Scrapbooking in Africa?

Since I worked on getting balls, bibles and t-shirts for the kids of Chitipa, Malawi in the Fall 2008, my heart has been thinking of Africa. For so long, I have said, "God, please don't send me to Africa." Probably not what most people fear, but my Aunt Neale (my given middle name and my daughter's first name) was a missionary there for 42 years, so I guess that the idea has always been in the back of my mind.

Jay & I had dinner with Stella who works for our church in Malawi. I told her that I was considering being apart of the serving trip in June. Jay asked Stella how she might want me to serve. Stella said, "Do you like arts & crafts?...Would you be interested in helping AIDs families do scrapbooks?" She continued by talking about how the children are left with nothing once their parent(s) die. They have no pictures to keep and nothing to hold on to.

Well, I could have just fallen out of my chair. What Stella didn't know was that I have been scrapbooking since I was seven years old. It is part of who I am and who God made me to be, but I have never dreamed that it could serve a kingdom purpose...until now.