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Day 1 Tuesday,
Dec. 23
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Day 10
Thursday, Jan. 1
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Day 2 Wednesday, Dec. 24
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Day 11 Friday,
Jan. 2
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Day 3 Thursday,
Dec. 25
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Day 12 Saturday,
Jan. 3
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Day 4 Friday,
Dec. 26
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Day 13 Sunday,
Jan. 4
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Day 5 Saturday,
Dec. 27
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Day 14 Monday,
Jan. 5
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Day 6 Sunday,
Dec. 28
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Day 15
Tuesday, Jan. 6
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Day 7 Monday,
Dec. 29
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Day
16 Wednesday, Jan. 7
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Day 8 Tuesday,
Dec. 30
Day 9 Wednesday,
Dec. 31
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Day 17 Thursday, Jan. 8
Day 18 Friday, Jan. 9
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Day 1 – Tue
Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Matthew 6:34
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Prayer Needs
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That I will be as good a host to my own daughter as I am to
others.
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Planned
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Drive to Atlanta, fly to Amsterdam
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Actual
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Elizabeth and I finished packing this morning and left for
Atlanta to catch the flight to Amsterdam. It has been smooth so far which is a
blessing. We will leave within the
next 20 minutes and may not have time to do an update tomorrow due to
short layover times. Keep
checking back.
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Day 2 - Wed Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Joshua 1:9
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Prayer Needs
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That our luggage will be found. (written later)
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Planned
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Arrive in Amsterdam, hop over to
Brussels, fly to Monrovia, Liberia
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Actual
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We made the flights from Amsterdam to Brussels and then onto
Monrovia with only a little difficulty.
One of our 3 bags of luggage was lost (thank goodness not
Elizabeth’s), had a late dinner with the Norman’s and are off to sleep
in a bed for the first time in 48 hours.
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Day 3 - Thu Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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John 3:16
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Prayer Needs
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That God will understand how thankful I am for His precious
Gift.
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Planned
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Celebrate the Savior’s birth, thank God for sending His Son, ride around
the local area if possible.
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Actual
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We awoke this morning to a wonderful Christmas breakfast. Afterwards we sat around and visited
with each other but especially Oogie as Elizabeth and I did some
computer stuff. Christine called
a driver that Lawrence sometimes uses and he picked us up about
3pm. We visited ELWA beach,
talked with the Chapman’s, stopped at the Equip lot and the Cato
property. Then went by Pastor
Wesley’s church, into Monrovia and stopped back for an early dinner at
the Royal Hotel. Elizabeth went
to bed early tonight.
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Day 4 - Fri Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Psalm 116:15 (in honor of my father’s birthday)
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Prayer Needs
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That our transportation will be settled out by now.
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Planned
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Work with Robert Cuppah to ensure that preparations are in
order for the 12Stone team’s arrival.
Get Elizabeth around town for a photo project that she has
developed.
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Actual
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Robert, Elizabeth, Alex and I spent the morning taking
pictures of billboards and storefronts for a project that Elizabeth is
doing. We spent a little while
with Dr. Sam Reeves, chairman of the STS board and also found out that
SN Brussels has no idea yet where my missing bag is. This afternoon we went back to the
compound and Robert and I worked through the fencing proposal for the
Cato property and the itinerary for the 12Stone team.
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Day 5 - Sat Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Gal. 2:20
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Prayer Needs
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That the travel arrangements will go as planned for the
12Stone team who leaves Atlanta today.
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Planned
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Continue preparations for the 12Stone Team arrival. Spend time with Elizabeth
photographing Liberia.
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Actual
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This morning Elizabeth was hijacked. She was supposed to spend the day
with me but she got a better offer.
So Oogie and I spent our day taking care of business in town. If you want to know what happened to
Elizabeth you’ll have to read today’s journal and see the pictures.
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Day 6 - Sun Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Rev 4:11
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Prayer Needs
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That Elizabeth and I will truly worship today, her first
worship service in Liberia.
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Planned
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Attend church, not sure where yet. Pick up 12Stone Team from the airport
tonight.
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Actual
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Alvina, Elizabeth and I worshipped at the church Robert Cuppah
pastors, came home and rested and picked up the 12Stone team minus 2
people and 4 bags.
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Day 7 - Mon Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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3 John 2-4
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Prayer Needs
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That the 12 Stone Team will recover quickly from the flights
and that their hearts will be open to what God has prepared for them.
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Planned
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Allow 12Stone team to rest a little, meet with their peers and
tour a few locations in the immediate area.
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Actual
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The 12Stone team slept in a little, ate breakfast, met Michael
Miller and Brendon Shank, visited Greater Love Church, toured Monrovia,
stopped by the Cato property and swam in the ocean. Miles, Matt and Elizabeth spent the
afternoon helping Christine at the youth camp that she hosted starting
yesterday. Baimba and Joseph
arrived safe from Accra. A good
day.
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Day 8 - Tue Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Psalm 113:7-8
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Prayer Needs
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That the team will make a difference in the lives of Liberian
youth today.
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Planned
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Groundbreaking ceremony at the William R. Tolbert, Jr. Youth
Empowerment & Enlightenment property. Installation of generator and
children’s activities at the property following the groundbreaking.
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Actual
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This morning the team was up at 8am for prayer, then breakfast
then off to Bensonville to hook up the
generator, attend the youth camp program and then return for a catered
supper.
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Day 9 - Wed Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Prov. 22:22-23
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Prayer Needs
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That the generator installs will go well and that there will
be someone travelling back to the U.S. tonight who can help Elizabeth with
the trip home.
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Planned
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Begin installation of generators at the Greater Love Medical
Clinic and the Diana E. Davies Orphanage. Members of the team not directly
involved in the generator installations will work at the Greater Love
compound. Elizabeth Edwards
leaves to return to the United States.
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Actual
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Team 1 installed a generator at Greater Love, Team 2 started
the generator house at Diana Davies Orphanage, Belynn and Danielle
worked with sexually abused children at Think, Inc. and Emily and Stacy
are working with the children at Diana Davies. Elizabeth is on her way back to the
United States, we have 2 more of our lost bags (2 more to go) and Team
2’s drive and car was arrested for a traffic violation on the way back
home and they had to walk the final 2 miles.
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Day 10 - Thu Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Eph. 6:8-9
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Prayer Needs
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That the team members who are ministering other than through
the generators will begin building strong relationships with Liberians
that will allow continued ministry opportunities far into the future.
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Planned
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Happy New Year! One
generator team will complete the Diana Davies Orphanage installation
while the other will start the trip to Gbarnga
to start a 3 day installation at the International Christian Fellowship
Mission school. This team will
be staying at the Catholic Seminary compound during the install. Other team members will be working
with various ministries in the Monrovia area. Elizabeth Edwards arrives back in
Atlanta.
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Actual
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It’s New Year’s Day but we’re all working. Collin, Yanni, Matt, Brent and I are
headed to Folah which is 28 km beyond Gbarnga. The
balance of the team will be working at the Diana Davies Orphanage. I will not be reporting for 3 days as
there is no internet service out in the Gbarnga
area. It’s about 210 km from
where we’re staying.
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Day 11 - Fri Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Eph. 6:5-6
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Prayer Needs
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That the generator team in Gbarnga
will be successful and that God will be glorified.
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Planned
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The students in
Monrovia will finish any remaining generator work and will work in
various capacities assisting ministries around Monrovia. The ICF Mission team will spend all
day building a generator house and installing the generators. They will again stay overnight.
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Actual
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Per the local team (I’m writing this on Jan. 3rd)
the day at Diana Davies Orphanage was a good one with headway made on
the generator shed and with the ladies working closely with the
children there. The ICF Mission
team completed the walls of the generator house, ran wire from the
generator to the first building, installed 2 switch panels and wired
the first building for lights and outlets. A good day all around.
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Day 12 - Sat Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Titus 2:6-8
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Prayer Needs
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Health for the team.
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Planned
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Finish the ICF Mission generator install and return the team
to Monrovia. Balance of students
will continue working with selected ministries in the Monrovia area.
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Actual
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Miles and the four ladies spent the day with the staff of
Orphan Relief and Rescue. They
minister to the poorest of the poor in Liberia (and that’s pretty
poor). They had a good
experience and gained understanding of what it is like to be an orphan
in Liberia. The Diana Davies
team completed the generator install there and the ICF Mission team
completed its install as well and made the 4 hour drive back home.
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Day 13 - Sun Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Philippians 4:12
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Prayer Needs
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That God will speak into each team member’s heart His purpose
for their time in Liberia.
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Planned
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Students will attend church with their Liberian companions to further
build relationships for the future ministry of 12Stone in Liberia.
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Actual
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The team split up and went to Sinkor
Evangelical Church pastored by Robert Cuppah
and to Greater Love Bible Baptist Church pastored
by Richard Wesley. They also went
to eat at the botanical garden’s restaurant and were hosted for dessert
by Mrs. Reeves a long time friend of the Norman’s.
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Day 14 - Mon Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Gal. 5:1
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Prayer Needs
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That our priorities will remain right.
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Planned
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A baptism of a new Christian convert
from Islam and a trip to Blue Lake to allow for some recreation for the
team.
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Actual
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We changed Emily’s flight so that she could make it back for a
critical lab in school that was unexpected. We made the trip to Blue Lake
(finally) and had a very special baptism as well as some follow-up
swimming, water volleyball and soccer.
Then the team went out to a Chinese restaurant for their second
dinner of the evening.
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Day 15 - Tue Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Prov. 22:29
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Prayer Needs
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That the Crown training scheduled for today would be well
attended and flow smoothly.
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Planned
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Matt Elsberry will lead a Crown Financial Ministries daylong
session for key individuals within the Ministry of Finance. The 12Stone team will serve the
participants during these meetings.
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Actual
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Today we joined Matt in a Crown Financial Ministries seminar
for the Ministries of Public Works and Finance. It went well. The team also got in some shopping
and we also had a seminar with Greater Love church. Tonight’s our final night in Liberia.
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Day 16 - Wed Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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Rom. 5:1
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Prayer Needs
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Planned
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Entire mission team leaves for the United States.
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Actual
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Day 17 - Thu Extended Journal & Pictures
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Scripture
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2 Cor. 4:5
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Prayer Needs
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Planned
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Arrive back in Atlanta.
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Actual
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