Archive for the 'Mission Trip' Category

New Mission Trip on the Horizon?

A friend of mine, Kamala Lewis, is a missionary that goes to Belize a few times each year.  She is a dentist in Luling, TX.  God has blessed her with her dentistry gift and she is using that gift to serve God in Belize.  By the way, Kamala and I go to the same church, The Connection Church.  So I was talking with Kamala about going to Belize and using my God given gift to serve there.  She told me that there is a need for technology in the areas that she serves at.  I’m very excited because I may get to go abroad again and serve, but this time Melanie will be going and that makes me even more excited!!!  Be praying for us, and be praying for Kamala because her and a group of our young adults are going to Belize this summer to serve.  God is AWESOME!!!

Wake-up Call

I woke up this morning to my wonderful iPhone buzzing.  I looked at the number and it was a 512 area code, which is local to me.  Then I noticed the prefix was a 938, which is what my MagicJack is.  So I answered it.  It was two of my awesome friends from Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa!!!  David, who is the missionary, and Cedrick, my friend that I met while on the mission trip last year.  He is their IT guru.  It absolutely made my day.  I want to go back so bad.  God Bless you guys!!!

I got them a MagicJack when I went on the mission trip last year.  They finally got some electricity and were able to get some use out of the MagicJack.  I just think that is so cool, they are able to make phone calls to the United States for free!  It sounded great and was awesome.  Their world now has been opened because they can make phone calls to the U.S.  Crazy huh!  With all the technology out there these guys are just now able to use it.  God is AWESOME!!!

A Present from Cedrick in DR Congo

I got this present the other day from my friend Cedrick.  He lives in Mulungwishi, DR Congo.  This dude is awesome!  He has a big passion for Information Technology, but an even bigger passion for God.

From Africa Gift

Here is a picture of me and Cedrick.

From DR Congo Africa – Joe Barnes 2

New DR Congo, Africa Pics from George

George Etheredge and a team went to Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa around the first of Semptember.  They went to the same place I went to on my mission trip.  Here are links to the pictures he took.

Boys’ Orphanage at Lubumbashi

Trip to Mulungwishi from Lubumbashi

UMC sewing center in Lubumbashi

Mulungwishi Station, D.R. Congo

The Mission Trip Team

Here is a photo of our mission trip team that went to Mulungwishi, DR Congo, Africa.

The Connection Church in Africa

This is a picture of me and my new friend Cedrick. Notice the Connection Church shirt he is wearing! Cedrick is the seminary’s IT guru. The room we are in is the computer lab. The computer lab was not operational while we were there because we had no electricity.

Mulungwishi, DR Congo Misson Trip

I got most of the pictures up on my Google album.  I still have pictures that I need to take off my iPhone and upload.  My Google album has the pictures from most of the team that went on the mission trip.  I am still waiting on two of the other team members that I am getting pictures from.

DR Congo Africa Photos

Mulungwishi, DR Congo Misson Trip

I made it back home yesterday evening safe and sound.  It is so good to be back home.  I actually got to take a hot shower…it felt so wonderful.  Melanie and I went to Whataburger for supper and let me tell you, a hamburger never tasted so wonderful!  I was so happy to see the kids again, I thought my heart was going to explode when they ran up to me.  I will be posting a lot more about the mission trip.  There is so much to tell.  I took around 1000 pictures, plus with the pictures I got from the team, we have around 2000 total.  Plus we got some digital video.  It will take some time to upload everything, but I will start to post pictures in a couple of days.  I have so many emotions going on in me right now.  I am so happy to be home, but yet my heart is broken because I could not do more.

God Bless Your Day!

DR Congo, Africa Mission Trip June 19 – July 4 – Update June 18th

Well, I am heading off tomorrow for Africa.  Please be praying for me, and our Mission Team, excpecially during my fights.  My back does not do too well when I travel and am on long flights.  Here is my flight schedule:

Leave Austin 6:19am to Chicago 9:00am (06-19)
Leave Chicago 3:46pm (06-19) to London  5:55am (06-20)
Leave London 8:00pm (06-20) to Nairobi 6:30am (06-21)
Leave Nairobi 8:05am to Lubumbashi 12:20pm (06-21)
Leave Lumbumbashi ??? to Mulungwishi ???  all I can tell you is this will be around 120 mile drive on a dirt road.  (I might be off on this, it might be around 84 miles)  I get car sick if I’m not in front or driving…so hopefully this goes well.

I don’t know how often I will be able to post while I am gone, but I will try.  God Bless!

DR Congo, Africa Mission Trip June 19 – July 4 – Update June 9th

10 more days until I leave.  I am excited and nervous all at the same time.  There is so much to do and so little time to do it in.  I was looking at the weather conditions where I will be and found this website.  It doesn’t look too bad, but take this into consideration:  there is no air conditioning or heating in the buildings, and from what I found out today, no running hot water.  I was told I needed to try and get some type of heating bag, 2 gallons, to take so I can at least take a warm “shower”.  All I have to say is I will be having flash backs from when I was in the Marine Corps!!!  Yikes!!!