Alyssa in Rwanda Update

From Alyssa Holladay, GracePoint's first supported missionary:

To my dear and wonderful friends and family,

Ok, so I thought I would try to make a new, spiffy looking update letter in order to make up for the fact that I have not been regular about sending updates. However, part way into making this spiffy letter, I decided that it was taking too much time and that if I took much more time I wouldn't actually send out an update! So, this is what you get for now!

Even though I have not sent out a letter for a long, long time, I am going to try to keep this brief. I am hoping to truly start sending monthly updates and keeping them brief so that they are manageable. So, here you go, an update and ways to be praying.

· I still absolutely love living in Rwanda. At this point it truly feels like home and sometimes I forget that I am living half way around the world from what I have known all my life. PRAY: that as life becomes more and more normal that I will still be sensitive to the things God wants me to notice and learn here. Sometimes as life becomes more “normal” it becomes easier to miss these little, yet important, moments of life.

· Teaching Kindergarten continues to be a great experience and a challenge. I am so grateful for the experience teaching is giving me and I love being able to pour into the lives of these little five and six year olds. The challenge is simply in having the energy and wisdom for 15 bundles of energy! It is also challenging because my heart is still so attached to the church, so it can be difficult to give so much time to my job. However, that being said, KICS truly is a great school and is wonderful opportunity. PRAY: that God will give me wisdom each day in how to teach and the passion for educating each one of my students.

· Church continues to be one of my favorite places! I am continually grateful for the amazing relationships I am developing here. I know I am making friends for life! I am currently working on a monthly church newsletter that you will also receive once I get it done :-). I love just helping in the little things (church finances, membership records, Powerpoint every Sunday, running errands, etc) as well as trying to shape and start some of the bigger things (like trying to help establish the children’s ministry!). PRAY: that God will continue to bless Divine Destiny Church, that I will have wisdom in how to best serve the church here, that as I seriously plan towards returning next year God will guide those details and decisions and that I will never forget that ALL of this is simply to serve our King.

Well, I promised a shorter update and I am soon to break that promise! So, today may you truly know the depth and power of our Lord’s love.

~Alyssa

Holladay Weekend?

That's not a typo... I'm talking about Alyssa Holladay, a recent college graduate who attended GracePoint from the very beginning. Maybe you remember her with a bunch of other college students in tow, or serving in KidsTown. On her last Sunday with us, she shared how God has called her to make a difference in our world by going to Rwanda. To jog your memory, go here and listen to her (she shares her story near the end of that message, so fast forward to near the end where you can listen to her story. That is, unless you want to listen to the whole message!).

Well, recently Alyssa sent out an email where she announced that she's on her way to Rwanda where she'll be teaching kindergarten at the International School in Kigali. In her own words, "It is amazing how God has provided this opportunity that both helps with my financial needs and allows me to be more established for the year in the country."

So let's pray for her and her needs during this first year for her in Rwanda. Pray that God would raise up all she would need for her finances. Pray for God to strengthen her and empower her to do what he's called her to do there. Then continue to pray specifically for her and her needs throughout this year by staying up to date with what God is doing in and through her on blog.