Ten days...

Yesterday my trip became officially official official. I got my pre-trip packet of a couple info booklets, my itinerary, my ID lanyard and my tshirt. Woot woot. :)
It's 10 days until I leave. It's really getting close. :)

It's amazing to see God work through everything: providing my expenses, provided above what I need, providing support of the missions trip through my youth pastors and parents and respected adults.

It's also great to be blessed with parents who are so supportive of this. Doing things to ensure aspects of the trip, sacrificing financially to enable me to do what God wants me to do, and not restricting me from God's will for whatever reason.


I just have a few more projects to do before my departure and I'm all set! :)

Oh! The issue with Papa John's... well, they still haven't sent the check, so BCI has allowed me to go ahead and pay and then transfer the funds to my other sister who is planning to go sometime soon.

Thank you for praying.

In Christ Alone,

Kevin Barrick

One month, one day.

I figured it's about time to begin updating this blog more often as I near my departure date.

It's been a long pre-journey. I began to consider going on this missions trip probably January or February of this year. Maybe sooner. It started out slow. I had no idea if this was what God really wanted or another one of my "mission ideas" that never happened. But as the months passed it was clearer. Everybody I looked up to was in support of it; God began providing money; and I got a clearer concept of my mission.

Two 2-day yard sales, one spaghetti supper, and several trips to the flea market later and I'm just right on the verge of having my financial requirements met. I'm waiting on a check from Papa John's (HEY! They're doing a benefit day today, Dec. 1. 30% of all online orders through the Kings Mountain branch will go toward my trip costs). Once I get that check, I will be able to pay the remainder and be set.

God has showed me a few specific things He wants me to do already. The major one, obviously, is teaching sign language to Fekerite, a deaf girl in the BCI Academy. I will also be teaching her biological brother as well as her foster mom and family. And when possible, I'll be teaching the staff sign language so they can communicate with Fekerite while I'm away.

It was definitely encouraging to hear that they are excited for me to come to teach them. :)

In addition to sign language, I will be teaching basic music theory. God has gifted me with the ability to play the piano and the opportunities to take piano lessons from at least two people. I will be able to take those things and in turn teach the children there basic music theory. Obviously I won't teach them much, but I'll teach them what I can and as much as much as I can teach and as much as they can learn.

With that, I hope to bring a portable, roll-up piano with me. It is a good tool to have while teaching and for them to maintain the music education. In addition to the piano, I'm hoping to drop-ship a box of recorders/flutaphones for them to use as well.

The third and final thing that God has directed me to do beforehand is to help in a Bible Club.

I can't wait to go. :)

It has sneaked up on me. I'm so used to thinking and saying "I'm going to be going on a missions trip." Now it's "I'm going on a missions trip." Before I know it, I'm going to be saying "I'm on a missions trip."

I can't wait to see God work. In my life and the lives of those over there. I can't wait to see God in the faces of those who aren't caught up in the meaninglessness routine of TV or the internet or fashion or society. I can't wait to learn the lessons that wait for me in the lives of each person God brings to my path, or me to their paths.

It's an amazing feeling. Not because of what I'm doing, or who I am, or what I am. But because of God.

God has provided most of my financial needs directly. The 2 yard sales covered about 1/2. The dinner covered about 1/6. Everything else came from donations.

This trip is all God. Sure I have "abilities" to offer, but they were all given to me and nurtured by God. It's amazing to see how he's 100% supportive of this trip. Even before I knew about going.

I can't wait to go learn and teach, minister and be ministered to, love and be loved, encourage and be encouraged. I can't wait for the nights I stare at this blog, unable to express the amazingness of the God I serve.

I'm not naive to the inevitable struggles that are to come. I'm doing something for God, of course there will be road bumps. Of course I will have things go wrong. Of course Satan will try to derail my efforts. But I have a God who is greater than the god of this world. I have a Father who will only let things happen to my benefit and growth. I have a Friend who will be closer to me than I am to me.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts our fear.

If I am to do this, I am to do it in love. And with love as my purpose and driving force, there can be no fear because it will be cast aside.

So, I will focus on the positive and excite myself about God. About all that he will do on this trip.

In Christ Alone,

Kevin

It's official

I haven't posted here in a while. Wow.

Just wanted to stop by and give a few updates.

First off, I'm officially accepted by BCI to be a part of this missions trip. :)

Also, I'm planning a Spaghetti Fundraising Dinner Nov. 10th. All are welcome to come. For information about the specifics, just email me. (kevin2ethiopia@yahoo.com)

Yard sale!

This Friday and Saturday I'm having a yard sale to raise money for my mission's trip. I have a lot of stuff, and for that I praise God. :D It has taken over my house, which is a good thing. :P

So, if you are in the neighborhood, please be sure to stop by. If you know me personally, then you can check out my mom's facebook page for more information about where it will be at.

If you aren't local, then I ask that you pray God will work amazingly and provide supernaturally. There has been a pattern of storms for the weekends since the middle of June here, so it would be awesome if God held off the storm.

(I'll make a entry about this later, but--)
It looks like I will not be going to Ethiopia in October, but instead I will be going, Lord-willing, in January of 2012. It has pros, and not really any cons. So I'm not worried. I had an opportunity to take a sign language class in the meantime at a community college here, but Pell Grant wouldn't be approved in time or something, so I didn't really want to gamble with payments. But this gives me an opportunity to find a job here in my city to earn money for the trip, and perhaps set some aside for college if possible. With being out of my youth program now, I'm not tied down to church activities(beyond worship services) so I can be more freely committed to my job and not have to juggle between the two.

That's pretty much the latest news about my trip. Some of you may remember my mentioning an opportunity to work at a deaf camp during the month of July. I was able to work there in the kitchen. I learned a lot about myself and about God. A lesson definitely brought back with me is the fact that when things are placed in His hands, His will will be done; it's only when we take matters into our hands that things get screwed up. So I'm trusting Him for guidance and provision in all matters of my trip to Ethiopia.

Beyond that, I would like to ask you to pray God would continue revealing to me His will in regards to my Ethiopia trip. There are still a few uncertainties, but I know God will reveal to me what He wills when he wills. I ask you that you would pray that I will be willing to do what He wants and that I have the strength to do what He wants.


Thanks for praying.
--Kevin B

Praises and praises.

So, I held another flea market this past Saturday. Since last time we sold a lot of cookie bars, we decided to bake mostly those.

That morning, I went into the sheds to find more kid books to sell and loaded them into the van. We got there a tad late, and found every table at the front taken, so we had to go to the rear of the property.

Despite being "out of the loop" of the other tables (which we didn't really turn out that way because there was a parking lot up a hill directly in front of us), God provided well. The most so far, actually: about $83.

I even got to sell 2-3 of my duct tape wallets. :)


Another praise: One lady who stopped by our table informed me that she was selling rolls of duct tape for $2 each at her table. After we packed up the table, we stopped by her table to see what duct tape rolls she had.

I had been wanting a blue roll to make some blue wallets. So she led me to her van that had a box of them beyond the few that she had placed on the table. I was able to find a blue roll as well as a yellow roll(The most used color when making Ethiopian flag colored wallets). She then told me she had another roll, but it was nearly out(little less than half) and she gave it to me for free. It was a zebra pattern. So maybe trendy teens will want to buy a zebra-patterned wallet. :P

But, the lady, knowing what I was selling the wallets for, sold the two rolls to me for a dollar a piece. :D (Regular price with a 40% off coupon is $2.90)

YARD SALE!

This is mainly a "service announcement" to those who live near me.

I am hosting a yard sale at my house in late May or Mid-June. All proceeds will go to my missions trip to Ethiopia.

I would like to ask you to donate items for this yard sale. Spring cleaning perhaps has left you with boxes of knick-knacks and other space-consuming items, or maybe you have collected stuff over the years and haven't used them, or maybe you have clothes that your children have outgrown. Well, consider donating them to my yard sale. I will be accepting donations until the day of the yard sale.

Assuming those who read this that are near me would be those that attend my church, if you have items you want to donate then just come see me at church.

Thanks for your consideration and prayers.

-Kevin

It's been a while...

Well, I tend to find myself preferring to clump things together unless they stand out from the rest(that is, if it would be of interest to others to have those stand-out things have their own entries...)

Anyhow... I went to the flea market last Saturday. I hadn't been there since the first time. A lot of stuff seems to be happening on Saturdays that take me away from flea marketing(and other things. :/ ) But that's life?

Well, at the flea market, we spent about 3 hours selling stuff(We actually brought some books we kept in our sheds for a while; along with some baked goods and my wallets.) (I had a piano recital, and it had been raining in the early morning, or else I'd probably have stayed longer.)

From that experience, I received about $45. ($3 of which came from my first wallet sale. I decided to throw out random numbers between 3-5 until I snagged a customer. =P )

Then I received $46 from someone from my church.

Then I received some money from a fellow person who went to Ethiopia(not with BCI).

OK, I have an announcement, but I want to separate them. Hmm, I actually have two. So, I'll post one here and then the next one in a separate entry.

In my first couple of entries I told you guys I was going to Bill Rice Ranch during the month of July for an opportunity to work there among deaf people.

Well, just recently God seems to have opened another door. If all works out, I'm thinking I will be serving as a volunteer/intern for one month(July) at Silent Word Ministries in Trenton, GA. It is also a deaf ministry, but with this I will be able to help with computer related stuff.

They are converting from some word processing system to Open Office. I am familiar with Open Office(I used it for everything). So I would be working with that, probably primarily since it is apparently very time consuming.

I also might be able to work with video editing. Recently I have become interested in videography, and this would give me a learning experience for it. (My dad is savvy with video stuff, so he can teach me the basics so I can work there without having to be trained by them.)

It sounds like a really cool and great opportunity, and I think I'm going to walk through that door until God closes it.

Praise the Lord, Again. :D

So, interesting story. I was in the car, waiting in the nice weather for my dad and brother to get out of school. During that time two things happened. The first:
I received, through a round about way and not really sure if I should go in detail, $100. And then about $45 from other sources.
So, in one day God provided $145. :)

And the next part:
Well, when Dad pulled into the parking lot after going to McDonalds to get him something to eat and me something to drink, he parked in the shade on the opposite side of the lot he usually parks at.
Well, the car next to us had a bumper sticker for a Christian radio station.

Eventually as I sat there alone God nudged me to place one of my business cards on her windshield.

I kind of fought it off, but began to plan out how to go about doing it. I decided I would write a letter explaining myself a little bit and that I figured she was a Christian and would pray for my missions trip.

Well, I finally went to the back of the car, got out a notebook, and began to jot down a letter. I then realized I didn't have a paperclip, so I begin looking around for something. Inside my dad's bookbag was a pad of post-it notes.

I got on, tore it in half (width wise) and attached my card to the letter(folded like a business letter). How I attached it was I folded a portion of it over the side of the letter and then connected the bottom of the sticky note to the paper, and then sort of folding the non-sticky part under the card as a pocket.

I went to the windshield and attached it.

As the time went on the wind blew hard. Really hard. I figured if God wanted me to put it on there, then he will protect it from the wind. I felt like Miriam and her mother putting Moses in the water. lol.

I eventually chided myself that constantly looking at it when a gust of wind blew was not trusting but was worrying. So I reclined and closed my eyes. (I was trying to take a nap in the nice weather.)

Well, I sat up a few minutes later and looked at the car and noticed the card was missing from the letter. I sighed and reclined again, figuring God didn't want the card attached.

I looked back again and noticed a little blue piece of paper attached to the tip of the hood. Upon closer inspection through my rear view mirror, I realized the folded portion of the post-it note was attached on the outside of the hood and the card was safe just inside the top of the hood.

The wind continued to blow, but the card stayed in place and the letter just rustled.

Eventually the lady who owned the car came to her vehicle and entered. She closed the door for only a short while before opening it again to get the letter off the wipers. (I'm reclining so I wouldn't look like a stalker).

I then heard her close the door again, start the engine, and then idle. I assumed she was reading the letter. A few minutes passed and she cut the engine and left her car and started for a campus college a parking lot up.(It houses the library, a couple of stories of classrooms, and the gym.)

I don't know where she went, but I doubt she just went to her car, turned it on for a few and then turned it off to enter the building as part of her routine.

God Answers prayers. :D

Ok, so Saturday I went to help my sister host a yard sale around where she lives to earn money for her trip to Ethiopia. She had never done one of these, so she wasn't sure how it would turn out. She said she thought if you made it out with a few hundred dollars that you made it good.
She asked for donations from her church and others for things to sell. A lot of things were donated(A WHOLE LOT OF CLOTHES!) and a lot was sold.

My sister, Jasmine(The one not going to Ethiopia), said she was praying for $1000 profit. (So was another friend of theirs.)

I, too, prayed that day when I heard about that goal. And I am pretty sure each of us expected God to answer it. Perhaps even to the point where we could thank him beforehand for answering it.

Well, we started the yard sale around 6am and stopped(probably mainly due to the wind) around 2pm. (The wind was blowing everything down, we had to tie the clothes rack to the awning frame. lol)

By the end of the day we made it out with over $1100(Perhaps closer to $1300 once a few other items are paid for).

It was a great(and fun :D ) day. God showed up and blessed. He showed himself awe-some and amazing. (Goosebumps).

-Kevin

:D

I received my money yesterday for helping a youth leader out at her job at cleaning H&R Block offices. ($70)

It's awesome how God keeps sending me to the bank to deposit a check or other cash. :)

Tomorrow I'm going to my sister's to help out with her yard sale. She, too, is going on a Missions trip to Ethiopia in October. But she will be staying for two years when she goes. Click here for her story. :D

Nothing more to really update you guys on. A prayer request would be that God would give me opportunities to raise money(Flea market or anything else) during April. The days I would be going to the Flea Market(Saturdays) are filled this Sat, next Sat, the following Sat seems to ring a bell of something. That leaves the 23rd and the 30th. Then it's May. That also has at least one Saturday booked, but I may be able to hand out some business cards during one of those days in May. :D I'll be passing tons of people anyhow.

Anyhow, sorry for the rambling. =P

Ooh, I almost forgot. My mom subs at the local Elem. schools often and she was taking to one of the teacher's aides about my missions trip. The aide began asking if I was musically inclined or could sing, and mom told her that I could play the piano. The aide then explained that her church takes up a lot of love offerings to teenagers going on missions trips. From what I recall my mom telling me, she said the aide said she would talk with her church and see if I can come give a presentation (plus slideshow?) of my calling. I might be able to do a special number on the piano. *Shrug*


Yep, that's it for now. Thanks for your prayers. :)

My business cards.

I don't believe I shared photos of my cards, so this is what this entry is about.

They were designed by my friend Bette Anne. (Lol, I hate when my fingers don't type what my brain is thinking. This parentheses is for who saw the name-typo. :P ) She did a really good job on the cards. (The photo on the back was taken by my other friend, Rebecca, who got me started on the wallets.)
















The front.














The back.



-Kevin

Update on Fundraising Event

Ok, so this morning I went out to the flea market to sell stuff for my trip to Ethiopia as I stated in the previous entry.

Well, no one bought the wallets, but there were interested people. I'm not too discouraged about it. A few people showed interest. But a lot of the other people were old(er), uninterested in such young fashion. (:P )

There were three baked good items. Muffins (Blueberry and banana), Mint Chocolate chip brownies, and rice krispy treats. The muffins were a good idea in light of it being early morning, and the brownies were sold out by the end of my time there.

All in all, I sold $17-some worth of baked goods.

I handed out my business card to most people who bought stuff, and also people who didn't buy anything from me.

I set up a jar for donations, and from that I received $13 dollars.

The rain began to fall around 9am, so we had to leave. (We didn't have a canopy or anything.)

Now for a couple of praises and an interesting story.


How it worked was we went to a table, claimed it, and at 8:30am the owners would collect the money for the booth. As he went to my table, I reached to get my wallet and he asked what my sales were for. We told him that it was for a missions trip, and he said I didn't owe him anything.

The fee wasn't much, but isn't that awesome that God worked it out that I didn't have to pay? :D

The second praise: The rain didn't come too soon.

The third praise is the one with the interesting story.

This lady walks up and I offer my card. Interested, she asks a few questions. She was obviously thinking something, and then asked me how long I was staying. I told her until lunch time. She then says in a hushed voice that she would be back with a check.

About half an hour later she returned with her check book. She then tells me how she woke up this morning and felt God wanted her to go to the flea market. She explained how she had dialogue with herself that it was supposed to rain. She got in the car and drove toward the flea market. Before the turn off, she thought to just continue and go to the next city over and not turn to the flea market. She said she still felt like she should go to the flea market.

She handed me a check for $100 and wished me Godspeed. (In hindsight, I wonder if that's what she was thinking about the first time we met)


So the question begs to be asked. What has God nudged you about that you refused to do? Were you prompted to go to the grocery store?

Sometimes God nudges to do things for our benefit, other times it's for the benefit of others. When that lady followed God's prompting, I was blessed and I was able to get one step closer to going to Ethiopia to minister to the children there.

Perhaps there is someone wanting to go to another country who happens to be down that aisle of the grocery store that God all of a sudden prompts you to go down. Or perhaps there is someone wanting to serve God and only needs encouragement that you can give.

Quench not the Spirit of God.

-Kevin

P.S. I just looked at the name on the check and it had her street address. And wouldn't you believe it? She lives on the same road that I do.

First Fundraising Event: Flea Market

Tomorrow beginning approximately at 6:30am, I'm going to have my first fundraising event for my trip to Ethiopia.

I'm going to sell baked goods (Mint Choco chip brownies, rice krispie treats, and muffins for the early am marketers.) And I am going to sell duct tape wallets. Ethiopian flag colored ones, green ones, and red ones.

I also am going to set up a donation jar for donations for the trip as well as hand out my business cards.

Please pray that God will bless the day. It is supposed to rain around lunch time, pray God holds it off until then or longer. Pray that I chose the right artistic craft to sell.

Also as a note of praise, God has provided some more money for my trip. :)

I'll give an update of what God does tomorrow when I get back. :)

I got my cards!!

I ordered some business cards to hand out with my missions trip that has my email, blog, and fundraising website on it. Today I received them in the mail. :)

I'll put a photo of the box of them later on. :D

God also provided $30.90, as I've said earlier, but it finally came in the mail yesterday. :) I also have $6 more from that website since Monday. And that check will come in on or before the 21st of April.

Also, please continue to pray that God will make known to me his will regarding this trip. In every aspect of the trip, beyond just going there.

I plan on having my first fundraising event this Saturday. :D I'm going to sell those duct tape wallets at a local flea market. Also, I will hand out those business cards and perhaps sell a few other things(concession type things, and an origami kit).
Pray people will buy my wallets and donate for this trip.

Thanks. :D

-Kevin

Another Update

A few things to update you on.

First off, I was able to order 1000 business cards to hand out to people. It has my info on the back linking people to my blog, fundraising website, and my email.

Secondly, I should be getting a check from the fundraising website either tomorrow or Monday(They claim that I should have it on or before the 21st of each month).

Another thing is I have started designing duct tape wallets in the colors of the Ethiopian flag. I plan on selling these for $5-10 to earn money for my trip.

Here are a couple of pictures to show you what they look like.
(Some will be pictures of other designs I've made.)

This one is of the outside, opened up.















And this one is the inside. I put two cards in there to show you what it sort of looks like. These are not amazing quality images, but they give you an idea of what they look like.








If you are interested in buying one, send me an email at kevin2ethiopia@yahoo.com.
Perhaps you don't want one, but you know someone who might. Well, tell them about this blog and about me and the wallet.


That's about it. Please continue to pray that God will confirm his will in my life. And pray that God will supply the money I need for this trip. I need 1/3 of the amount for the two-week initial stay by July. And then another 1/3 in August, and then another 1/3 in September. And then I need to pay the extra payment for my 16-week stay before going in October.

Pray that God will give me opportunities to present my missions trip to people and even churches and that God will give me opportunities to earn the money I need.

-Kevin

Fundraising Update

On the first day I made this blog, I posted a link to an online fundraising program. I had informed you readers that it was where you could buy magazines(for cheap).

Well, I had forgotten to inform you there were other items for sale through it.

A $100 restaurant gift card for $35.

A $50 restaurant gift card for $20.

A tub of different brands of cookie dough for $16+ $4 S&H. (Also, you can buy a combo cookie dough tub(s) for $30+$8 S&H.)

Please consider. Perhaps your friends would love a treat to a restaurant, or perhaps you yourself would enjoy having a gift card of $100 for only $35! Please pass this link on to other people who might be interested.

Beginnings Continued.

Apparently I needed to explain a WHOLE lot more(lol), so I'll give probably a rather long story of...everything, I suppose.

Lol, I really don't know where to start, so I'll just ramble. If things need clarifying, comment so.

I've been on a few missions trip, all beginning in 2006. My church has periodic missions trips (every other year), and every 5th or 6th year we have an overseas missions trip. Lucky for me(Or perhaps it might have been luckier if it had occurred closer to the present), I went on my first missions trip overseas to the country of Spain. I was 12, I think, at that time.

There were a lot of us, perhaps 10-15 people. Even the pastor of our church went with us. We stayed for 10-11 days doing a variety of things. We held a youth rally, went on visitation, did construction type work on their barn where they host youth activities, and did church ministries(sang, performed instrumentally, etc)

For me, though, it wasn't much of an experience because being 12, I didn't really know what to do. I did what I could and what was told of me, but I didn't really grasp a whole lot in regards to missions.

My next missions trip was two years later to Florida to work at my youth pastor's parent's church. This trip was more of a church-ministry outreach type thing. We held a week-long Vacation Bible School, had a youth rally, and went on visitation. (We were there probably 11 days.)

The latest missions trip was two years later (This past July). We went to Pennsylvania to work at a church(I'm not remembering the connection we had with the pastor, but I think he was a graduate of the Baptist college our church is affiliated with in North Carolina). While there we did a mixture of construction-type work and outreach. we were there about 10-11 days as well. We worked in their prophet's chamber, remodeling it, and worked on revamping the outward and inward appearance of the church(Painting, etc). Near the end of the week we held a youth rally, hosted a Sacred Concert of songs by our youth choir, and some served in the children's church on Sunday morning(I actually was a part of this).

So, missions trips are foreign to me, and I have enjoyed them.

As I've said in the initial "presentation," one of my main focuses on this trip is to build a relationship with Fekerite and her family, teaching them sign language--as well as the staff there. Therefore, I will now briefly explain how God has prepared me for that.

I was introduced to sign language by my mom, who used to teach at a Deaf and Blind Institute. When I was growing up, she served at church in the deaf ministry: teaching church-goers sign language and being (one of) the "head-masters" (lack of better words) of the deaf ministry.

So, all throughout my childhood I was exposed to sign language. We went to one church for a short while during my younger childhood, then we moved to North Carolina where we didn't have a great deaf ministry, but the influence was still there. (My mom had tried teaching sign language to my brother and me, but her work schedule and our inattentiveness ended that fairly shortly.)

After three years we moved yet again to another city in North Carolina. There, after a couple of years, my mom and another lady began a deaf ministry. For about a year or so we had a fairly decent group of faithful "attenders." However, eventually that dwindled (due to a variety of reasons, like there being another church that is mainly deaf). We presently do not have a deaf ministry (Though we somewhat maintain contact with those who used to come).

My mom currently teaches at the local Baptist church. She has two different level sign language classes, of which she has been teaching for a number of years. I had the opportunity to audit both classes during my 9th or 10th grade year.

Last year my mother taught at a deaf seminar at the Bill Rice Ranch in Tennessee. I tagged along and took the intermediate course.

I love sign language. During the missions trip to Florida I was even able to use it in one of the services. (We actually had the excitement of possibly having deaf people come to one of the services, but that didn't happy. =/ But the youth pastor still wanted me to interpret one of the songs--for the reasons, I would guess, to give an opportunity for any member of the congregation to invite deaf people they know, knowing there is an interpreter there.)

So, that is my backstory of sign language and missions trips.

Now, to further explain my current prospective missions trip.

My sister one day in January found Blessing the Children International when she was Googling mission trips 'cause she wanted to go on one. She looked into BCI and God directed her and provided for her to go on that. She went in October of 2010 for two weeks. She did a variety of things, met many people, learned of their many stories.

BCI has an academy and a orphanage of sorts. The orphanage is probably more like a safe haven, because the children may still have an aunt or a mother taking care of them. BCI strives to keep families together, which I think is cool.

My sister worked with the children there: teaching songs, helping with schoolwork, playing with them, etc. She developed a love for them. A Christ-like, missions-longing love.

When she returned home, she felt as if she left her family in Ethiopia. The children had stolen her heart. She is now confident God wants her to return to be a missionary where she will spend two years in Ethiopia, and then return to the states for however long as per traveling visas requirements. She wishes not to change citizenship to Ethiopian, because to my recollection you can't have dual-citizenship.

She now plans to return in October of this year.

When she returned she presented the idea of one of us(my family and me) going with her. At that time she hadn't explained that she was thinking about becoming a missionary. But she was planning to at least go again the following year.

That was the first pique of interest. I thought about it, but not really seriously. However, the day she explained she was going to be a missionary, she presented the idea of me going with her for a time. She either then or later told about Fekerite. It was then that I started to become really excited and interested about going.

I began to recount various things in my life that would seem to have been God molding me for this (My whole story relating to sign language).

As time went on, the idea became more of a reality than a thought. I talked to my parents, and they are in support. (Not too keen on the time length, but they're slowly getting used to the idea.) I then talked to my youth pastor, a married couple(youth leaders), my piano teacher(who has gone on several missions trips), and a adult couple I greatly respect and love. Everyone of them is in complete support of this trip. My youth leader said she highly(highly, highly) recommends going on the trip, that it will change my life. That it has a great potential of opening my eyes to clearly knowing what God wants of me(whether it is missions related or not.)

After those conversations I was pretty convinced this is what God wanted. And the four month time length seemed to fit. Two weeks was way to short to be of any help to Fekerite, and much longer than 4 months would be too long for me personally, having just graduated from high school and it being my first real overseas missions trip experience. But, the matter of finances was the only thing that kept me from knowing fully going to Ethiopia was His will.

I still don't know for certain, but I'm feeling pretty confident it is. He has provided already for this trip. A lot of people are praying about this trip(myself included). And there are a lot of doors opening to this. And a sense of peace. For instance, the fact I am going for 18 weeks. Sure it is a long time, but that doesn't really phase me as much as other people(not intentionally) seem to think it should.


A couple of people have asked about my schooling, and how this trip will interfere with that.

My plans for a long time (well, at least 1/2 a year before I began to think about this trip) were to go to a community college for two years to get an Associates of Arts degree. By getting such a degree, I will be able to meet the general education requirements of four year universities in the same state(Articulation Agreement).

I saw it time beneficial, as well as financially beneficial. I will only have to take the courses for my major a the four-year university, and not have to worry about incorporating general ed with it. And at the community college I can get a Pell Grant which will likely cover my tuition and book costs, and even cover driving expenses, depending on the amount I receive.

Since I will be leaving in the Fall, and then returning in the middle of Spring semester, I will be missing a year of college. But frankly, at this time I am not definite on what I will major in. (Another reason I am taking two years of general education.) This will give me time to see what God wants me to do. There are at least three majors in which I have considered taking.


In Ethiopia, I will be staying in a guest house with BCI. I am not quite sure any arrangements, obviously since it is eight months away, but it'll be with BCI.


Oh, I don't know if I mentioned this in the earlier presentation, but this July until August 5th I will be at the Bill Rice Ranch in Tennessee. July 2-31 I will be working in the kitchen pretty much. BRR is a camp that ministers to deaf of all ages. And it also trains individuals in the ministry of serving the deaf.

August 1-5 I will be taking an advanced level course in the deaf seminar, which pretty much is directed to deaf ministry leaders. Since I will be pretty much establishing a deaf ministry there, my mom and I thought it appropriate to take the course.


See? I said this would be lengthy. =P

Please continue to be in prayer. I need it.

-Kevin.

God Owns the Cattle on a Thousand Hills

This is very true. And I see God working in getting me to Ethiopia. (Many instances this week.)

First, I "received" $7.50 from the website mentioned earlier. The reason I used quotes is that I receive profit-checks within the 3rd week of each month. I haven't received the check yet, but so far one item has been sold on the website with a profit of $7.50.

Second, I received a generous amount of money from someone I know. It blew me away. The day after it was "officially" announced that I was going to Ethiopia, someone gave me funding so I would be able to go.

Third, I've been trying to work out some business cards to be able to hand out to people. (Mainly when I have fundraising events so they can see my full "bio" with the link provided) I found this website that offers free cads(250) for only the cost of shipping($10). I would be able to choose from 45 designs and then "customize" it with my text. I had no control over much of it, but I could manipulate it to have the text somewhat where I wanted it.

After coming up with some ideas I showed them to some friends to get feedback. One friend soon informed me of a printing company she uses for her own similar things. They charge $14 for 250 cards, to $15 for 500. The shipping time was significantly shorter than the other company, and was barely more than the other one.

My friend then informed me she would also be willing to design the card(for free).


So, now, depending on how the card looks in the end, God provided me 500 cards for $15 dollars and I'll receive it a lot quicker than the other plan(which would have been 250 for $10).


God will provide for his children. God will also enable those he calls. Everything pointed in the direction of going to Ethiopia (Experience, godly counsel, opportunity) except for the matter of finances. But that seems to be gradually pointing towards me going to Ethiopia also.


-Kevin Barrick

Efundraising.

I found this website that offers magazines subscriptions to a variety of things. The costs of these subscriptions is cheap; and with each item sold I get a commission of the sale. For the first 10 items I receive a 30% profit, and everything after than I receive a 40% profit.

The link is:

http://efundraisingonline.com/KevinB2Ethiopia

If you cannot buy a subscription--or simply don't want to--that's fine. Could you, instead, share this link to your friends and family?


Thanks for your time.

-Kevin Barrick

Beginnings.

I have created blog to chronicle the events of my missions trip to Ethiopia. I plan to update this blog with anything regarding the trip prior to it, and then as often as I can with spiritual nuggets God gives me while I'm over there.

To begin, the name of this blog is a run off of another blog I've had(Which is entitled "Kevin's Bucket o' Nuggets.") I saw it appropriate to keep the theme, while adding the theme of Ethiopia. (I might change it to a common Ethiopian food once I arrive over there. =P )

Let me also give you back story to learning this is (potentially) God's will for me.

Last year my sister(Jonnett) went to Ethiopia in October for a two-week missions trip serving with Blessing the Children International(BCI). While there, the children stole her heart and she feels very strongly that God is calling her to be a missionary over there. Her plans are to leave again in October of 2011 and stay there for two years serving as a missionary. Once the two years are up she will return to the States for a presently unknown length of time then return to Ethiopia.

While in Ethiopia, Jonnett encountered a deaf girl named Fekerite. From what I have been told my sister, Fekerite doesn't know any sign language and her family doesn't either. (And I don't think the staff members of BCI know sign language.)


So, I feel God is burdening me to go there for an extended missions trip(4 mos)beginning in October of this yea and build a bond with the girl, teaching her and her family--and the staff members--sign language.

In addition to teaching sign language, I will serve in whatever manner I can. I plan on bringing all the music I have electronically to be able to play for church services and be prepared for whatever else God wishes of my piano playing abilities. I also plan to bring over, electronically, interesting games and activities my church youth group has played throughout the years.

There may be other areas in which God has for me that I am presently unaware of, but I pray I will be willing and able.


So, that's the story. The entries from here on out will be filled with praise, prayer requests, lessons, and more that God presses me to post. (I already have one in mind for after this one. :D ) (Actually, two. ^_^;)


In the end, please pray for me as I seek to do God's will in this matter. Pray that God will prepare me physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Pray that I will be able to strengthen my abilities in sign language and piano, and that I will be able to practice whatever I may be doing over there here in the states beforehand. (There was a time where I might have been able to do the requested prayer, but things didn't fall into place then.)

Pray that I will learn as many lessons before and during the trip as I possibly can. Pray that I will be able to apply those truths.
Pray that I will be able to choose to be the Christian God wants me to be both now and during the trip.
Pray that I will be a blessing to the children, to BCI, and to those I leave behind in the States.

-Kevin Barrick