It’s after midnight, a day before I leave for Africa. Everyone is sleeping, and it’s quiet, except for the breaths I hear. It’s the most peaceful I’ve been in, well, months. There must be some people praying.

In October of 2012, I joined World Help and a small team of bloggers to see Operation Baby Rescue in Guatemala. In March of 2013, I did the same in Haiti. It’s January of 2014, and in just a day, I’ll be on my way to Africa.

And out of all three trips, this one has been, by far, the most wonderful and most challenging trip to prepare for. I’ve been more involved with some of the behind-the-scenes planning for this Africa blogging trip, and the people I’ve gotten to know, have been the wonderful part.

The challenging parts have come on every level, and no area of my life has been left untouched.

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…”

(2 Cor 4:8)

I know I’m not the only one who’s been battling.

A team of writers and artists are traveling to Africa this week to see Operation Baby Rescue, Uganda first hand, so we may share with you the stories of hope and redemption amidst a people that have experienced more heartache and devastation than you, nor I could fathom.

But this is the most important why: we are raising funds to help finish building baby rescue homes. Homes for babies who have been left alone to fight for survival in dangerous slums of Uganda, areas consumed by poverty where approximately 11 million children fight to survive.

PHASE 1: is finishing a rescue home already under construction. It will be home to ten rescued babies, and their house mothers who care for them.

The total cost to finish building and outfit this rescue home is $25,000, and includes:

-finish construction of rescue home
-baby cribs
-mattresses (for both the babies and the house mothers)
-bedding (for both the babies and the house mothers)
-mosquito nets
-cupboard

Click HERE to learn more about the project.

This is all so much bigger than I am. I feel very small, and I’m desperately clinging to a very big God. Fear has tried to paralyze me. It’s hard for me to believe I’m going. Me, who spends most of my days doing laundry, picking up toys, and sweeping crumbs, is on her way to Africa tomorrow.

But, this is not about me, and I’m not going alone. I’m part of an incredible team, and we get to show up, join a work that God is already doing, and invite you to, also. You can…

PRAY. SHARE. GIVE.

We are going to Africa to help rebuild walls of protection that have been torn down in the lives of children that, otherwise, would be left abandoned, vulnerable, hungry, thirsty, and unimaginably worse. We are storytellers and artists, trailblazers and passionate advocates. We may not be using our hands to build with brick and mortar, but we will use what we have in our hands, we will offer what we have been given.

And, this week, we will challenge you to do the same.