Saturday, June 6, 2009

Safe and Sound!


We have arrived in Campulung safe and sound! We have very limited access to phones and internet. We have met the pastor and many others in the community. We are looking forward to an awesome Romanian worship experience in the morning. More to come later, we are off to dinner with our new friends.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Daily Prayer Guide...

Below is a daily prayer guide of the major planned events. But as you know, sometimes we make plans, then God has his own plan and diverts us or adds an unexpected blessing. We are anticipating God to do many wonderful things in and through us. Our primary goal is to be flexible and see where God is at work and join Him there! We covet your paryers daily and ask that you pray intentionally and specifically for our ministry, our travels, and each individual team member.

Richey and I got word a couple weeks ago that the Romanian pastor wasn't sure he wanted us to teach the marriage workshop. That was discouraging news, but we are prepared to do it, if plans change. Pray that God's hand will be in this. He may have other plans for us to minister in other ways. We are still involved in all of the other ministries. On that note I will say goodbye, as we have to be at the airport in one hour...

Day 1: Friday, June 5
  • Land in Romania & drive to Campulung
  • Get to apartments & unpack
  • Meet Pastor & others

Day 2: Saturday, June 6

  • Meet church members & friends
  • Hospital outreach
  • Buy groceries for needy
  • Dinner with Romanians
  • Planning mtg. for Sunday & Monday
  • (Blythe's Birthday...Romanian style)

Day 3: Sunday, June 7

  • Church- Pastor Randy will preach & team testimonies
  • Lunch with Romanian Pastor & other friends
  • Package groceries for needy
  • Evangelism
  • Planing for Tuesday

Day 4: Monday, June 8

  • Bible Club
  • build playground for church
  • playground fence
  • distribute flyers for outdoor revival
  • (Hannah's birthday)

Day 5: Tuesday, June 9

  • build church playground
  • take groceries to needy families
  • revival in Grui

Day 6: Wednesday, June 10

  • Tourism Day
  • Trip to Transalvania Mtns. & Castle tour
  • shopping in Brashov
  • spend night at Castle hotel in Sinai

Day 7: Thursday, June 11

  • Mtns. & Castle
  • travel back to Campulung

Day 8: Friday, June 12

  • Ministry at Orphanage
  • shop for elderly home repair supplies

Day 9: Saturday, June 13

  • repair elderly homes
  • Kids Bible Club in Grui
  • Goodbye night with Romanian friends, music & testimonies

Day 10: Sunday, June 14

  • Church- Sunday school for kids, music & testimonies, Randy preaching
  • Picnic with the Church
  • pack to leave
  • Otto's travel to Bucharest

Day 11: Monday, June 15

  • depart for Bucharest
  • long flight home (see flight itenerary in blog below)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Flight Itenerary

Please pray for our flights. We are very excited as the departure time nears, however, flying can always be stressful and a great source of anxiety. We covet your prayers for the safety of our flight, peaceful and easy check-in as well as terminal changes, luggage arrival, overall comfort and moving through Customs with ease! Thank for your faithfullnes!

Thursday, June 4th
Depart Charleston @ 1:55pm on Delta #6424, arrive in Atlanta @ 3:10pm
Depart Atlanta @ 6:15pm on Delta #8517, arrive in Paris-Degaul @ 8:35am
Friday, June 5th
Depart Paris-Degaul @ 10:25am on Delta #8536, arrive in Bucharest @ 2:15pm


Monday, June 15th
Depart Bucharest @ 12:20pm on Delta #135, arrive in NYC-Kennedy @ 4:05pm
Depart NYC-Kennedy @ 6:55pm on Delta #1263, arrive in Atlanta @ 9:55pm
Depart Atlanta @ 10:50pm on Delta #1930, arrive in Charleston @ 11:56pm

I ask you to pray over each leg of our flight, specifically by flight number. Remember to lift up each team member, by name, also. God hears the prayers of His people. We will also be praying for each of you that have committed to support us with your prayers and gifts. I am anticipating great things as God moves in and through our team to accomplish His purpose.

To God be the glory for the things He has done,
Shan

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Anticipation

As the trip gets closer I am getting more nervous. I have about five more days. I am hoping that next week will fly by. I am running around the house organizing a backpack that I am taking on the plane. Tomorrow I am going to lay out all the stuff I am bringing.

I am real excited about teaching the orphans about Jesus. Hannah and I will make a lot of friends in Romania. I am also getting stuff together to give to the orphans that I meet. Please pray for me.

-Blythe

Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Art of Packing!

As I sit staring at six empty suitcases, I am overwhelmed with the thought of packing to travel overseas. Our team is meeting Monday night to distribute and pack supplies in our "already packed" suitcases. I know Tuesday morning I will be glad to be packed up early and ready to go, but at the moment it seems rather daunting to be able to get all our clothes, shoes, personals, etc. tucked neatly into those six empty suitcase by Monday.

However, the task of packing doesn't stop with Monday night... I still have to pack up the three Boyd kiddos that will be staying with their "Boop" while we are gone. That wouldn't be so bad, if Riley (my busy 3 yr. old) wasn't trying to help me by "packing" her every belonging in every bag, purse, & backpack she can get her little hands on. So, I just smile at her and thank her for helping mommy pack then I undo her "packing" after she has gone to bed for the night. So far she hasn't questioned why her packed bags are empty each morning, she just starts her task of packing all over again. Gotta love it!

Please continue to pray for us as we tie up loose ends and make all the final preperations for the trip!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Meet the Team...

For your praying purposes, we are listing the team members who are going to Romania:

Terry McKelvey
Stephani McKelvey
Erika McKelvey
Randy Disharoon
Zack Disharoon (youth)
Andrew England (youth)
Matt Frazier
Christina Bolin (soon to be Mrs. Frazier)
Andrew Haslip
Sarah Haslip
Carl Otto
Karen Otto
Hannah Otto (youth)
Becky Whirley
Richey Boyd
Shannon Boyd
Blythe Boyd (youth)
Tom Varno

Please pray for each of us, by name, as we prepare for the trip and as we GO!

Friday, May 8, 2009

OUCH!!!!!

We had to get our vaccinations today. I had to get a typhoid shot. If I could swallow pills I could have escaped the needle, but I can't. I didn't feel it that much until they pulled the neddle out. The neddle was not that long. My mom distracted me by talking about the PASS test while thr nurse injected the shot and I held my dads hand. My leg was sore all day. I had to be carefull walking because it hurt to put pressure on it. But in the end the shot was worth it.

My mom got two shots, Hep. A and tetnus. Dad didn't have to get any. He has had vaccinations before for mission trips. Both of them are having to take the Typhoid pills for a week. Mom is as big a baby about shots than anyone. She was glad the Tyfiod could be taken as a pill. That meant one less shot for her. Yeah!

-Blythe Boyd

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Provisions and Answered Prayers, oh my!

Richey, Blythe and I continue to be amazed at the financial support that has come in toward this mission trip. As time draws near, we are excited, nervous, anxious, amazed, tired, etc. There are a multitude of emotions as we look forward to what God is doing and going to do.

Just to let you know how God is confirming our participation in this mission...

confirmation #1: It has been a prayer of ours (Richey & me) for several years to go on an international mission trip together. Richey has been on many over the past 10 years, but my role has always been one of supporting him. We both have had the desire to serve on the mission field together and have prayed for that opportunity. God has opened that door and answered our long-time prayer through C3's vision to minister to the peoples of Campulung, Romania.

confirmation #2: Richey approached me with the thought of having Blythe join us on the mission trip. My first response was, "na". Primarily, my response was one of financial nature. However, a few days later Blythe mentioned that she "wished" she could go to Romania. When I talked to her and questioned her "wish" she talked about the orphans that she had heard the planning team talking about. I sensed that God had placed a real concern and love for the orphan children on her heart. As we talked with her and began to talk about her going, we learned of a couple that was interested in joining our team and had asked if their 10 year old daughter was too young to go. Blythe is 10 too. I saw God's hand in this as we talked with the other parents and realized that both girls' birthdays are two days apart and they both will turn 11 while we are in Romania. Blythe and Hannah have already started to bond through this and I can't wait to see how this experience will change their lives. Only God knows how he will use them to impact the kids they minister to in Romania and how he will use this trip to impact their own lives, forever!

confirmation #3: Several Monday nights ago, Blythe, Richey and I were praying together over this mission trip and we were specifically praying over the financial requirement for us to go. This was the first time we had prayed together specifically for the financial provisions regarding the trip. The very next day I recieved a call from the Census Bureau and was offered a part-time, temporary assignment. I had taken the the test and applied with the Bureau last December, but had not heard a word from them until this phone call in March. When I realized the assignment would be 10 weeks and end the week we leave for Romania, I added up how much money I would earn and it was just what we needed for one of us to go. Praise God!

confirmation #4: All the face painting supplies I needed for the trip were purchased for me by a wonderful friend and mentor of mine. She contributed toward our trip by providing everything I needed to not only use this medium of ministry in Romania, but also to earn income to put toward the trip. I have already had the priveledge of face painting at our churches "Mission Fest '09" fundraiser and I have been blessed with a couple birthday party bookings. So, if you need a face painter...

confirmation #5: Oh, the financial contributions... I really don't know what to say here, other than, we are humbled by the support we have recieved. For two of us to commit to go, it's a huge stretch, but for three, it's not logical! However, I have learned that God is so much bigger than my logic!! He has blessed us through so many of you! Thank you for you support of us and this mission trip. May God pour out His blessings on you from His ample storehouse!

I could go on... but I will wait for another post to share more with you. It is our prayer that we will be empty vessels, broken and poured out, ready to be used for His glory!

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Mission Fest '09... A Success!!

C3 Mission Fest '09 was a community outreach/fundraiser for Romania.

It began as a vision that God gave a couple people in one of the Life Groups... allow me to give a shout out to Angela and Dusty!!! God placed it on their heart to put together a two fold event that would reach out to our community and raise funds to help offset the cost of supplies and expenses for the Romania mission trip. After weeks of planning and preparing, God blessed our efforts and over $3000 was raised. The oyster roast/pig pickin' was a blast for all who came!

Thank you Angela & Dusty for allowing God to use you and touch lives. You are His hands and feet...

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Face2Face Painting

Shannon will be using face painting as a witnessing tool in Romania.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Letter of Support

This is a copy of the Support Letter we sent out several weeks ago:
C3 Romania Mission Trip 2009
Campulung, Romani
June 4th – 15th


We are writing you with an invitation to partner with us on an exciting mission adventure this summer in Campulung, Romania. Our church, Carolina Christian Church (C3), is sending a mission team of 12 people to Campulung, following God’s call to “take His Word to the nations”. C3 is a new church that just celebrated its one year anniversary in January. We are excited to be a part of this body of believers and even more excited that, as a body, this young church has an incredible passion for taking the message and love of Jesus Christ into our community and the world.
Shannon, Blythe and I are confident God is sending us to Romania for a purpose. We have committed to Him our time, finances, talents and testimonies to share the love of Jesus in a dark and cold part of His world. Our team’s assignments will include community evangelism, kid’s Bible clubs, discipleship in the local church, and ministry care in local Orphanages. In addition, Shannon and I will teach a three night marriage seminar. Blythe will have the opportunity to share her testimony and the message of Christ with orphan and community children using the Wordless Book. She will also help Shannon with face painting, recreation activities and Bible clubs.
You can partner with us in Romania with prayer and financial support. Each team member has committed to raise their financial support and develop a prayer team for this trip. The cost of the trip for the three of us is $6600. We have sacrificially committed our resources to this cost, but must depend on God using people like you to fully fund the needed finances. Most importantly, we are depending on you to hold us up with prayer. Apart from God, we can do nothing. Many times God uses His people to go with Him on mission to reach the world for Christ through others. God is giving you this opportunity to go to Romania through us. We ask you to please pray about how God wants to use you in one of these ways to deliver His message to the people of Campulung, Romania.
If God leads you to go with us through prayer and/or financial support, please complete the response form below. We will send you a prayer guide detailing the daily schedule of the trip and a follow-up report of God’s work on this trip. If you have any questions please feel free to call us. Thank you for taking the time to read about how God has chosen to use our family on mission for Him.

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, ‘Here am I, send me!’” Isaiah 6:8
Dying to live, living to serve,


Richey, Shannon and Blythe Boyd
806-670-7829 or 806-670-4198

RESPONSE FORM
I would like to support the Boyds on the C3 Romania Mission Trip in the following way:

_____ To provide the following financial support in the amount of $___________ gift enclosed.
(Financial donations need to be received by May 20, 2009.)
e-mail:________________________________________________________
_____ To pray daily for the trip and participants, June 4th – 15th, 2009. (We ask you to please include Hunter, Parker, Riley and those caring for them in our absence in your daily prayers.)
Detach this form and mail it with your tax deductible gift payable to:
“Carolina Christian Church”, PO Box 71801, North Charleston, SC 29415
(please write “Boyd/Romania” on the memo line of the check)