i bless the rains down in africa....

Africa is fast approaching. Just like anything else, it has come much faster than I anticipated and I truly find it hard to believe that in 7 days, I will be at the airport ready to go.  I am beginning to pack all the stuff i need, which seems funny because though it seems like a lot to pack, i am taking barely anything for 14 days in a foreign country. 

Our trip got slightly changed just recently. Because of a flight cancellation from New York to Morocco, we will be staying in NY for one day. This is exciting to me because i have never been to New York--there are going to be a lot of firsts. 

Also, i just picked up the video camera yesterday, and I am going to be working on getting the feel for the camera so that i can get the best footage possible. If you did not know, upon returning, i will be making some episodes of our experiences over in Africa! I am hoping through these, other people, along with you, can get a better glimpse into what it is really like over there. 

Financially, God has really pulled through. By using family, friends, even strangers, God has made this trip possible and in this "economic time" (as the big wheels like to say) it is incredible that we have raised the support to move God's kingdom forward. It is exciting that many people believe in the cause and i have a feeling that if people are praying as much as they are supporting through money, our team is going to be able to do astounding things through God. 

If you are praying or supporting financially, or supporting me any other way, I want to say thank you! This trip is a huge deal to me, and for you to be a part of it means the world! I have been and will continue to pray a blessing over your life, for the blessing that you have been to me. 

Now that i have all my random thoughts down here (i hope you could follow a few of them) i will leave you with one of my favorite missionary quotes:

"Christ alone can save the world, but Christ cannot save the world alone."

-David Livingstone

Lord here I am, send me.

The Final Countdown

Honestly, I cannot believe that in just 16 days 18 hours 10 minutes and 57 seconds, I will be inside the airport leaving for Africa! My mind still doesn't quite know how to process all this information. I am very excited to see what God has in stored coming up to the time. As of now, my mind rest on packing, I am still in need of a little bit more money, but God has been providing like crazy for me. I still need to get my medicine for the trip. The biggest thing is getting mentally ready for the trip. 

 

So far the meetings have been really good. I love my team, we are all quirky and fun and i really think that God chose this team because together we will be able to do so much. It will be fun to bond with my fellow team members, and I feel like i will probably always have a connection with these people just because this is really one of my first "real life" experiences, or so it feels. 

 

As for postcards that i promised. I am working on them as quick as i can and hopefully you will receive yours by the end of the week. Meanwhile here are things you can be praying for:

 

-Health for the team before we leave and while we are there

-Finances would be complete

- Our traveling through the airports, everything would go smoothly

- That our VBS and building would go well

 

 

Thanks for all your support! I will try to keep you more updated as the time comes even closer!

 

 

 

Burkina Faso-Facts and Pics

Burkina Faso was originally named the Republic of Upper Volta until 1984 when the president of the country changed the name to its current: Burkina Faso. 

The estimated population is at 13,200,000- though that is only estimated, and the land size of Burkina is about the same size as Colorado. 

Bukina is currently considered the second poorest country in the world. 

It is of French origin although it earned it's independence in 1960 and is currently a semi-presidential country. 

Educated individuals in Burkina Faso speak French while most of the population only knows the native languages, which there are two: Moo`re and Dioula. 

When our team enters Burkina, our missionaries will interpret as well as some of the locals who can. And we have actually been learning some of Dioula in order to speak simple tasks to the people.

                  

Because of the huge poverty rate, much which is due to lack of education, my team is going to be building a Youth Center for kids to come stay at, that won't cost nearly as much. In doing this, our hope is that kids can steadily get an education that will last and possibly move people out of poverty into a more stable place of economy. Also, because the building in sponsored by our Youth Group at church, it will be easy to start conversations with the people about Jesus and it creates a great door that needs to be opened over there. 

If you want anymore information, you can let me know, i will see what i can find for ya!

"Bob, meet me halfway"

There was a man named Bob who wanted to desperately win the lottery. With the economic times that we are in, he had just lost his job and was reaching the last of dollars. He had no choice left but rely on the lottery in order to survive. So every night Bob would go to the TV and pray "God, please let tonight be the night i win the lottery..." and for three weeks, he did not win. Finally, with only a few dollars in his account and no food on the shelfs Bob cries out to God, "Why God??? Why will not allow me to win the lottery" and to his surprise he the voice of God came to him and said "Bob, meet me halfway...buy a ticket"

"Pray as if everything depends on God, Act as if everything depends on you." 

This genius quote really puts me in a position to trust God while meeting him half way. Knowing Africa is fast approaching- 1 month 3 days! woot woot- it is important to give everything up to God. This has been a struggle for me to completely understand because you hear stories of people "completely trusting God" and doing things such as not going to the doctor. Then people die and one asks oneself why God didn't step in. At the same time, we find people who think it is completely dependent upon themselves to make everything better. Both of these are bad ways of looking at life, and until i found this quote, i didn't know if a healthy balance was even possible out there. This quote definitely spoke into my life and has showed me exactly how i am supposed to act. (don't you love those moments were the light finally flicks on) 

Anyhow, i am hoping that i learn to live this way completely. Let's face it, we cannot do anything alone, but we are instruments of God and therefore must use the gifts God has given us in order to honor God in a way that is pleasing to Him.  

faith to move mountains--mountains of money....?

Sometimes i get stuck. Stuck thinking that i actually have the faith that i do not have. As Jason Ostrander spoke at chapel this week at CROWN college, i couldn't help but begin to think of how his message related to Africa. My heart was pulled in so many different directions, it was hard to actually latch on to what i believe, and even now, i am still taking the time to process that all out.

Jasen began to expand on healing, and huge things happening through revival. Coming from a more conservative church and background, i had a little bit more trouble following then some around me. I believe in healing, and Jesus said i could move mountains just by telling them to "get up." This, to me, is sound doctrine--nothing wrong with that.

The thing that i found was hard was the faith. If i can move mountains by faith of a mustard seed, why is Mt. Hood still in the same place? And if i try to heal and God does not show up and heal, what am i to say? I know that if i am going to do anything, i just have to believe it is going to happen, but still i feel that there are some difficult issues that no one seems to be willing to talk about.

I feel as though there is more to healing than just believing and walking up to some random kid with a broken leg and praying. Maybe i am wrong, maybe it just takes simple belief but i sometimes it seems that there is more at work than just that. I seem to wonder about when Jesus heals. Why at that very moment? Some of the guys have been sick for like 38 years, and Jesus comes along at that moment and decides at that time to heal that individual. And we see that a man's faith can heal him, his friend's faith can heal him, Jesus can heal long distance, or can heal you by just touching the cloche. That is crazy to me that there are so many options, yet there seems to be sketchy healings done on TV and around.

I don't want to be a skeptic of God's power, and i don't want to deny the power that God gave his people... i just want to know what is true. In our world, with our society, it is so hard to find truth--even in Christians and that makes it hard to hold onto a belief. really hard.

Now, how all this relates to Africa for me. Right now money has come in, and i am soooo thankful for that support. But i still have a ways to go. So then, what do i do? Do i only pray for the money and sit around? Do i make money for it, or does that show unbelief in God's ability? So i don't know what to do, but pray.

But it is bigger than just that. It is the whole deal of faith. The entire meal deal of healing and prayer, and stopping the sun from going down, and moving Mt. Hood out to Minnesota when i may come to CROWN if the Lord allows (and if i pray hard enough....right?) So I am hoping and praying, and i really do believe that God will show up and show me. I just hope i am open to getting the message that God wants me to get.

Cause hey, at least i have faith in that...right?

Africa Support Letter

 

Hello dear friends and family,

    

I have recently been invited to travel with eight other students and three team leaders to the second least-developed country in the world: Burkina Faso, Africa. I find myself longing to learn from and serve the Burkinabe people in this country known for its extreme poverty and its high illiteracy percentage (25.3). As much as this trip is focused on the people in Africa, it will probably impact me more than anyone. You might be thinking that the money it will take to send me there and back could be spent in better ways to serve these people. However, I believe that this is an investment in the next sixty years of my life and ministry and trust that God will dramatically broaden my view of Him and the world through this experience.

    My team is planning on going to Burkina Faso, Africa (located in the northwest) during this upcoming spring break. Entering a land that is dominated by men and women who are Muslim and others with indigenous beliefs, with only 10% Christian, there is a clear need for not only physical healing but also eternal salvation. In response to these needs the youth groups at Salem Alliance have come together to raise $8000 dollars to build a youth center/dorm in Burkina where African students can come learn. The Burkinabé people are willing to give everything to give their child a fighting chance by means of education; our youth groups are trying to match a piece of that sacrifice by helping build a youth center. When our team goes to Burkina, we will be working on the youth center as well as doing a Vacation Bible School.

Africa has occupied most of my thoughts recently. This passion, along with the call I feel to pastoral ministries (someone who will encourage people towards missions) means that I should have some experience myself with missions. I also know that this trip would open my eyes to many of the things I have otherwise been shielded from. Along with the trip itself, my means of getting to Africa will stretch my faith by my dependency upon the generosity of others. So far, committing to this trip has already stretched my faith drastically and I know over the next three months God will continue to mold me through the planning and prayers.

This trip is not going to be an inexpensive one by any means, but I know that through God, the support will come. The total cost of the trip will be around $3,000. This will include my ticket to get there, and get back (somewhat important) this will also include my food, transportation, and lodging while I am there. To help my raise my $1,000 (which is what I will personally pay) I went through all of November without buying gas, but instead, riding my bike or carpooling with friends and family. If you feel led, I encourage you to sacrifice, maybe not to that extreme, something that you value. I want to invite you be a real part of the trip, whether you would like to support financially or through prayer.

It is important to have people continually praying for our team and so i will be sending a card a bit later that have specific things that we will need prayer for. Otherwise, just pray for financial support, unity in the team, and the hearts of the people that I will be meeting over there. If you would like to support me financially please make a check payable to Salem Alliance Church. Send donations to: Salem Alliance Church, Attn: Susan White (Missions), 555 Gains St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Please include a note designating the funds to "Thomas Clapper, worldIMPACT—Burkina Faso." All donations will be tax deductable and will receive a tax deductible thank you letter.

Thank you so much for being a part of this trip. I am so excited to see what God has in store for my team and me. If you would like to follow along on my journey you can go to clapperman.blogspot.com and catch up on the latest happenings in my life. Thank you again, I look forward to letting you know how the trip went.

Living in His Love,

Thomas Clapper

Done with the broken bike

By the grace of God i made it all the way through November without buying gas. My parents and friends surrounded me and helped me which was so amazing to see. Luckily, when i bought gas, it has been the cheapest it had been for four years, up to that point. so i got it even cheaper by waiting out. I have my support letters i am sending out this week, i just need to do the last revisions and send them out! i am so excited! Also, we are a week away from our second meeting! Crazy! I still do not have my second five-hundred dollar deposite, however i am hoping they will be a bit more flexable with that. I still need prayers! Thanks so much, i will post my letter very soon.

oh, and my bike is broken for now, front brakes are dragging, back breaks aren't touching, so soon i will be back on it! need to get it out to GI Joes and get it fixed (thank goodness for free tuneups)