Dear Family and Friends,
I hope each and every one of you are doing terrific and ready for the summer. The past few years have brought much change to many people and I would love to share with you the change that has been happening in my life. I will say, when I started real estate close to 10 years ago, I never thought I would be making a move like this 10 years later...
As many of you know, God has been moving, shaping, redirecting and changing the course of my life in a fairly large way. During this special time, He has brought me to a place where I am excited and enthusiastic to follow His lead, guidance and direction. I have felt in my heart for several years that the course of my life was shifting and I was being called to serve the Lord overseas. Once I felt enough strength in the Lord to fully surrender and follow, He has shown me that He will open the doors if we are open, ourselves, to walk through them.
By God’s grace, I have been offered an opportunity to work with ALARM, a wonderful African-based, Christian organization in Nairobi, Kenya. ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries) was founded by Celestin Musekura about 6 months after the Rwandan Genocide. Celestin, along with the organization, have found a special place in my heart and I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve with them in Central and Eastern Africa. This is where I feel God is calling me to be and through the doors opening, in faith alone I feel compelled to walk forward.
At points, this has been a difficult decision and transition to say the least. However, the support and encouragement from friends and family has been a blessing. I would love to ask for your continued support through prayer. I do feel God’s provisions are greater than we can ever imagine and He will protect and provide in amazing ways. Having a large group of prayer warriors here in the States will be one of His gifts through you!
In addition, I am in need of financial support for all of my expenses while I am abroad. My timeframe as of now, is to leave with a mission team from Forest Hill on July 4th. After serving in Rwanda and Sudan over a 2 week time period, I will continue on to Nairobi where I will work and be based. My initial stay will be roughly 4 months, then I will return for the holidays and plan to head back for an indefinite period of time at the beginning of the new year. This is in God’s hands, so I am open to change, timing and location. The job opportunity is large, which leaves an ample amount of room for God to determine where and how He wants to use me. This is incredibly exciting and the learning curve is going to be immense. I am ecstatic to get my feet on African soil and see what lies ahead. If you feel called to provide financially, I would greatly appreciate your commitment to help. Please make all donations payable to Forest Hill Church (memo line: Ashley Hackney - ALARM). The address is 7224 Park Road, Charlotte, NC 28210, or I would be happy to swing by and deliver the contribution by hand.
I look forward to hopefully seeing most of you before I leave. For the ones I am not able to visit, please know I would love to hear what is going on in your life. With only a few weeks left in town, I hope to see as many of you as possible!
Much love and Many blessings,
Ashley Hackney
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” ~ Ephesians 2:10
