Update (Alton)

I recently sent out a new batch of support letters asking for prayer. It contains some of the same text as the first one but also has a lot of new information that was not available when I sent the first letter. For those of you who did not receive this letter, here's a copy of it:

Dear Recipient,
I have been given the opportunity this Christmas break to travel with a team from Port City Church to the Mama Helen’s Rehabilitation Center, an orphanage for boys, in Nakuru, Kenya. We will be in Nakuru from December 28 to January 6, and during that time we will hold a four day youth conference for the forty boys at the orphanage and up to 200 students from local churches.
The team has met several times over the past month and a half to prepare ourselves spiritually and culturally and to plan. We are planning to use a passage from Ephesians 6 about the armor of God. The six large group sessions will each be based on one of the six pieces of armor (belt of truth, helmet of salvation) from the passage. Within this context we will emphasize that God loves them, wants to have a personal relationship with them, and sacrificed Jesus to make this possible. This message will be conveyed primarily through the large group sessions and small group time. My role on this trip will include leading a small group, organizing and participating in games and skits, and speaking in front of the large group. I will be giving the talk on the shoes of peace.
I am very excited about sharing God’s love with the children I will encounter on this trip, and I want my friends and family to share in this excitement. So, I have created a blog at tokenya.blogspot.com with Darby Simmons, another highschooler going on the trip, where we will share our thoughts and experiences before, during, and after the trip. My hope for this blog is that those who give money and prayer to this mission can see the results and share in the joy that comes from loving others as God has loved us.
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. I encourage you to lift this mission up in your prayers and check out the blog. If you would like any more information about the trip or have any questions, please call or email me.

Sincerely yours,

Alton Russell

In other news, I've gotten all my shots and prescriptions. I had to get Hepititus A, Tetenus, Yellow Fever, and Malaria shots.

Pray that the team can get the trip paid for, be prepared physically and spiritually, and are safe during their holiday travels. Pray for those in Kenya who are preparing for this conference at the same time that we are, and pray that God will make a way for the students in Kenya who He wants to be at this conference to get there.

Thanks!
Alton