June 2014 Update!!

I’ve now been in Johannesburg South Africa for about two months, and it’s been great to see how God has moved already! The Lord has been giving me a glimpse of life on the mission field, complete with its challenges, joys, and all the lessons in between. I’m so grateful that God called me into this season, and that you are journeying with me on this adventure!

One of the precious babies we rescued last week!!

 I’ve been working with the Impact Baby Rescue Center, and we have been keeping busy!! On Wednesdays and Thursdays we do awareness campaigns in hospitals and clinics. Through these programs we’ve met countless women in need of the love of Jesus. It’s also through these programs that women have heard about us and have come to us looking for the best option for their babies. The mothers we work with are in desperate situations, they are unable to care for their babies and most of them will end up dumping their babies in a garbage bin, or leaving them in a field. We offer a way for these mommies to remain anonymous, and for their babies to have a chance at life.  In the last four weeks, we’ve worked on 7 cases total. We’ve rescued four babies that are now placed in a baby home waiting to be adopted into their forever family!  We were also able to counsel three mommies, and show them the love of Jesus. It’s not an easy task talking to a mommy who wants to place her baby for adoption, but it causes us as a team to run to God, and seek His counsel and His word in order to then help these mommies. I’m so grateful for a God that desires relationship with us, and that He wants to fill us daily, so we can pour out into others.

Beyond the work that I have been doing, the Lord has really been teaching, and stretching me. He’s called me to a place and a season where I have to learn total dependency on Him. I find myself often having to put aside what I think is best, and what I think life should look like to turn and seek God’s guidance. He’s asked me to step out in big ways, and has promised to hold me as I take those steps of faith. One of the things He has led me to do is to extend my stay here in South Africa. I will be until remaining here until August 13, continuing my work with Impact Africa. We are headed into a season that is full of teams from America coming, and we anticipate a lot of great ministry to happen!  I will be ministering with the teams, and helping give them a glimpse of the impact we are making through the Baby Rescue Center.  Please continue to pray for the Lord’s guidance and blessing over this upcoming season.

This baby girl came to us after
her mommy met our team
out in the community! 

As I continue on in this adventure, I’m looking for 10 people to commit to being a loyal prayer partner for the next 2 months. As a loyal prayer partner you will be committing to set aside time every day to lift up me, and my ministry to the Lord. If you are interested in becoming a loyal prayer partner, please email me at n_yvonne@hotmail.com . Also if you haven’t done so yet, please consider joining my team of financial supporters.  

                                                    Even though I’m not in America, I’m still hoping to be able to continue to fundraise, and meet my goal of moving here full time to serve with Impact Africa through Global Ministries.I will be returning to the States on August 14^th, and would love the opportunity to speak to your church, small group, Bible study, Sunday school class, etc. about the needs in the squatter camps of Johannesburg and how the Lord has called me to serve there. If you are interested, please send me an email at the above address. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

  Thank you again for journeying with me! It is because of your love and support that I’m able to fulfill the call of Christ on my life! Thank you for being a part of that!

Because of Him,

Nichie Parish 

Prayer Requests:

• Health and wellness over the next two months
• Continued favor for fundraising
• Guidance and wisdom for the next steps. 

Security Blankets

My time in South Africa thus far has proven to be good, and yet challenging. Challenging in the aspect that I'm finding myself conquering fears, and facing the areas I have always thought I was less than adequate in. The Lord has been showing me that really, there is nothing we can do because without Him we are nothing.

I think all too often, we get this idea in our heads that we have to make a way, we have to figure things out, we are in control. Well let me tell you, we are in control of absolutely nothing!! Let me rephrase that, I am in control of absolutely nothing! I had a plan all laid out for what the next year was going to look like, and it was a good honorable plan. But the Lord has been showing me that I've allowed a spirit of independence to settle in my life, and all of my working and toil is worthless, because I'm not being dependent on Him. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of having a security blanket like independence ripped away from you. It's painful, but man is it freeing!

In that freedom, the Lord has began to give me glimpses of seeing my heart and passions start to play out. Friday I had the opportunity to speak with a mother who had decided to give her baby up for adoption. What  a hard choice to make,  but for this mother, it was the choice to put her child's needs before her own. What a beautiful doorway to speak into her life about the love of God, and His choice to send His son for us. It's moments like this that make giving up my life back home worth it.

God sees it when we give up everything for Him. It doesn't go unnoticed, and in that surrender, He is there not only to comfort and guide us, but to fill us to overflowing with His love. It's worth the hard times, the ripping away of security blankets, and missing out on life back home. It's worth it because Jesus gave His life for me, and God gave His son... So really my sacrifice is nothing compared to that.

You are His

I know that I've been quiet on here for a while. Part of that just a lack of taking the time to even look at my blog, and part of that is just not feeling like I have anything to share. In all honesty, the last year has been a really rough one. I haven't always been my best during this season of waiting, and have been rather impatient at times. I'm then forced to face the fact that I haven't been the woman God wants me to be and am failing at shining His light in my life.

Seasons like this are often surrounded by feelings of isolation, depression, and frustration. Couple that with how often I grow impatient in the waiting, it makes for a very rocky journey. But in the middle of it, God reminds me that I am blessed, desired, and His. When I feel the weakness setting in, and my resolve to be better than I once was growing thin, I'm forced to turn once again towards the father. In my turning, He asks me to give up and give in. Give up trying to do it on my own, and give in to His never ending, all consuming grace that He continually offers.

In these moments, I'm also faced with the reality that no matter what, God is going to use me. He's going to call me out of my slump to a greater purpose, then gently push me to reshape my thinking. He helps me off the ground, helps me dust off and clean up from the pity party I'd been throwing. Reminds me I've got a path to follow, a journey to complete, and an adventure to chase!

So I'm wondering what kind of season are you in? Is it a hard season of testing? A time of isolation, or loneliness?  Or are you experiencing a season filled with joy and blessing?? Regardless of where you're at, God wants you to turn to Him. Seek His face, His purpose, and His will. He will gently pull you up, set your feet right, and then use you to be the salt and light of the earth. You are loved, valuable, and desired. And nothing will ever change that!