Dear Family and Friends:
It is with great excitement that I write this email because of a recent opportunity that has been given to me. I have been asked to serve in Haiti for one week (4/17 – 4/24) along with a team of 6 other people. We are going under the California Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief organization (much like the Red Cross but comprised of Southern Baptist churches). We will be going in to do demolition and cleanup work, as well as moving and distributing food supplies that many of the Southern Baptist Churches have donated through an effort called Buckets of Hope (It will be pretty amazing if I actually get to handle the 60 buckets my church put together for this effort). As far as I know, we will be camping at the site where we will be cleaning, and I am not too sure the conditions or what to expect there.
Many of you may have already heard this news, but for those who have not, I would still consider it “news” because I was only asked last Thursday, and decided to go on last Friday. The past week, I have been making the necessary preparations to be able to go to Haiti, and I realized because everything was coming together so well that this is truly God’s will for me. There have been absolutely NO major setbacks as I have been in the process of preparing, and being much of a worrier myself, I found peace knowing that God was taking care of me every step of the way.
I wanted to take this chance I had before things get hectic again to send out a support letter. I thank all of you for your partnership in this short-term mission trip I am embarking on, and when I get back I will definitely give you all a full debriefing on everything I can. For now, here are a couple praises and prayer requests:
- Praise God for opening this door and calling me to Haiti, especially when I’ve been feeling the compassion and burden to help those who are in need.
- Praise God that the preparation process has been going so smoothly, and as of right now, I am pretty much all set to go.
- Pray for the people in Haiti. Even though the earthquake struck over 3 months ago, it will take many months to rebuild their country to a new “normal”.
- Pray for the Haitian government, that they would serve their people and that there would be less corruption and greed.
- Pray for the area we will be working at, and the Haitian people there that we will be able to minister to them through our love for Jesus Christ.
- Pray for all the helpers, both outside and in Haiti, making these Disaster Relief efforts possible. Without their help, we can bring no HOPE to the Haitian people.
- Pray for the team that we will be physically and emotionally ready to do the work we are called to do.
Some of you expressed interest in supporting me financially. If you want to support me financially as well, please let me know individually (before or after I leave), and I can help you with that. Please feel free to forward this email to any others (and sorry if you got this email twice). If there are any more details you wish to know, feel free to ask me! Thanks again for your support! I am anxious yet excited to go as this will be my FRIST Disaster Relief response. =)
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ~Numbers 6:24-25.
Blessings,
Nick Tam