Zambia Mission Trip

Dear Family and Friends,

On November 12, 2010 I will be leaving for Chongwe, Zambia. Myself as well as eight other team members from Northeast Community Church (NECC) in partnership with Horizon International, plan to help care for orphans affected by HIV/AIDS. These children are living without water and electricity and food is very hard to come by. It is my strong desire to provide hope and support to these children. While in Zambia our team will be assisting, Derrick and Mercy, two missionaries who work day in and day out delivering food, providing other basic needs, educating, and showing God’s love. Currently families within NECC sponsor over 50 children in Chongwe and help provide a portion of Derrick and Mercy’s salaries.
Horizon International is an organization that provides hope for orphans of HIV/AIDS in Chongwe and several other areas of Africa through sponsorship and education. Horizon International is also the organization that will train me to go on this mission trip. I anticipate that Marc and I will begin to sponsoring a child within this next year. Maybe I will have to opportunity to meet that child!
I struggled to decide whether I would take this trip. Within the last few years I have reached out to many of you previously asking for your assistance to support a previous mission trip and walk for breast cancer. I was not sure if it was appropriate to ask for assistance again so soon. After thinking and praying about it, God confirmed that I should participate in this trip. I was reminded that if I chose not to go it was not a fund issue, but a faith issue. I do not want mission trips to be an event in my life, but a lifestyle. I want my children to see me living out my faith.
I am planning my trip to Zambia November 12 through November 22, 2010. I am asking you to share this experience with me by doing several things. First, please pray for me daily starting now through the end of the trip. Second, the cost of the trip is $2995. I would greatly appreciate any support you could give me financially. Partnering is required in order for missions to be successful. Some people are goers and some are senders. Both are equally important and necessary in to order minister to God’s people. I hope you will participate in this mission by partnering with me and being one of my senders. Please send donations to Northeast Community Church 9959 126th St., Fishers, IN 46038. Make checks payable to Horizon International. All donations are tax deductible. Or donate online by going to https://horizon.readyhosting.com/auth/donate.asp, under the three donation options choosing “I/We want to partner with Horizon, with this one time gift.”, choosing the amount, choose "Other" under “Your Selection,” and typing ZANOV10-Amanda Dittmer under “Specific Instructions for this donation:”
You can learn more about Horizon International by visiting their website at horizoninternationalinc.com, or if you have questions about the trip contact Doug Ehrgott at douge@horizoninternationalinc.com.
Thank you very much for your support,

Amanda
P.S. Marc and I have committed to pay for half of the trip. In addition, each week I have been saving 10% of my budgeted “allowance”, I gathered items and hosted a garage sale, and am planning an outdoor movie night as well as a couple of babysitting nights to raise funds. I currently have $950.00 remaining to raise.