Long Absence, LONG UPDATE! (Forgive me)

I haven't blogged in a long time, forgive me! Much has happened. I did a lecture phase of Voice for the Voiceless with YWAM at the Kona base I was staying at. My update from that is this: it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Honestly, which I hope is one thing you have come to expect from me. I had a real hard time pressing in. I had a hard time connecting and trusting my fellow students. I struggled to be understood and to understand. I was completely wrecked by the love and grace given to me by so many during that time. I was a mess. However, there was so much growth that came from that time that I wouldn't trade it for the world. I didn't get to go on outreach because I didn't have the funds, which was how I had asked to confirm for me if I was to stay with YWAM or go to South Africa with His People Church.

Now, this opportunity to go there had been slowly presenting itself. I had plans previously to go to Namibia last year, but the connection fell through, much to my disappointment. I kept waiting for God to open doors. During DTS (discipleship training school) I had the option of going to West Africa or India and I heard the Lord say that through PICKING India He would launch me into Africa. So, with much heartache, I chose India. Now, months later look at what is happening! Doors have completely opened for me going to Johannesburg (Joburg)!!! 

So, what am I going to be doing there? There is a lot! I will be very busy for awhile working at a childrens home for children waiting to be adopted. This is their temporary, we pray, home and family prior to these children's permanent family and home. I will work 6 days a week from 7am-6pm. I will also be connecting with the missions pastor there to discuss several other things with, such as a ministry starting up in the business atmosphere, a children's home in DRC, and many other things the Lord has put on my heart. I know there will be many hours of prayer put into these opportunities to see which one the Lord is opening for this time, these are just the ones that he was put on my heart to discuss with them about. 

I will also hope to do some street evangelizing as well. It has been on my heart for a long time to let the people of this country know that God values and loves them so much that he has put them on my heart. He has out their culture, their dreams, their hearts desires on my heart to pray for, intercede for, and cry out for. Not to come and fix their problems, not to come and patronize, or, as a friend of mine has pointed out, paternalize them, but to truly show them that my God is their God and he loves them fervently. I am learning that as a white person I represent a group of people to many Africans. A group that has brought great atrocities, heartache, pain, rejection, and many wrong assumptions about them and their culture. While I do my best to not represent those people, I do simply because I am the same color and from a similar western mindset. It is my hope, after I have learned more about the different cultures in the area of Africa that I will be, to break down some of those barriers. I know this will take a very long time, longer than my short 85 days that I will be there.

My hope for this short trip is to be able to make connections for me to be able to go back for an extended period of time. I do not have enough long term support to stay longer or I would have. However, I want to let you know that I have flexibility with my flight ticket and can extend my time there for a small fee, so if the Lord provides for me to stay longer, than I will. I also have everything I need to apply for a 3 year visa if that happens! 

I also want to inform you of another opportunity with a group that I ahve been with now for about a year. We are a team of people who pray for all 54 countries throughout the year, getting God's heart for each one. It is the start of an organization that seeks to bring God's justice, restoration, and hope to the people of Africa. We will be traveling to East Africa, specifically South Sudan, Kenya, Rwanda, Eastern DRC, and Uganda, this summer and I hope to be a part of this journey. We as a team are still praying about all of this and I will let you know more info later on in future updates. 

Now, I have been home for a little while and God has been working on my heart a lot since I have been here. Restoration has been a big part of it. I have also done some ministering and lots of encouraging to friends here. It's been a wonderful time and I will miss so many dearly! I did not have enough time to see many that I wanted to see which saddens me. I hope that I have more time to connect with you all in the future. 

Some of my prayer requests for this journey are: health, safety, wisdom, open doors, protection, deep connections, easy culture assimilation, and JOY! If you want to be have more specifics on how to partner with me as a prayer covering or a financial sower than just email me at Alicia.Turnock@Gmail.com. There is also a paypal link you can use: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=alicia%2epallesen%40yahoo%2ecom&lc=US&item_name=Alicia%20Turnock&currency_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted
Just copy the link... Unfortunately, I have yet to figure out how to add a button on this site. Blogger changed things up. If anyone knows how to, then help a sister out! :)

Many blessings to you this year! I also want to share a word that the Lord gave me for this year that I do believe is a corporate word: Restored hope and deepened destinies. I believe He is restoring hope to people who have lost it and felt so much warring and weariness this year. Also brining hope to the lost ones as well. I also saw as peopes hopes were being restored that there would be a stepping out into them and as you stepped out that your destinies, dreams, hearts desires etc... would be become deepened, meaning so much more depth than what they were previously. You will be taken deeper into those desires that the Lord gave you and your destinies would literally become deeper and heavier with the glory of the Lord upon them!

Again many blessings to you all and have a wonderful new year! 

Shalom and Love,

Alicia Turnock