Hello Everybody!
I know just wrote you not too long ago, but I have some great news, and I couldn't wait to tell you! Earlier this week, I got a call from the Brazilian Consulate in Washington D.C. informing that my VISA has been approved and I should being receiving it in a few weeks!!! As you can imagine, this was amazing to hear and a reminder of God's goodness and faithfulness to me. He always hears my prayers.
So now, I am in high gear. There are still a few more things I need to put in order, but for the most part, I am ready to go. I have already purchased a plane ticket that is scheduled to leave in mid-July. We are in the home stretch.
Very Important! I also need to let everbody know that the way I have been receiving your financial contributions needs to change. Basically, all the money that I receive needs to go directly to the Xingu Mission. They are the ones who will be responsible for me while I'm in Brazil, so they also need to be in charge of the finances. What this means for all my supporters is that, from now on, all your checks should be made out to Xingu Mission, memo: Allison Rupert. If you normally give your funds at church in the offering basket, you can continue to do so. Vineyard Tuttle Crossing will then mail your donations to the Xingu Mission. You can also send your donation directly to them in 2 ways. These options would be the best because this way the funds would reach me the fastest.
You can mail your check to:
Xingu Mission
PO Box 340785
Columbus, OH 43234
Or you can make a donation online:
http://www.xingu.org/14o_rupert_donation.html
Well, that is pretty much it for now. I am very excited about how things are moving along. It seems more real now, if you know what I mean. Thank you again for all of your support. Your prayers and giving mean so much to me. I hope that all of you get the sense that this is not about me. This is about what God is doing through all of us. We get to participate in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth in so many different ways. This is just one of them. Of course, I will continue to keep you posted.
Thanks again!
Allison Rupert
Monday, May 21, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Progress, Not Perfection
Hi Everybody!
I hope all is well with you and yours! Of course, I am still here plugging away to prepare for my move. It has almost been a year since I started this process, and believe me, I am ready to go! Even though I am feeling impatient and restless, I know that God's timing is the best. He never wastes an opportunity to grow us more in his character.
As you know, I took a short trip to Washington D.C. a few weeks ago to file my VISA. Well, even though I had all the necessary paperwork for the VISA, the consulate explained that because I was technically entering 'indigenous terrority' (which is highly protected by the Brazilian government), my VISA could take up to 6 months! Needless to say, I was not happy about that pronouncement. I explained to them that the other members of my team did not have to wait that long to get theirs, but that did not seem to deture them. I was feeling a little bit defeated at this point, so I drove back home praying that God would give me some special favor. A few days later, I spoke to Steve Dolan who is my main contact with the Xingu Mission. He seemed to think that this was unusual and probably misinformed. It would only be right that my first experience with the Brazilian government would be wrapped in uncertainty. Things are going to be very different there. It is better that I face that reality now! In conclusion, my VISA could be here in 2 months or 6. I have no idea. Let's pray its sooner rather than later.
On a lighter note, I got to visit our K thru 5 class at Vineyard Tuttle Crossing this past week to tell them about my plans to move. They were so excited, they had questions even before I got started! I told them about what I would be doing in Brazil and how I had decided to go. I explained to them that I had felt called to be a missionary since I was young. My hope was to open up their minds to the idea that, maybe one day, they could follow the dreams that God gives them. They were kind enough to lay hands and pray for me, as well as give me a little piggy bank in the shape of a globe full of change! I was grateful for their generosity and for allowing me to share with them my hopes for the future.
Lastly, I wanted to see if any of you were interested in helping out with a Run4God Fundraising Event coming up in the Fall. I'm pretty excited about this event because I think it will have great benefits for both the mission field and the church. If you have never done a 5k, you should know its actually a pretty fun event. You can walk or run, it usually only takes a hour or two, and most offer some goodies afterward. At our 5k, we will have food and live music! My good friend, Penny, is spearheading this event, and we need some volunteers to make the day a success. We plan on having a meeting this week after church to discuss a few details. If you interested in getting involved, please stop by (probably in the high school room) so we can give you some more information. If you can't make it on Sunday, just shoot me an email.
I hope this gives you all a good idea of where things are at for me. I want to thank you again for all of your support, both financially and emotionally. Its so encouraging to me that you all have been willing to help me in so many ways. This really is a team effort, and I am grateful to have such a large team!
Love,
Allison Rupert
I hope all is well with you and yours! Of course, I am still here plugging away to prepare for my move. It has almost been a year since I started this process, and believe me, I am ready to go! Even though I am feeling impatient and restless, I know that God's timing is the best. He never wastes an opportunity to grow us more in his character.
As you know, I took a short trip to Washington D.C. a few weeks ago to file my VISA. Well, even though I had all the necessary paperwork for the VISA, the consulate explained that because I was technically entering 'indigenous terrority' (which is highly protected by the Brazilian government), my VISA could take up to 6 months! Needless to say, I was not happy about that pronouncement. I explained to them that the other members of my team did not have to wait that long to get theirs, but that did not seem to deture them. I was feeling a little bit defeated at this point, so I drove back home praying that God would give me some special favor. A few days later, I spoke to Steve Dolan who is my main contact with the Xingu Mission. He seemed to think that this was unusual and probably misinformed. It would only be right that my first experience with the Brazilian government would be wrapped in uncertainty. Things are going to be very different there. It is better that I face that reality now! In conclusion, my VISA could be here in 2 months or 6. I have no idea. Let's pray its sooner rather than later.
On a lighter note, I got to visit our K thru 5 class at Vineyard Tuttle Crossing this past week to tell them about my plans to move. They were so excited, they had questions even before I got started! I told them about what I would be doing in Brazil and how I had decided to go. I explained to them that I had felt called to be a missionary since I was young. My hope was to open up their minds to the idea that, maybe one day, they could follow the dreams that God gives them. They were kind enough to lay hands and pray for me, as well as give me a little piggy bank in the shape of a globe full of change! I was grateful for their generosity and for allowing me to share with them my hopes for the future.
Lastly, I wanted to see if any of you were interested in helping out with a Run4God Fundraising Event coming up in the Fall. I'm pretty excited about this event because I think it will have great benefits for both the mission field and the church. If you have never done a 5k, you should know its actually a pretty fun event. You can walk or run, it usually only takes a hour or two, and most offer some goodies afterward. At our 5k, we will have food and live music! My good friend, Penny, is spearheading this event, and we need some volunteers to make the day a success. We plan on having a meeting this week after church to discuss a few details. If you interested in getting involved, please stop by (probably in the high school room) so we can give you some more information. If you can't make it on Sunday, just shoot me an email.
I hope this gives you all a good idea of where things are at for me. I want to thank you again for all of your support, both financially and emotionally. Its so encouraging to me that you all have been willing to help me in so many ways. This really is a team effort, and I am grateful to have such a large team!
Love,
Allison Rupert
Friday, April 6, 2012
Heading to Washington DC
Time is moving forward and so am I. Next week, I will be taking a short road trip to Washington DC to file my VISA in person. I've been told by some reliable sources that going there should make the process go much faster. Assuming I have everything in order, I should receive my VISA in 2 or 3 months.
With each step, Brazil is getting closer and closer, and my excitement is growing along with it. God has been so faithful already by making so many things fall into place. My financial support is growing at a great pace. Everyone from church, including my friends and family, have been really encouraging and supportive of me. Penny Barrick has taken the reins for my upcoming fundraising event, a 5K Run 4 God, taking place in the early Fall. These are just a few of the things that are happening to make this transition a reality.
Of course, I want to ask all of you for prayer as I travel to DC, and also that I would have everything I need for the VISA. Also, if any of you are interesting in helping out with my Fundraising Team or being apart of the 5K event, please let me know. Thank you again for all of your support in every way!
Love you all!
Allison
With each step, Brazil is getting closer and closer, and my excitement is growing along with it. God has been so faithful already by making so many things fall into place. My financial support is growing at a great pace. Everyone from church, including my friends and family, have been really encouraging and supportive of me. Penny Barrick has taken the reins for my upcoming fundraising event, a 5K Run 4 God, taking place in the early Fall. These are just a few of the things that are happening to make this transition a reality.
Of course, I want to ask all of you for prayer as I travel to DC, and also that I would have everything I need for the VISA. Also, if any of you are interesting in helping out with my Fundraising Team or being apart of the 5K event, please let me know. Thank you again for all of your support in every way!
Love you all!
Allison
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Heading to Toronto
Its a little after 2am on Sunday, February 26th, 2012. I have just arrived at the bus station in Cleveland, OH. At around 6am, I will head over to the train station to catch a train to Toronto, Ontario. I figured this would be a great time to do some blogging.
Even with the late hour, the bus station is lively and awake, and the energy of it is fueling me. So much anticipation filters into my mind as this day marks another step closer to Brazil. I am closer to warmth and a strange newness. I am closer to living out the life I was destined for. Closer to seeing the God who directs my path release me into new territory. Closer to tasting the dream that has possessed me for so long.
Toronto is a pivotal step towards that dream. I will be there for 2 weeks taking a Missions Prep Class designed to prepare me for what I should expect from becoming a missionary. As I sit here in the bus station, still only a few hours into my journey, I feel that dizzy excitement that comes from knowing your dream is finally within reach. I ponder how long God has been pouring into me to bring me to this moment? All the roller coasters and winding roads just to bring me to this place of fulfillment. How much time have I longed for and hoped against hope that this day would come? Here and now, God proves himself. He knows how to keep his promises. I've given him everything that I am, and he's given me more than I deserve.
The next 2 weeks should be an adventure. I will meet a lot of people who have the same desires as me. I will probably learn a lot of things that will inspire and challenge me. My hope is that this is also a time of rest and refreshing. A time to get in touch with that quiet voice inside me. As you can imagine, the planning process for moving to another country is a little exhausting, and I need to be rejuvenated.
If you could think of me over the next few weeks and say a quick prayer, I would appreciate it. And as you do, I encourage you to ponder over your own dreams and callings. Go to that place in your mind where anything is possible and allow God to meet you there. I believe we each play a part in helping others discover and live out who we were designed to be. We can imagine together what the world will look like when Heaven truly invades the Earth. Thank you!
Monday, January 9, 2012
Moving Right Along!
Hello!
I want to thank all of you who stopped by my little booth at church yesterday to chat about my progress! I also want to give a special thanks to all who have decided to support me. But I want you all to know that both your financial and your moral support means a lot to me. This has been my dream for a long time, and it makes a big difference when you know that the people who care about you are standing in your corner.
A lot of you asked some great questions about my progress, and I would like to take this opportunity to answer some of them now.
Many of you wanted to know when I plan to leave. Right now, assuming all goes as planned, I would like to leave for Brazil in May of 2012. That's just around the corner! As you can imagine, I have a lot to do before I go.
Of course, raising support is pretty high on that list, and if you want to learn more about how you can help, please check out the "Needs" page of this blog to get a better idea.
In late February, early March, I will be traveling to Toronto to take a 2 week Missionary Prep class that is required by the Xingu Mission (that is the team I will be joining in Brazil). This class is designed to help prepare me for what I should expect as a long-term missionary and also help me to have the most success as I take on this new endeavor.
I have to work on getting all the info together to apply for a VISA. VISAs can be tricky, as they are time sensitive. Once the VISA is actually accepted, I have to leave for Brazil within 2 to 3 months or it expires! Please, pray that all those details go smoothly.
Strangely enough, I have to get a motorcycle license. Scary, right! When I get there, a motorcycle will be my primary form of transportation. Look out, pedestrians!
As far as learning the language goes, my mom bought me Rosetta Stone for Christmas. It is a great program, and really helps me get a feel for the language. I also have a Brazilian friend who said she would have some time to start teaching me Portuguese.
One of you things I will also need is support to travel to both Toronto and Brazil. If any of you have airline miles you would be willing to donate, that would be a great help.
And last, but certainly not least, I want to give you a brief description of what I will be doing while I am there.
The first year that I am there, I will focus on learning the language and the culture. As you can imagine, the transition from one culture to another is quite a leap. My lifestyle will change is ways I can't even totally fathom at this point, and it will take some getting use to.
During this time, I will also be teaching English at the community center run by the Xingu Mission, attending small groups, and working for the local church. I will also be finishing the Vineyard Leadership Institute program I started a few years ago via the internet.
After my first year, I will move to another city in Brazil to join a team that will be planting a new church.
I hope I was able to give you a good description of what needs to take place in order to make this dream a reality. Again, I want to thank all of you for your interest and support. If you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
God Bless You!!
Allison Rupert
I want to thank all of you who stopped by my little booth at church yesterday to chat about my progress! I also want to give a special thanks to all who have decided to support me. But I want you all to know that both your financial and your moral support means a lot to me. This has been my dream for a long time, and it makes a big difference when you know that the people who care about you are standing in your corner.
A lot of you asked some great questions about my progress, and I would like to take this opportunity to answer some of them now.
Many of you wanted to know when I plan to leave. Right now, assuming all goes as planned, I would like to leave for Brazil in May of 2012. That's just around the corner! As you can imagine, I have a lot to do before I go.
Of course, raising support is pretty high on that list, and if you want to learn more about how you can help, please check out the "Needs" page of this blog to get a better idea.
In late February, early March, I will be traveling to Toronto to take a 2 week Missionary Prep class that is required by the Xingu Mission (that is the team I will be joining in Brazil). This class is designed to help prepare me for what I should expect as a long-term missionary and also help me to have the most success as I take on this new endeavor.
I have to work on getting all the info together to apply for a VISA. VISAs can be tricky, as they are time sensitive. Once the VISA is actually accepted, I have to leave for Brazil within 2 to 3 months or it expires! Please, pray that all those details go smoothly.
Strangely enough, I have to get a motorcycle license. Scary, right! When I get there, a motorcycle will be my primary form of transportation. Look out, pedestrians!
As far as learning the language goes, my mom bought me Rosetta Stone for Christmas. It is a great program, and really helps me get a feel for the language. I also have a Brazilian friend who said she would have some time to start teaching me Portuguese.
One of you things I will also need is support to travel to both Toronto and Brazil. If any of you have airline miles you would be willing to donate, that would be a great help.
And last, but certainly not least, I want to give you a brief description of what I will be doing while I am there.
The first year that I am there, I will focus on learning the language and the culture. As you can imagine, the transition from one culture to another is quite a leap. My lifestyle will change is ways I can't even totally fathom at this point, and it will take some getting use to.
During this time, I will also be teaching English at the community center run by the Xingu Mission, attending small groups, and working for the local church. I will also be finishing the Vineyard Leadership Institute program I started a few years ago via the internet.
After my first year, I will move to another city in Brazil to join a team that will be planting a new church.
I hope I was able to give you a good description of what needs to take place in order to make this dream a reality. Again, I want to thank all of you for your interest and support. If you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
God Bless You!!
Allison Rupert
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Things are about to change.
New Years 2012
I went out with some friends of mine to celebrate New Years tonight, and we made our way to one of those clubs with lots of drunk, poorly dressed girls and bad dance music. Don't get me wrong, I love dancing, but these types of places usually turn me off. I can't help but notice the sea of faces that peer back at you with that lost and empty gaze. I see the voids and the desperate searching for identity, finding themselves in all the wrong things. My heart is always broken and grieved.
As midnight approached and the DJ starting counting down for the new year, I heard a warning in my spirit. I looked out over the shouts and laughter and knew that, very soon, their laughter would turn into mourning. All their lives are about to change as our country is about to move into a new season. A season of hardship and grief. A season of desperation and questioning.
I am not a nay-sayer, and I don't like it when people are overly dramatic about seeing doom on every corner. Yet, I could not deny the Lord's earnestness, nor his mercy.
Matthew 9:36 states: When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd."
I felt so strongly God's desire to call all of us home into his loving and capable arms. I felt his desire that we would stop looking to this empty world and start looking to him to supply all our needs. The world will only ever steal and suck the life from us. God wants to give life back to us and them some.
Things are about to change, but no matter what, God's mercy is ever-present. He is always waiting to redeem us from our perils. And he will redeem us from the perils to come.
I went out with some friends of mine to celebrate New Years tonight, and we made our way to one of those clubs with lots of drunk, poorly dressed girls and bad dance music. Don't get me wrong, I love dancing, but these types of places usually turn me off. I can't help but notice the sea of faces that peer back at you with that lost and empty gaze. I see the voids and the desperate searching for identity, finding themselves in all the wrong things. My heart is always broken and grieved.
As midnight approached and the DJ starting counting down for the new year, I heard a warning in my spirit. I looked out over the shouts and laughter and knew that, very soon, their laughter would turn into mourning. All their lives are about to change as our country is about to move into a new season. A season of hardship and grief. A season of desperation and questioning.
I am not a nay-sayer, and I don't like it when people are overly dramatic about seeing doom on every corner. Yet, I could not deny the Lord's earnestness, nor his mercy.
Matthew 9:36 states: When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd."
I felt so strongly God's desire to call all of us home into his loving and capable arms. I felt his desire that we would stop looking to this empty world and start looking to him to supply all our needs. The world will only ever steal and suck the life from us. God wants to give life back to us and them some.
Things are about to change, but no matter what, God's mercy is ever-present. He is always waiting to redeem us from our perils. And he will redeem us from the perils to come.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Hope for the Future
Yesterday for Christmas, I had the privilege of going to a juvenile detention center with Char Penn and the Youth group from Vineyard Tuttle Crossing. It was an incredible time, and God's presence was so thick with love and compassion. Char gave a message to the girls about how Jesus was born in a lowly place so that he could meet us in our low places. She spoke a message of hope to these young girls. She spoke about a God who wants to meet us in our brokenness and restore our lives, piece by piece. We also had the privilege of singing some worship songs for these girls, as well as giving them Christmas presents and praying for them. The whole time I was there, the Holy Spirit was all over me and my heart was just breaking. I felt so strongly, the love that God has for people like these girls. When we got to pray for them, I couldn't wait to get my hands on them and to speak healing words over their lives. It was just another conformation of what I want to do with my life. I want to be apart of sharing the love of God with the world. I cannot think of a better purpose or a higher calling. It is my dream and my gift. It is what I hope to do in Brazil. Each day in so many ways, God is preparing me more and more to be his servant. I am so grateful that he met me in my lowly place and gave me a hope for my future.
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