Victoria Falls would always be home to me – that these people would always be my family.

I have been given the honor of returning to Africa this spring. I will be spending time in Zimbabwe and Zambia, working with ROCK of Africa to deliver medical supplies and open an orphanage. This will give me the opportunity to spend more time with these boys and many other children who wake up every morning in a country with so many challenges.

This is not at all where I pictured myself two years out of graduate school but I know that God’s plan is perfect. This is a huge faith step for me and I am asking for your support. I ask that your prayers are with me during this time. Please continue to pray for my safety, my travels and my health. Pray for the people I will meet in Africa as well as for these wonderful twelve boys who are responsible for my return. There are so many details to work through and you will receive bi-weekly updates while I am in Zimbabwe. Please also keep my family in your prayers, as they are also taking a leap of faith by sending their “baby” off to Africa.

There are many costs associated with this ministry. Simply, I need your financial support. My service in Southern Africa will begin April 5, 2006. I am trying to raise $5,000. This support will go towards both my living expenses and ministry tools: travel, food, communication, transportation (gas), health insurance, Bibles, supplies for the orphans, and much more. Please pray about contributing to this ministry and my efforts. If you would like to contribute financially, please make your checks payable to “ROCK of Africa” and send them to 20382 Venus Circle, Huntington Beach, CA 92646. Please put my name in the memo line for record keeping. You can also donate online at www.rockofafrica.org.

ROCK of Africa has another trip coming up in July and I would love to encourage you to check out the website and pray about traveling with us! I have several friends from Michigan who are coming and I would love for all of you to be able to experience this beautiful country! I know that many of you receiving this letter are responsible for partnering with me in my last trip as well as on my faith journey and I so appreciate all of your prayers and wisdom. Thank you for your support, either in the past or the future.

In His name,


Regina Jones


http://www.rockofafrica.org/SendMeLord/index.html

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