Reflections from Linsdey "Sada" Brown

For the first half of 2011, I had the joy of living life with the kids and staff of Camphor Mission. Since my return home, I have continued to feel the Lord tug on my heart and connect me with the people of Camphor Mission. He has given me the opportunity to be involved with the mission and respond to some of the needs I was able to witness during the time I spent there. Specifically, I have felt the desire to tell the Camphor story to people stateside and advocate for the nutritional needs of the students there. I have been beyond blessed with opportunities to speak of the Ten80 Project (www.ten80project.org) and witness His provision for the Camphor Mission students. Just recently though, I was reminded that God doesn’t need feeding campaigns or big projects to use as an avenue to provide for His children. He simply needs broken people who have experienced His love to proclaim His goodness…

Last week, my birthday rolled around for the 25th time. Historically, I’m not a fan of birthdays. I don’t like being the center of attention, I get awkward when everything is all about me, etc. so when my friends wanted to have a birthday party for me, I was a bit hesitant. My uneasiness heightened when one of the girls brought a birthday card to me with the biggest grin on her face and said, “We want you to open this now.” After a few minutes of pleading against having to stand in front of friends and read a birthday note out loud to everyone, I finally gave in. Little did I know, I was about to open the best birthday present I have ever received.

I read the sweet note written in the card, flipped over what looked like a check, and started crying in disbelief that a group of nine young women in their 20’s could have enough “spare change” to make a $1400 donation to Camphor Mission and the Ten 80 Project. What a blessing it is that the Lord has put Camphor Mission on my heart so heavily, and flowing out of my mouth so frequently, that people in my life know that no gift could compare to a contribution to my Liberian family.

What an honor it is to know that my birthday brought glory not to me, but to the One who created me. What joy and peace it brings to know that the gift I received on my 25th birthday won’t get lost in the back of my closet or become outdated in a matter of months, but will last into eternity as His children in Liberia are able to experience the consistency of His faithfulness through their dietary needs being met. What a blessing to be loved by a God who provides, even by me simply showing up at my own party!!!

Give a gift that will last today; Support Camphor Mission through salary support, staff housing renovations, or the Ten 80 Project!