A [COUPLE] NOTES FROM THE TEAM
-[PAKOU]-
Hello Friends and Family--
Thank you to EVERYONE who has been keeping us in their prayers!!! We have been so encouraged because of it even in the midst of our hard times that we encountered in MI. We had a wonderful time with the youth and praise God that he sent us there first. They were the most welcoming and hospitable youth group I've met yet. I loved hearing their hearts, their struggles and stories as we gathered in our small groups and hang-out times--I loved seeing their minds whirl around the concepts that we ourselves continue to wrestle with. God is amazing at orchestrating and planting things--I can't wait to see what he will do in not only the lives we met but our lives as well--we have also been challenged and thirst to grow closer and closer to God.
As some of you may know, one of the hardest things while we were there in MI was trying to get our car rental--that process drained us out just about everyday. We had a choice to either "laugh or cry" (as my Cambodia team last year was forced to choose when times got hard). On the third and FAILED attempt to get the car I asked Blong what I should do [laugh or cry] and he said, "Just smile" 
and so I did because it was all I could do. But as we all know, we serve a great and amazing God who knows what he wants to do and when he wants to do it. We were able to finally get the car on our FORTH attempt with an amazing discount that saved us a ton of money at HERTZ! (and I mention HERTZ specifically so if you ever need a car rental there is the place to be--sometimes anyway) God has shown us so much and as I looked back, I can't imagine it happening in any other way.
All in all, we have witnessed God continuing to move among his people [and especially among the youth of this generation]--opening up their eyes to see the mission he has sent us out to do from the very beginning of time. That mission calls us to love unconditionally, to pray without ceasing, and to never stop having faith in the One who can do all things.
SHOUT-OUT: We LOVE you Detroit Hmong Alliance Church for all that you have taught us and how you made us feel right at home. May the Lord go before you and direct your path causing all your ways to prosper. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
PRAYER REQUEST: We are currently in Wisconsin--plans with Rhode Island changed but we believe the Lord knows why. As we are in Wisconsin, we will be re-visiting the vision of the trip and asking God to help guide us as we make changes and improvements for the remaining churches.
Please pray for:
1) the Spirit to move among us and give us discernment as we lay our trip down before Him.
2) the unity and strengthening among the team.
3) Our faith in God that leaves no room for doubt especially when things are unclear or gets hard
4) and for God to radically change and shake our lives like never before
Thank you all SOOO much! We love and miss you!!!
with LOVE,
Pakou
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(Jamie)
hello everyone
the trip to Detroit was amazing. it was amazing how god was working within this group. this youth group is gifted with talents. even though we had a tough time with the car rental God still made it go through. God is amazing and he has been guiding us. just going to help build up this youth group has really encourage and inspired me to serve God more. it was a busy week but God is faithful. so just to encourage the Detroit youth group that you guys are amazing and use your talents and gift for the lord. god is doing great things in each individual and god loves yall...