In Loving Memory of Mary Louise Stokes

Thank you to the many people who have been praying for me and my family this past week. Last Sunday the 29th of May my family had to make the difficult decision to put my grandmother in Hospice care. She had a stroke several weeks ago, went home hoping to recover, but then took a turn for the worse and went into a coma over a week ago. She had a blood infection not responsive to antibiotics and went into complete kidney failure. This past week has been a difficult one as my family and i have sat by her bedside watching her slowly pass away. Memaw hung on for much longer than anyone expected. And then last night May 28th at 9:30pm my Memaw, Mary Louise Stokes passed away. My dad, stepmother and I were at her bedside as she took her last breathe. I was blessed to have the opportunity to sit at my Memaw's bedside many nights this past week holding her hand and reading to her from the Psalms. Though she was unresponsive I think my grandmother could hear me and knew i was there. It was a very special time. As my family has grieved i have been able to share with them that we as a family can grieve but we can grieve with HOPE! About 6 or 7 years ago i remember sitting in Memaw's living room talking to her about sin, about life, death, and the grace of God. I shared with her how she could be forgiven of sin and have eternal life through Jesus Christ. At that time Memaw prayed to receive Christ as her Savior. It is because of that that we as a family can greive with HOPE. Though Memaw is now absent from the body she is now present with the Lord, and because of that we can find Joy in the midst of grief and pain. The viewing is Tuesday night and the funeral will follow on Wednesday at 1pm at Forest Lawn Cemetary on Freedom Dr. in Charlotte, NC. She will be buried beside my Papaw Stokes who passed away 13 years ago.
Thank you to all of my friends and church family who have called, prayed for my family, and who have helped me in many ways this past week. God is so good! A special thanks to Rusty, Jonathan, and Caxton who moved my furniture from my old apartment this past weekend so i could be in Charlotte with my family.

I should be returning to Raleigh by the end of the week and for the next two or three months before i go to Kenya i will be living with Thom and Cindy Asta in downtown Raleigh. When i return i will begin sending out letters for support raising. Will keep you updated.
Thanks for your prayers!!!

Thanks for the Encouragement....

WOW...My heart is so encouraged right now!!!! I began sending out emails to everyone yesterday announcing my plans to return to Kenya and have received over 32 responses from people with such encouraging words. I can't tell you how much this makes me smile. God is so good and i'm so thankful for all the people HE has so graciously put in my life over these 28 years! With each email come special memories and stories of the past and serve as reminders of God's faithfulness in my life.
I'm still waiting for the final approval from Serve International and then i will begin the support raising process. Two months doesn't seem like a long time to raise support for leaving by the end of July but i'm trusting in God's Word which says, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."1 Thess 5:24. His timing is perfect! I'm excited to see how He provides! (the picture is of some of the college girls in Mombasa)
I will be moving out of my apartment next weekend either the afternoon of 26th or morning of 27th (whichever day i can find the most help) and moving in with a very sweet family, the Asta's, from Open Door Baptist Church. They have so graciously and generously offered to allow me to stay with them until i go to Kenya. They are the family that Dennis stayed with when he was here in December. So as i am busy packing and taking care of lots of logistical things please keep me in your prayers. Also please keep my grandmother and family in your prayers as well. Memaw had a small stroke recently and has been in and out of the hospital. She just celebrated her 83rd Birthday April 1st.
Love you all!

Kenya...Here I Come Again...

It is with great joy and much excitement that I announce my plans to go back to East Africa for a few months this year.The last ten months since I returned from Africa have been a whirlwind of transition. There have been both mountains and valleys, but through it all God has been molding me, growing me, refining me, and teaching me so many things about Himself.

In December, I completed my seminary education and graduated with a Masters of Divinity degree. Then I started a new job at UNC Hospital, moved into a new apartment, and joined an incredible inner city church in downtown Raleigh. Through all of this, God has really been doing a work in my heart and reviving my desire to serve Him in International Missions. My heart is still heavily burdened for the peoples of Kenya. And now I have the opportunity to return there once again.

God is already working out all the logistics for me to return, and if all goes as planned and financial support comes in, I hope to return by the end of July to spend four months on the coast of Kenya working with an organization called Serve International. Many of you also know about Dennis, a dear friend I met during my last few months in Kenya. I will be joining Dennis and some others on the SERVE Kenya team. I will have several responsibilities, but primarily I will be living and working in the city of Mombasa, building relationships and discipling college girls at Mombasa Polytechnic.

This will be a very different experience than my first two years overseas, and I am very excited to see what God has planned! As I prepare to go, once again I’m going to need the support and prayers of everyone! If you would like to be updated about these specific plans and how you can better support, pray for and partner with me as I go, please email me (allirn4him@pobox.com) your MAILING address as soon as possible.

Thank you for your prayers! Please pray for:

• the flow of paperwork and all the logisitics needed to begin this journey
• the financial support raising that will begin soon
• the spiritual preparation - for myself, for Dennis, and the other team members