January 2024
January 2024
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
Welcome to a brand new year – 2024!! It doesn’t seem like too many years ago, I was young, unmarried, and pregnant ringing in the new millennium, the feared year 2000….Y2K, with friends. I can remember being worried, as many of the rest of you, what that year would bring. Was the world ending? Were the computers going to crash? Were the banks going to shut down (not sure why that one worried me – I was broke as a joke and barely had enough money in the bank to make the payment on my single wide trailer!!) I think what worried me most as a non-believer, though, was where was I going if the world DID end when that clock struck 12?! I’m excited to say, God was already working on my heart way back then and much has changed in 24 years! I no longer carry those same fears!
As a whole, we often make many New Year resolutions … go to the gym, read more, drink more water, stay off the phone, etc., and there is nothing wrong with that at all! The desire to make ourselves a better person is something we should all strive to do everyday. What we often fail to overlook though is the desire to build a stronger relationship with the Lord and to glorify Him in everything we do. That is my goal for 2024 and what I hope to do!
I rang in this new year relaxing in my chair, with most of my kids around, in my sweats and messy hair! This was after putting my husband on a plane early that morning and sending him across the world, into a war-stricken nation to live in the jungle, until I see him again in about six (6) weeks. And you know what? I’m okay with that. I’m not scared, because I know that God is with Garrick every step of this journey he is on and I know that he IS growing his relationship with the Lord and he IS glorifying God everyday. I am also not naïve to think that Garrick is invincible and nothing will happen to him (obviously, with the Malaria scare of 2023!) – I am just confident that I WILL see him again, whether it is on this side of heaven or the other!
As I sit here with my mile long to-do list preparing myself and kids to get on a plane and take that same flight across the world to join Garrick, I pray for all of you reading this. I pray for peace in your lives, I pray for your families, I pray that you know God is there all the time – in the good times and the bad. I pray you find a relationship with Him if you don’t have one and I pray for your relationship to grow if you do have one. But most of all, I pray that THIS is the year that you are able to overcome YOUR fears and anxiety of the unknown!
Please follow along with us on Facebook, Instagram, and our website to see what we’re up to! My newsletter could be 10 pages long if I talked about it all!!!
In His Service,
Kelly Jo Gay
Praises
· The UNIMAGINABLE response I’ve had for donations for the online/resale I started to support our cause – the majority of our plane tickets were purchased through your generous donations of clothing and goods or purchases you have made! Thank you!!
· Garrick’s safe arrival and “settling in” within the village
· Rainy season is over in the jungle, flooding has ceased, and projects can resume
· Tax information sent to accountant before I leave!!!!!
Prayer Requests
· 2024 budget ($25,000 – minimal amount for family of 4 for airfare, housing, etc. for one year) – please join us by becoming monthly donors!!
· Team involvement – come serve with us! (You don’t have to live in the jungle – we have a house in the city!!)
· Help spread the word of our mission – more speaking engagements – I’m filling up our calendar – contact me know if you want us to talk to your group!!!
· Karen (Kah-REN – emphasis on the second syllable!) ethnic group and the clinics used to treat patients after attacks
· Learn to speak Karen language!!! Thai as well!!!
· Logistics of my family/kids coming and going at different times this year (this should probably read “Pray for Kelly because she’s a nervous wreck about it!”)
Needs/Donations
· Yarn (needing to de-stash? I can schedule pick up!!) I crochet stuffed animals, hats, and blankets for people in the refugee camps (IDP – Internally Displaced Person) as well as babies born in the jungle clinic. I also set up at craft/vendor fairs as an income source. OR …. Crochet these things for me – save me some time!!!
· New and/or gently used clothing and household goods that can be used as resale for income
· Retail space that is within our budget (less than $700/month – WAY less!!) Currently operating out of my garage and using Poshmark and Facebook!
How can you help?
1) You can use the Donate above to make monthly donations
2) You can mail a check to the address below
3) You can shop Etsy – Chaos Creations by KJ https://chaoscreationsbykj.etsy.com
4) You can shop Poshmark https://posh.mk/mC5ivTmdOGb and use code KJGAY for 10% off your first order
Suggested Donation Amounts
BRONZE MEMBER $25 per month
SILVER MEMBER $50 per month
GOLD MEMBER $100 per month
ONE TIME GIFT OR OTHER AMOUNT
