“My God will richly fill your every need in a glorious way through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19

Hi!  My name is Jenny, and I’m really grateful to Jen for allowing me to take over her blog momentarily! (Not like I gave her much of a choice…just keeping it honest, here).

I have known Jennifer for a few years now, and I have truly enjoyed the opportunity to spend a little more time with her recently as she prepares for this summer in Guatemala!   Every time I am with Jennifer, I am inspired to love God more passionately, to pursue my relationship with Him more intimately, and to serve Him with greater abandon.  The people of Guatemala are in for a real treat, don’t you think?

With only a few short weeks before Jenn and her son Jake depart for their summer in Guatemala, I asked her if I could share a little bit from a friend/prayer supporter perspective.  Seeing as that’s what we all are here (Friends, family, supporters, encouragers of this amazing family!), I feel like I’m writing to my own close friends right now!

I had the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer about a week ago, and I asked her to give me a glimpse into what she still needed to do to prepare to spend the summer serving the Lord in Guatemala.  It was an eye-opening experience for me.  I mean, I’ve been on some missions trips before.  Short term ones, though.  A week or so.  And someone else was always “in charge”.  I was mostly responsible to pay my deposits occasionally as the anticipated trip drew near.

So, to see a glimpse of this “behind-the-scenes” work has really knocked my socks off.  And made me realize that it’s pretty vital for her community of supporters to know about the ways that we can help them meet the outstanding needs they have these last few weeks.

Let me start by saying that I was surprised (and am sure you might be, too) to know that it’s really not just all about financial support.  Granted, it takes money to pack up all your belongings, fly to another country, live, eat (and feed and clothe a teenager!!!), give generously while there, and then transition back home…

But it takes SO much more than dollars.  I don’t write that to make the task seem daunting.  In fact, during my little meeting with Jennifer, I couldn’t help but get excited when I saw the varied needs she was facing.  It made me feel as if all of us, with our own unique experiences, talents, resources and connections really could do something to meet their needs!

Let me explain:

For instance, Jennifer & Jake will be moving out of their current home before they leave on their trip.  Therefore, boxes, packing tape, and people with time and muscles will be greatly needed in a few weeks for Moving Day!

They’ll be storing their possessions in a storage unit for the summer months, and finding the right place at the right price is also a very big need and prayer request right now.

To cut down on their living costs while in Guatemala (and because some things are just so much cheaper to buy here), they’ll be bringing a majority of their toiletries and consumables with them.  That means that deoderants, toothpastes, toilet paper, hair products, some clothing, etc. will need to be purchased and packed to travel.

Familiar snack foods will provide comfort and a “taste” of home, and they plan to bring some non-perishable foods along for that reason.

When they return from their two month trip serving the Lord in Guatemala, they will need to move back out of storage and find a place to live.  And Jennifer will be looking for a new job in her career field as a CNA.

Whew!  It’s a pretty substantial list, right?
But this is why I get so excited!

I know first, that God has already gone before Jennifer & her son and prepared the way for their trip.  I know that HE knows their every need (even the ones she hasn’t thought of yet!).  And I know that, as the Scripture at the beginning of this post says, God will richly fill their every need according to His glorious riches!!

And I believe he’s going to use each of us in our own way to be a part of that supply chain!

Who knows, perhaps one of us just happens to know the manager of a storage facility or could stock up on peanut butter during their next Sam’s Club run.   Or maybe you have a Saturday morning to offer your packing skills, or the desire to make a financial contribution for those last-minute needs that may arise.

So, my request is that each of us takes a little bit of time to peruse the ideas mentioned above and see if one of those areas might be a place God could use you to serve them!

Jennifer’s going to be adding a detailed list of her needs to the blog in the next few days, so keep an eye out for that.  And if you attend Calvary Baptist Church, you can stop by the missions desk beginning Saturday, May 19 to pick up a hard copy of the list.

If you have any questions, I would love to help answer those or point you in the right direction.  I can be reached most effectively at thedunlapfamily@gmail.com

God’s amazing character ensures that any little thing we do in His name and for His glory will yield BIG results!  I’m excited that we all have the opportunity to be a part of it!

Jenny Dunlap