I shared a couple of weeks ago that I had made the decision to go to Tijuana on a Missions Trip through our church. We are leaving on Sunday.

What I did not share with you is that this is not a typical missions "work" trip. We will be staying at the orphanage our church supports (I fear there will be many sleepless children forced to listen to my snoring) and we will undoubtedly have time for some fun with the kids and perhaps some other service projects but here's the rest of the scoop on our trip:

This trip is the brainchild of our senior pastor's soon-to-be-17-year-old son. He is an amazing guy. He has been to Tijuana on past trips and God has really touched his heart with the issues of prostitution and human trafficking that go on there. He has assembled a team of us to go down and learn about these issues ... and to see if we can dream together in developing an ongoing ministry that either fights the core issues, brings comfort to those involved, or perhaps both.

So, I am looking forward to the trip. I enjoy researching and analyzing things and gaining deeper understanding.

Please pray for our trip if you would. Pray for those who are the victims of human trafficking and prostitution. Pray for those we will be meeting with. Pray that our own hearts will continue to be shaped and softened by these issues, so that we can carry a good message back home when we return. Pray for our safety (needless to say, those making money off of enslaved individuals will not welcome us if they figure out what we're there to learn about). Pray that we will reach wherever God wants us to reach in regards to all of this, both by a personal reaching deeper into Him and by reaching further out in His love.

Pray that the kids at the orphanage, as well as my fellow sojourners, will sleep well despite my snoring.