The First Email!!!

Dear Family and Friends,,

As you may know, Kristy and I will be traveling to Bantu, Ethiopia July 1-9 on a mission trip. We will be going for the purpose of giving medical care to the local villagers, and to spread the word and love of Christ. We ask that you be with us in prayer as we prepare for this trip. If able, we would appreciate your help in following this calling of God.

Let me begin by telling you about our calling to travel to Ethiopia. Last year, a team of fellow church members and members of other churches, traveled to Ethiopia for this same trip. When they returned, Kristy and I both felt their excitement, and we both had this feeling inside that we were being pulled to do more. About this same time, Kristy was reading David Platt’s Radical. After reading, her calling became more and more controlling, but only to the point that she knew she was being called to actually go on a mission somewhere. After reading Radical, she offered the book to me, but for some reason I was not ready to read it, and so it sat on the shelf. A few months later, my college roommate also suggested that I read the book. So I decided to pick it up. I don’t think I was quite ready for what I was about to read. It took me a few times of starting it, before I finally jumped into, and I haven’t looked back. The book changed my perspective on things. I realized that I needed to be going and doing more. I realized that I was not living the way that God intended for me to live. About this same time, Kristy finally had her many prayers answered, through an email from our pastor, Kevin Hall. He knew that Kristy had been discussing the mission field, so he forwarded an email with different dates of upcoming trips. This was in late December I think. This email mentioned the medical trip, which is right up Kristy’s alley with her being a nurse. She said that as soon as she got the email, she knew that that is where God was calling her. And with me just finishing up Radical, and on fire, and ready to go, and with a little pleading for my wonderful wife, I was on board! I thank God that we have this opportunity.

As I said earlier, this trip is a medical trip. We will be taking supplies of medicines, bandages, etc. to help tend to general medical problems in the community of Bantu. Many villagers will hear that we are in town and will walk for up to 2 days to get to where we are. We will have the opportunity to reach many families for Christ. Kristy will be working hands on, treating patients. I will be working to help organize the clinic, run supplies where needed, playing with children, and just witnessing to any who will listen. We will have 4+ days of being in the clinic, and another 4 of traveling, two going and two coming home.

In order for us to make this trip a reality, we will need some financial assistance. Kristy is planning on doing a garage sale fundraiser at the church in the near future. We spent the month of January fasting from eating at restaurants to prepare our mind and our financials for this trip. We have taken a closer look at our personal budget and have made sacrifices in order to save more. These steps are helping to offset the cost of upfront expenses, such as passports, shots, etc. I will also offer my services of computer work to anyone who receives this email. Any money made through this computer work will be going directly to our trip. Please contact me if you would like to set up an appointment. Finally, if you want to learn more about our trip, Buckner International (our mission partner) or how to help donate, please go to our webpages at Kristy (http://donate.bucknerfoundation.org/kristygrubbs) and Clay (http://donate.bucknerfoundation.org/claygrubbs). On the right side of the page you will see “Donate Now to Support My Mission Trip.” Click on this title to get to the page for donating online. If you would prefer to send a check or cash, please send to our home address, 205 Town Oaks Dr., Marshall, Tx 75672, so that we can print a receipt and send it on to Buckner. If you have others that you think should receive this but have not, feel free to forward this email to them.

TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS Donations made on behalf of a trip participant may be tax-deductible, or, as a volunteer who is paying your own way on a mission trip, a significant portion of your cost may also be tax-deductible. Please consult your personal tax advisor with respect to tax deductions. Buckner Foundation will issue receipts for charitable contributions by mail or e-mail; for questions regarding tax deductible contribution receipts, contact Buckner Foundation at 214-758-8050.

Visit Clay's site at: Click here to visit Clay's Web page

Visit Kristy's site at: Click here to visit Kristy's Web page

Thanks!

Thank you so much for your love, prayers, and any assistance you offer,

Clay and Kristy Grubbs