July 2009
Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;
And love will bring them safe to God;
Love calls them all from death to life;
And love will finish all their strife.
He loves through every changing scene,
Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;
Not all the wanderings of her heart
Can make His love for her depart
-William Gadsby
Hello!
It has been a great season of learning, resting, and spending time with important people in my life prior to going to Bolivia in August. At the beginning of May, I traveled to Omaha to Word Made Flesh offices for a comissioning service. It was a sweet time full of affirmations and blessings. I drove from Nashville to Omaha and I had a lot of time to think and reflect on what the last couple of years have held for me in graduate school. It was good to mentally process what I have experienced and learned the last two years and to reflect on what is ahead in the next couple of months. I was able to reunite with friends and family in Arkansas and enjoy good times on grandma and grandpa’s farm in Missouri.
I have been spending time in Nashville connecting with friends and turning over some of my responsibilities here in Nashville to other people. I have been thinking through goodbyes that are ahead and I am preparing myself to leave a place that is dear to my heart in so many ways. Nashville has been my home for the last four years. I love so many things about Nashville and am so grateful to spend this season of my life in such a wonderful city.
I will be leaving for Bolivia August 15. I’m still asking you to partnering with me as I go to Bolivia. I have enough cash in my account to get clearance from the office to go, but I still need monthly supporters. Will you considering giving $25, $50 or $100 on a monthly basis? I’m raising $2,000 per month, so if I can get 20 people to give $25, 10 people to give $50 and 10 people to give $100 on a monthly basis I will have $2,000 per month in support that I need to keep me in Bolivia. Even if you cannot give this amount, a one time gift is also welcome.
If you would like to give to my financial needs there are a few ways you can do that:
1. Donate online at www.wordmadeflesh.org in the bottom left corner it says donate, click on that and follow the instructions.
2. Send in the envelope that is included in this letter with a check for the specific amount. Mark my name on the envelope and NOT on the check. If you would like to give on a monthly basis, you can include the automatic deduction form.
I would like to share a few prayer items for you to be praying about:
1. Word Made Flesh staff in Bolivia. There are five other North American staff members and about six Bolivian staff members.
2. Development of Suti Sana (for more information visit www.sutisana.com)
3. Preperation as I go—mentally while I read the reading list (right now I’m reading a book called “Announcing the Reign of God”, physically as I prepere for the COLD and the altitude (13,000 ft.), spritually as the Lord is affirming his calling on my life and as I walk EACH day towards knowing Christ more fully.
4. Saying goodbye— I am saying goodbye to Nashville which holds a lot of difficult good-byes to amazing friendships, great music, great Mexican food, and probably the most meaningful my church home—City Church of East Nashville. I will miss the fellowship and the teaching I have received at City Church so much. I am confident of the way God will provide community and teaching in my life while I’m in Bolivia through His church in Bolivia.
5. visa- I am working on getting a 1 year determined objective visa from the Bolivian consulate in Atlanta. I am working on getting this taken care of before getting to Bolivia. The government has made it difficult to attain misisonary visas, so my status as a social worker will help out.
If you would like to chat more about how you can join me as I go to Bolivia, please email me.
I would like to mail out prayer requests more frequently than I send out the monthly newsletters. If you would like to stay updated on prayer items, please email me alicia.bunch@wordmadeflesh.org and I will add you to my prayer list.
Thank you for your generous gifts— financially, through your prayers and friendship. Peace to each of you and may you come to know more fully the deep love of Christ today.
Peace,
Alicia Bunch