Wednesday, February 17, 2016

I'm Going to England!!

 I have some exciting news to share! As many of you know I graduated from the Mercy Multiplied(formerly Mercy Ministries) home in Nashville in 2006 when I was 17. Here I am a decade later with an amazing opportunity to give back into the program that started the process of transformation in my life. 

 I am officially going to England in May!! I am headed to Mercy in Bradford,UK from 
May 7th-19th. I am going with a team of other graduates and we will be in the Mercy UK home for a week with our leader, Sarah Dixon from Arise Arts International. She is not only a graduate of Mercy, but the founder of this incredible ministry, Arise. To find out more about this organization please go to http://ariseartsinternational.com. They are doing awesome work all over the world through creative art camps. As it says on the website, ''Arise Arts International is passionate about the creative arts and incorporating them into existing programs that work with women and children. We know firsthand the powerful impact the creative arts have in facilitating healing in the brain from the impact of trauma. Arise Arts mobilizes short-term missions teams to partner with existing organizations by bringing intensive art camps and training opportunities for staff.'' 

 In January I had the privilege of helping with a condensed version of a camp at the Mercy home here in Nashville. http://ariseartsinternational.com/blog/mercy-multiplied-through-art/ It was such a blessing to be a part of, and I am so excited to get the chance to participate in a full week of art camp in the UK. The most exciting part for me is the opportunity it gives me to give back. When I was at Mercy, it meant so much to me when speakers, especially graduates, came in and shared hope and encouragement to all of us in the middle of our healing process. I can't think of a better way to express my gratitude to Jesus and the staff and people along my journey, than to reach my hand back to others and share with them the hope and freedom that is there for them. I would not be where I am today without the knowledge I received at Mercy...that Jesus loves me unconditionally, He has a plan and a purpose for me, and He gives me grace every single day to walk in freedom and joy.


 So I'm reaching out to you first of all, to ask for your prayers for myself and the team on this trip. Please pray that we travel safely, and we are open and available for Jesus to use us at Mercy and throughout the trip to share His love. I am also going to ask that if you feel led to help fund my trip, I would be so grateful.   With airfare, food and lodging for the week of the camp, total costs come to around $1,800. We have already booked the flights through Arise so that is the most urgent cost I'm asking for help with. I need to turn in $650 by February 29th and the remaining $650 by March 10th. Truly, anything you can give will help. If you would like your donation to be tax deductible you can use the following link and select my name from the drop down menu on the left. http://actinternational.org/ministry.aspx?min_id=369. Or you can send money directly to me via Paypal and select "send money to friends or family" to avoid fees. My email address with Paypal is krystal.massage@gmail.com

Thank you all for taking the time to read this, to pray, and if you feel led, to give toward this trip. I am so grateful and excited for this opportunity and I can't wait to tell you all about it when I return!

Love, 
Krystal