Now that I'm back...

Dear Supporters,

            I’ve recently returned from my Summer Project to North Africa and the first thing I want to do is send you a huge thank you! My time with the Campus Crusade staff and students there was an incredible experience, which I would not have had without your support.

            While in North Africa, I saw God work in really amazing ways. Great relationships were built between the team, and with the students we got to meet. While there we got to spend time with the long-term staff there as well, and learn about the life they had been called to as workers in this very dark country. I was amazed at the people God brought into my life for those six weeks.

I was particularly fortunate to form a friendship with one student whose name was Imane. She was attending university away from her parents, hadn’t met a lot of quality friends, and often told us about how lonely and sad she was. My heart really broke for her situation, and God provided a lot of avenues for spiritual conversation with her. In our first meeting we got to share the Gospel, which she had told us she had never heard before. Her response to us was better than we could have ever hoped for. She was curious, asked questions, and was open to hearing more about Christianity. Through more follow up conversations we got to explore many issues about the differences between Islam and Christianity. I’m praying that God will open doors for her to really get to know the staff there and find those relationships she’s been so severely lacking. I am confident that God has big plans for her life!

God also taught our team countless lessons about his character in unexpected ways. One lesson that God brought very close to my heart was the freedom we have in Christ. Women in this country were not given much respect, and were given even less freedom. To see a woman walking down the street veiled and clothed head to toe was not uncommon. The women I met with would often express to me their desire to be free. Although I would often become frustrated with the rights that were taken away from me while I was there, God often reminded me of where my true freedom was, and that was in Him.

I’m also really excited about the doors God has opened for me about my future. This trip has solidified a desire in my heart to live overseas, whether that be in missions or not, I can’t say yet. However, he showed me just how big his world is, and how present He is, even in the darkest corners of the earth.

Again, I want to say thank you for helping send me on this Summer Project. It really has changed my life for the better and I am exceedingly thankful!

Jessica Elwood

(For security reason I have to limit my pictures, but here are a few of my team!)

This is Elizabeth and Hannah at the church we attended on Sundays. This was the only Anglican church in the city. It's owned by England and only foreigners are allowed to attend. The entire church seats about 50 people, which is about the number of believers in the city.

The team's favorite thing to do on our days off were to go to the beach at sunset, which was about a 20 minute taxi drive away. 

We were incredibly blessed to have a Muslim woman living with us, and one night she did Henna on all the girls for free. It smelled horrible, but it looked really pretty at the end!

From the top right its Ryan, Rusty, Jason, Stephen, Elizabeth, Me, Angie, Hannah and Kaitlyn. I honestly could not have asked for a better team!