Last Leg and First Steps

Well, we are on the last leg of our journey...the countdown is on before I go to Cameroon. Yes, I said, 'I'. As you may see at the side bar, our support is completely in! Praise God! However, due to some red tape with James' passport, he isn't able to go with me to Cameroon.

We are looking into James going to Zimbabwe in March of 2012. I always knew there was a real possibility that James wouldn't be going with me to Cameroon but I held faith that God would come through. Though he has shut the door on us being together on this trip, I know that God still has purpose in all of this. For some reason we are to go separately. It's been a long time since I've done anything without my husband (actually since before we got married). This will be an eye opener for me as I have never even been outside of North America before (unless you include a vacation to Antigua when I was 7!)

So, the first steps to a new outlook on life are beginning. I don't know what God has in store for myself, my husband or my family; neither for those little ones to whom I will be ministering but I know that anytime I've stepped out in obedience, there's never been a dull moment and God has always sustained!

Thank-you so much to all who have prayed and supported us. Without your efforts and obedience to the Lord, there's no way either James or I would have a hope of going.

God bless you all and have a Great Christmas and a Wonderful New Year!

~Julie~

Pies Flew at the Alliance Church

On Saturday October 15^th, we held our fundraiser, Let the Pie Fly, at the Alliance Church. We would like to thank all our volunteers who helped make that day possible. We’d also like to give a special thanks to Riverbend Co-op in Outlook for donating the hamburger patties and buns for the b.b.q. Finally, we’d like to thank the Alliance Church for the use of their building.

Three goofy girls displaying the sign which was posted out front

Teen Missions display for AIDS Orphans

Sophie and Cara wait patiently for kids to come get their faces painted

The event started around noon with the hamburger b.b.q. and face painting. After everyone was finished lunch, the main event commenced. Our featured guests were Mr. Mc Janet, Pastor Ryan, Mayor Bob Stephenson, Larry Peterman and Pastor Darryl Olsen. They very graciously covered themselves in garbage bags and received many pies in their faces (and head) which contained whipped cream and some rather runny pudding. Afterwards we showed a DVD which highlighted the needs of A.I.D.S/H.I.V. orphans in Africa. 

Dave gives 'Peace' and cooks burgers with James

At the end of the event we raised about $1,900 which has enabled Julie to definitely go to Cameroon, Africa mid January (which is quite amazing!). As it stands we still need around $2,400 for James to go on the missions trip as well.

Principle Mr. Mc Janet gets 'pied'...

...and emerges smiling!

Pastor Ryan's new makeover- courtesy of Amy!

Distinguished panel of pie volunteers.
(left to right) Principle Mr. Mc Janet, Pastor Ryan, Pastor Darryl Olsen,
Mayor Bob Stephenson and Larry Peterman

Even James got hit ~Thanks Dave! :)

We want to thank everyone who has put so much prayer, time and financial support into helping us go on missions. This has always been a community effort from the first shoe which was put in the wheelbarrow from the Barefoot Rally till now.

There is tentatively one more fundraiser planned for sometime in November which will be a breakfast.

Carwash Fundraiser a Success!

Well, it's been 2 months since the car wash fundraiser in August but it seems like yesterday when we had it! (Where has the time gone?!)

Dave, James, Julie and all the girls working hard

We had a real good time that Saturday washing cars and it was perfect weather too! (Not too hot and it didn't rain!) We started at 8:30 a.m. and worked till 6 p.m. with only a couple 15 minute breaks in between. We washed about 33 cars and raised almost $1000!

James taking bugs off the bumper

Julie creating a streak-free windshield

We are very thankful for all the people who showed up and trusted us to wash their cars but also the unexpected help from some in our church and community including
Dave C., Alex and his girls, Ralph supplied pizza and pop for lunch (thanks so much, it hit the spot!), as well as our girls Rachel, Cara and Petra- you girls are troopers!
(Thanks Rach for taking so many pictures!)

Cara and Petra waiting for more cars

Our next fundraiser entitled Let the Pie Fly is scheduled for Saturday October 15th at the Alliance Church starting at noon. We hope to have a great turnout since our main attraction will be to put a pie in the face of some notable people in the town including Mayor Bob and the Highschool principle Mr. McJanet. I'm hoping James might volunteer his face too but I haven't asked him yet (tee-hee)! We'll also be having a hamburger b.b.q. and face painting! Afterwards we'll be showing a video featuring Teen Missions helping AIDS orphans in Africa.

Come on out! We look forward to seeing you!

Emmaus Road is Online!

Hello All,

Well, we have finally gotten our blog up and running like we were planning. We wanted to introduce all of you first to why we created this blog and hope you will join us on our journey as we raise support for missions and our experiences along the way.

It wasn't an easy decision to go on missions. What started as a simple community event, snowballed into something that only God could come up with! For those who are just joining our journey I'll give a brief history.

Back in April of this year James and a couple of pastors had approached the ministerial
(a collective group of churches in the town of Outlook) about doing some type of ministry which would involve the community of Outlook. Long story short, Teen Missions came on board and the Barefoot Rally was launched in May.

The Rally covered most of the town; around 50 people went out with wheelbarrows collecting shoes for AIDS orphans in Africa who don't have any shoes and without which, cannot attend school or even die.

The Rally was a huge success with over 1,000 pairs of shoes collected and around $900.00 raised for the transportation of the shoes to Africa!

Well, shortly after the Rally, we were moved by God (through Dave and Shirley Charron) to go to Africa to actually hand out the shoes collected throughout the community! What floors us, is that a pair of shoes which we bought my daughters a year ago from Walmart will be taken over to Africa and we will physically put them on the feet of a little one who needs them so desperately!

So here we find ourselves, raising support (and many other arrangements) for us to go out on missions! There is a Teen Missions Foot Washing Team scheduled to go to Cameroon, Africa from January 15th-February 1st 2012 which we will, Lord willing, be a part of. Here's the kicker...we'll need to raise approximately $8,000 dollars by December for the both of us to go. That is just one of many things which needs to be done before we go (passports, immunizations, etc).

So, we are calling all who are lead to help us through prayer and financial aid.

If you would be willing to help, please feel free to e-mail us at simpsonemmausroad@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading and take care!

J&J