Departure Date Announced

I just got word this week of my official departure date:

October 29th for Altlink headquarters to check out.
October 31st I leave for Africa
November 1st, Lo'rd willing, I'll be there.


This means I have 2.5 months left for support raising and 3.5 months left on this continent. Yay!

Hypocrisy Kills

Hypocrisy kills.

Have you really considered that before? I think, perhaps, this is due to the deceitful nature of hypocrisy. It proudly proclaims that the desired outcome has occurred. Whether effectual in deceit or not, the mask of hypocrisy shields the hypocrite from handling reality. 

It’s kind of like planting an artificial flower over the top of a real seeds. Everyone sees the flower and thinks it’s real. Then it starts to fade in the sun and they realize it’s fake. But in the meantime they haven’t been caring for the seeds in the soil. The fake flower required so little care… it hardly seemed to matter whether you watered it or not. But without the life-giving water, the real flower seeds shrivel and die.

Hypocrisy kills. It kills relationships when it claims perfection and then acts out of imperfection. It kills personal growth because the work of maintaining and improving oneself seems superfluous when one can skate by on appearances. It kills honesty, integrity, and a true sense of self. 

Is it any wonder that we detest hypocrisy in others?

But when given the choice, how often do we choose the hard truth?

This is one reason why I’m going to Clove Island. It’s easy enough to send Truth out, a book, a pamphlet, a short-termer. But when the Word became Flesh and lived among us, it meant something more. Dedication, integrity, a stubborn commitment to real life— He lived an example for us of what ministry (service) looks like. And the story doesn’t end with us. It continues with us. It’s for the “uttermost parts of the earth,” right? Of course right. 

Support raising "fun"

With summer underway, I am freshly invigorated to push forward in support raising. To be honest, I kinda hate the process, because it's a whole lot more comfortable to earn my money as I go rather than raise it ahead of time. But hey, the Apostle Paul said that a worker was worthy of their hire, and I've got to find some way to support myself during my 2.5 years on Clove Island. With the L0rd's help, I will have the money to go by the deadline (October deadline for November departure).

What does this mean in practical terms?

-- I have to connect with people. Churches, social groups, individuals, home meetings, whatever it takes, I have to share the vision of my future work and develop partners who will support me in prayer and finances.

-- In order to connect with people, I need help. Do you know a place where I could speak? Cold-calling pastors is a super difficult thing, which can be made easier by you, the local parishioner! Give me a connection, mention my name to the leader person (pastor, small group leader, organizer, what-have-you), tell them about this amazing person who's got a heart for the unreached, who needs help to get there.

-- Do you know of anyone who loves to give, and wants to invest their resources in a dedicated individual who will stewards resources well? Point them my direction. Giving information is located in the "support info" tab above.

-- Please pray: this is a hard process, and it's easy to get discouraged. Pray that G'od would remind me of my calling, that I would make the time to do the support raising, and continue to communicate the vision well. He is faithful, and we can trust Him... but sometimes that active faith thing is difficult.

-- Do you have additional ideas? I'm a one-woman team, and it's a little much to be the organizational instigator, primary motivator, and idea person. So if you've got ideas that could help (and maybe the time to help me make them happen?), let me know. Please.

Well, that's it for this update. If you'd like a prayer card mailed to you, send me an email: abby.turner113@gmail.com with your address. Or I can attached a digital version in a reply.  Also, want to sign up for my newsletter? There's a spot on the right side of this page where you can do that. Just click on "subscribe to my newsletter" and follow the prompts from there.