Melody in January 09

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been a while since I sent an email out.  I feel like I'm in a confessional! Here’s the current update:

Miracles
What I’ve Been Up To
What’s Next
Photos

I have been many places over the last year, and God has shown me more grace than I could have imagined.  He always does that somehow, the more I give Him, the more He surrounds me with blessings and faith.

Miracles
Sometimes He works miracles in my life, and lets me know for sure that He uses me, even through my weaknesses.  Not long ago, I was descending a flight of stairs and tripped up, sending my computer flying.  It managed to last through the next several months, Uganda, India and Egypt, and even to a missions conference in Mississippi before it died on me.  

With videos to finish, and no backup that could handle it, I was on my knees in prayer.  But within an hour of finding out the cost, I located funds to do the repair.  And not only that, but I received a call minutes later from a recipient of a previous missions DVD, telling me that he and his wife wanted to buy me a brand new computer, because they understood that the work God has given me to do is important. Before the week was out, I had the new computer.

What I’ve Been Up To
My trips to Costa Rica, Haiti, India, Egypt and Uganda have kept me running.  In these places I gathered photos, video and stories that continue to open my eyes to the great need, and the shortage of help that they each have.  I've seen ministries that rescue street boys, create community centers, train pastors, take in abused and abandoned children, drill water wells for poor communities, set up medical camps, and the list goes on.  Each of them needs more awareness and support for their work.

As I pray for more people to help, it seems that God is beginning to send them. I have five people considering going on short term trips with me this summer, but I know that God's hand must be on their plans as well.  I know so deeply that it must be His calling that sends them.

What’s Next
At the moment I am working on video shorts for the upcoming Uncharted conference designed to get youth involved in inner city ministries in Baltimore.  Along with the videos we hope to include more internet interaction with Facebook, iPods, blogs and other interactive media.  I’ll also run the video backgrounds for the conference.  This summer, I plan to take volunteers with me to Spain and Uganda, and possibly back to Mexico to help out Armonia.  These are the projects that God has laid on my heart.

I am working on putting up a web site that encompasses more of the media work that I'm doing. There I will try to tell some of the stories that are too long to tell in this newsletter, and include more high resolution videos and photos.  Until then, here are more photos to enjoy!

Photos
Haiti – http://www.stonesoup.tv/photos/2008-haiti
Costa Rica - http://www.stonesoup.tv/photos/2008-costarica

Pictures from Egypt, India, and Uganda can be found at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30721475@N07/sets/

Thank you for all your support.  May God bless you greatly, and I pray that you will hear all that He has to say to you and me.

Blessings,
Melody Warford
Global Outreach International