Vineyard Missions

Hello friends and family:

Yes, I was back in Gainesville, but just for a minute…. or so it seemed. I flew back to Nicaragua last Thursday for another 3 months. I have been volunteering at the orphanage for over a year now, since March 2007. I gave up full time work as a pre-school teacher last June to be available to commute back and forth more often, to take a more active role in the infant orphanage in Los Cedros. Each time I go I have no idea how the finances will work out, and each time the Lord provides. Praise God!!

I feel He has been walking with me, leading and guiding me every step of the way, one step at a time. Now I feel it is time to take a leap of Faith and make a deeper commitment. Fulfilling the desires of my heart, I have been offered a full time position with the children at Casa de Nueva Esperanza, (Home of New Hope). All my time there is on a volunteer basis so I am responsible for raising all the funds to be available. Again, when I look at this on paper, I have no idea how it will all work out. God uses money to teach us to trust Him. Lack of money is just as definitely from God as the provision of money. The lesson is to trust God for our small daily needs, as in The Lord’s prayer: “give us this day our daily bread.”

By Faith I intend to step out and trust in the Lord, for “My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

I cannot thank you enough for all of your support thus far. There have been days when I just don’t know how I would have got through if it hadn’t been for the love and prayers I have felt from family back home. Many of you have been generous and faithful in financial contributions also, I thank you for your faithfulness and obedience to The Lord.

My prayer today is that you will continue to walk with me, and that we can press on together for the prize, as one body, one team working to advance God’s Kingdom. It is His work, it is His plan, it is His orphanage, they are His children, WE are His children. May ALL the Praise and Glory raise up to God our Heavenly Father.

I will continue to send updates on the children, with photos if possible! Look for April news soon!!!
Check out “Missions” on our Vineyard website for my news and pix

with a joyful heart overflowing with thanks,
Andrea

Please keep in touch via email at AndreaGBurgess@hotmail.com , I would LOVE to hear from you!

Anyone wishing to make a contribution may send a check made out to The Vineyard, with NICA/AB in the memo section, attention Theresa Williams, 3536 NW 8th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32605.
I am currently living in a room at the orphanage so my living expenses are minimal, however, I stilll need to raise around $500 per month to enable me to stay here.

Hi everyone. I am leaving in the am for Boca Raton on the way to Nicaragua.

I wanted to share something with my Vineyard family about Susan, a homeless woman I have met. I have shared with many of you my attitude about the homeless that I would get angry just seeing them down on the square and sitting in the Library, etc. I started going down to help feed the homeless Thanksgiving. Since then the Lord has opened my eyes to look at people with His eyes. Not mine, mine just judged and critized. Susan, I did not know her name at the time, always sat over to the side always by herself. Not talking and keeping her head down. She had a soft hat pulled down to her eyebrows, and she wore a coat. Still does even as warm as it is now. She had bags and bags she carried every where with her. I started going over to her and just chatting a little She never spoke a sentence. I asked her name. Then I got bolder and asked her did she live by herself and outside. Another time I asked what she had done for a living at one time. She was a Carnie. For you young people that might not know, she worked in the Carnival. I do not know what her job was, but she was waiting for a carnival to come to town. One night I said she needed a cart for all her bags, and she said it cost money. I told her I would look around to see if I could find one. I was at Rene’s and Gina’s helping them move and would you believe it, there it sat, waiting for me to take it to Susan with their generous blessing. I think Susan was really pleased when I gave it to her, because she had all her bags in it before I got back to the serving table.

I know this is long, but you needed to know her background. Yesterday I was in the library getting some books and CD’s. Susan was at one of the computers and I stopped and spoke to her. I said I had to go and get the CD’s. She kept following me up and own each isle and waiting at the end. She never spoke, I thought she was looking for one too. Soon she said, I am going outside and I will wait for you. When I got out, she was sitting on the sidewalk waiting. She got up and I told her that I was going to Managua and would not see her for a few weeks. As I was leaving she put her arms around me and hugged me and I put my arms around her and hugged her. Who knows how long it had been since someone hugged her. Cliff, you would have been proud of me. She followed me to my car and the security guard was coming over to keep her from harressing me. I told the guard that she was a friend of mine. As I drove out onto the street in front of the library, she kept waving to me. You just don’t know how full my heart is just in telling you. Jesus said to look at people with His eyes.

Love and I will see you in a few weeks with our own Andrea. Kathy