And This is What It Sounds Like ...

2011-06-09T17:12:00.001-07:00

Hello Dear Ones,

I pray all is well in your lives and that you are witnessing the sweetness and faithfulness of the Lord in all sorts of fresh, new ways. I can’t begin to describe the feelings of joy and gratitude that arise in my heart as I ponder the goodness of God in my own life, especially as of late,and must force my mind to focus as my thoughts race through innumerable instances of His faithfulness.

I apologize for the lack of “updates” recently, though that fact, in and of itself, is a perfect segue into my explanation of the new season that God has placed me in. There haven’t been any huge plans or happenings to report because that is precisely the way God wanted it. Since returning home from Nashville, I have felt an undeniable shift in the fast-paced transience that has defined the life of Katie Doud for so very long. Over the last 5 years, I have lived in 6 different countries, worked for 3 separate organizations, studied

medicine, music, missions, and

language, and returned with more parasites and diseases than I can count. And it has been absolutely sensational.

When I look back at the cultures I’ve joined – the relationships I’ve built – the love I’ve been blessed to receive and give away – the knowledge I have shared and obtained…there is not one fraction of my being that would regret or change this adventure of life that has been mine.

However, as I have walked through such incredible experiences and loved on so many diverse and unique groups of people, I’ve found that the wild, intrepid desires that once burned so uncontrollably in my spontaneous young heart have begun to deteriorate a bit – not out of weariness or disillusionment, but instead, out of a true and sweet sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. I feel like God is now forming new desires in me from a place of understanding and

realization of the importance of family, community, and investment in relational-ministry. He has called me home, not just for a stop-over between big and exciting plans, but home tostay for a while.

I am learning what it truly means to abide, not just in a place, but abiding in my spirit - investing my passions, my experience, my vision, and my heart into family, community, and the living, breathing body of Christ. And as I have yielded my anxious desires to know what’s next, God has met me in that place of surrender and opened my eyes to the unbelievable relationships, community, and ministry that He has been preparing for me in this place since long before I found my way home. I am captivated by His perfect provision in every area as I step, unafraid, into everything He has for me…right now.

So, on the practical end of all of this, life has been moving at an unbelievably fast pace. When I graduated from my school of Worship in Nashville, I decided that I wanted to fully

wait on God in the area of ministry and leading, intentionally lying low until the time and opportunity that He desired would be clear. And He has made good on His promise to prepare the way. Since returning to Fort Collins, I have been overwhelmed with invitations and opportunities to use the passions of my heart to serve The Body. I have been leading worship in 3 different churches, co-leading a women’s bible study every week, and immersing myself in new relationships and community.

I am working full-time as

the billing specialist with a home healthcare company, which keeps my days full, and ministry fills many of my nights and weekends. However,

one of the sweetest additions to this new season is the incredible blessing of being with my family. Living on separate

continents for years has shown me how absolutely integral family is, and how beautiful it is to do life with them. I truly adore this time.

Now please don’t misunderstand me – in all of this talk of home and settling, by no means has my passion and call to the nations diminished or changed. God simply has me in a season of learning and growing in a different environment, and though I am not living in these places, as I once did, my heart still beats with them. A midst my involvement and commitments here at home, there are always times set aside in which I can retreat from the busyness and simply invest time praying for and communicating with the precious people and groups that I was a part of in these nations that weigh so heavy on my heart. God has also promised to provide opportunities for me to reach the nations on a smaller scale, while still remaining in this place that he has called me to for now. And He has recently provided just that chance as I have been asked to join a small team from my church to travel to Nicaragua in July. We will be spending 10 days working in a group home for children and young adults who have been abandoned – either biologically or socially. The majority of these children are coming from environments of prostitution, abuse, and neglect, and are just beginning to walk the process of healing and restoration from the only life they have ever known. I have been spending countless hours praying for each individual child, walking through their histories and investing in their hearts before I even meet them. My heart is burning with a desire to simply bring life to these children, as well as the staff. I plan to devote hours a day to simply sitting and conversing with them – hearing their stories, praying with them, assisting them with any duties that may relieve some of the constant pressure they are under as staff, and just being a source of refreshment and joy. As you know, God has placed such a passion in my heart for relational, love-ministry – to invest time in simply walking with individuals and placing an interest and importance on their life and circumstances. To love and relate just as Jesus did – in simplicity and authenticity.

Though I am ecstatic that God presented this amazing opportunity to me, the reality is that it did come quickly and unexpectedly, allowing me only a few weeks to raise the $1700 I will need to meet the travel and living costs for this trip. However, as daunting as that sum may appear, I do truly believe that God has challenged me to trust in his ability to provide. This means surrendering my pride and control, and being willing to humbly ask for help. As I have always said, I believe any bit of financial or prayer support offered towards a missionary’s cause is a powerful, tangible investment in the mighty work that God is doing in the nations, and it is simply an honor to be a steward of that investment. So in all humility and trust in God’s call in this time, I ask that you would prayerfully consider contributing to this goal. When I prepare for a trip such as this, my heart and mind naturally focus on the great need and potential for God to work there, and the finances become less and less of a worry. I trust that if God asked each of us to go in this specific time, he will provide the means to fulfill that call. So if you are at all interested in being a part of that provision and answer, I would be so very grateful for your assistance. Tax-deductible donations in check form can be made out to Vineyard with nothing written in the memo line, and sent to me at 1620 Buckeye Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80524.

As always, I am SO blessed by your constant prayers and encouragement. It is an incredible gift to have a group of people so full of love and faith that commit to standing with me as I walk through this beautiful journey that God is leading. You are precious to me and I cherish your faithfulness.

Delighting in Him,

Katie

2010-12-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Nearly New Year, everyone.

I've been so anxious to have a means of communication again, as we rarely had internet for the 3 months I was on the base, nor during our two months out of the country. It has been SO difficult not being able to communicate, but I know there was a reason God had me in a season of total solitude. He has required from me such an utter dependence upon Him alone during this time, and it is so clear, as I look back, how necessary that solitude was for my healing. Heading into this season, I knew the Lord was calling me to “return to Him,” but I did not fully understand what that truly required until I arrived and began digging deep into a process of surrender, healing, and

restoration that spanned the entire 5 months I was here. It's so funny to look back over this half -year, and realize that, even though I received some great musical training as a worship leader, God's actual purpose for bringing me here was a total transformation and restoration of my identity.More than any of the music, this was a season of healing. Week after week, I was poured into by various leaders, pastors, and speakers – being counseled, prayed for, and taught by some of the most godly people I have ever met. Not to mention the incredible family I had in my fellow students. We were just 7 – but I have come away with some of the deepest, most precious brothers and sisters I have had in all my life.

During our lecture phase, I was stretched and challenged in my view of nearly every aspect of my faith. We were trained and taught in SO many different areas – from Intimacy with our Father, to the biblical basis of worship,how to lead a worship team, how to record and produce music, and most importantly, how to be fully led by the Holy Spirit in every aspect as we develop a worship ministry.We wrote music every single week, led worship in churches and events in and around Nashville, and received some

amazing training in music studios, vocal lessons, and instruments.

It was an incredible experience that has prepared me for SO much more as I step out into writing music and leading worship wherever God takes me next.

We traveled to Mexico for our last 2 months (we didn't end up going to Spain because of some financial issues – so we remained in Mexico the entire time). Our days were spent working alongside innumerable churches and communities, serving, leading worship, teaching seminars, and spending the majority of our time in personal, and consistent relationships with individuals.God was able to use our team immensely in this currently war-torn country.

We spent many weeks working in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation centers, praying for healing in hospitals, and feeding the homeless. During some of our other open evenings, we often worked in a place that we named "Death Street." It is known as one of the most dangerous streets in the city, not only for the drug abuse, trafficking, gang violence, and murder, but it is also one of the most highly saturated areas of witchcraft, Satanism and worship of Santa Muerte (Saint Death). It was a risk, but we continued to return (even after a local gang member tried to stop us and tell us it wasn't safe), because our hearts were passionate for the desperate people in this area.

Our months in Mexico were filled with beautiful opportunites to leave a piece of what God poured into us during our school in the lives of these precious people.

I recently flew home to be with my precious family for Christmas, and to spend some time resting as I prepare for the next season of my life. I'm returning as a woman completely transformed by the healing power of my sweet Father, and am anxious to continue walking in all that he has begun in me this year.

If you find time, would you mind praying for this transition phase that I am entering into? I have done it so many times before, but it is never easy returning home after such an intense season of growth and change. Please pray for sweet time with my parents, and for a heightened trust and assurance in the plans that God has waiting for me – even when I can't see them fully. That I will truly be able to receive this time of rest that He has blessed me with, and seek His face every single day, drawing deeper and deeper into the intimacy that He and I have rediscovered during this time. And that my natural desire to plan and know what's to come would be overwhelmed by my confidence and trust that my Father has a perfect plan for my future, and that He is already preparing the way.

I pray for a beautiful transition into this new year for each of you. May it be a season filled with new and magnificent things.

October in Nashville

2010-12-29T16:44:00.000-08:00

Good morning, Faithful friends!

I know I haven't been great with my communication lately. Please forgive me for that. We don't have internet here, and hardly ever a cell signal, so I have been out of touch with life for nearly 2 months. School has been totally overwhelming, as our schedule has us running from 7am to about 11pm with barely enough free time to sit down for 5 minutes. We have lectures most of the day, intercession meetings, base-wide worship sessions, work-duties for a few hours every day, and by the time everything winds down at night, we get right back to work on our out-of-class work – papers, song-writing, music theory studies, etc. It is very intense, but SO wonderful.

I have been stretched and challenged

in so many areas in the past few months, and I am now anxiously beginning preparations for our trips to Mexico City and Madrid. God has really been preparing the way for a powerful time of “love ministry” in these places. This is definitely going to be a different trip than many I have taken in the past. There will be a lot less practical ministry – building, teaching, med clinics, etc. - but rather our heart for these months is to invest in personal, love-ministry. Building relationships with the people who are unheard and unloved – sitting down with them and tangibly demonstrating the love of Jesus by investing in their lives. I am SO excited and anxious for the chance to do this – as well as the other opportunities we will have to open doors through our music. It should be an incredible season of experiencing the raw, real heart of Jesus – Love Him and love People.

God has been ROCKING our team and truly bowling us over – binding us together and pouring out his power in order to release us into these nations for this “love ministry” that He has placed on our hearts.

Our outreach is going to be far less about worship than it is about just investing in every one of the lonely, broken people we encounter. There is an incredible refreshing happening in my life – SO much healing has happened during these weeks in my heart, and God is raising me up for something bigger than I ever could have imagined. I want to waste it all on Him and His kingdom – pour out ALL of my oil at his feet ONLY so that He can fill me enough to pour it all out on his beloved lost ones. I am so, SO desperate to see people transformed and revolutionized! My heart is racing, just writing the words. He has transformed me in ways I can't begin to describe.

I have truly begun to walk in the inheritance that I have as his daughter – in this “Sonship” lifestyle where nothing is too much or too great for My Father to lavish upon me. When I ask for the nations – He is going to bring them to me! I am no longer on a hunt for my destiny and calling and purpose – I am walking in each one of them, because my destiny is to be like Christ and to walk in the authority I have as his daughter. All the rest, He is preparing and guiding every step -revealing a little bit more every day. I am so incredibly and completely SATISFIED in Him.

Again, please forgive me for not having the means to better communicate during this season. We truly have been without all forms of communication and technology since I arrived. But I trusted in the Lord, all the same, that He was caring for and providing for each of you during this time, just as he has been for me. And as I depart for Mexico City this coming Thursday, the 7^th, I will continue to entrust each one of you into the hands of our Father.

Would you please pray for safety for our team? We will be driving to Mexico, traveling non-stop for 5 straight days, and it is likely that we will encounter many different law officials and border control who are often very corrupt. Pray for divine protection and swiftness as we trust God to get us to our destination, so we can begin to love on the precious people of Mexico City. We will be returning to the U.S. In early November, and immediately flying to Madrid. Please join me as I continue to trust in God's financial provision, as I am leaving the country with only half of the money I need to survive. But my trust has not and will not waver – knowing that my Father is a God of miracles, and since He has asked me to go to these nations out of His brokenness for the hurting, I am more than sure that He will pay my way.

I am so very thankful for each one of you, and it would bless me so much to hear from you, if you have a chance. I am praying that we will find occasional internet access in Mexico and Spain, but if, for some reason, you do not receive a response from me, it is because I have not yet been able to find a connection. Just know that my prayers for you will not be interrupted. Thank you for standing with me and supporting the work that God has asked me to do as I find my heart breaking for the things that break His heart.

I pray that you have a beautiful rest of your day, and I look forward to hearing from you!

His,

Katie

2010-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

2010-06-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hello Sweet Ones,

I want to give you a brief update on some big changes in my life. Over the past 5 months, God has not taken me out of the wilderness (as I had hoped he would) but has actually asked me to step deeper into the desert. After many confusing and painful months of fasting and separation, God has made it clear to Esteban and myself that this is not HIS time for us to begin a marriage. He has asked many things of each of us, and as painful as it is to our human hearts, we have chosen to obey and walk this difficult path that the Lord is calling us to. Above all else, we are HIS. We do not belong to each other, and so, when God asked us to surrender our plans and desires and devote a season of our lives to seeking and serving Him alone, we said yes. We trust in the sovereignty of our mighty God, and stand secure, knowing that He is only continuing to prepare our hearts for the grand future He has in store for each of us.

God has opened the door to an exciting new season of opportunity and growth for me as I have sought his direction these past few months. I have been accepted into YWAM's School of Worship in Nashville, Tennessee, beginning July 11th. The School of Worship is a 5 month, encounter-driven training course that is set on knowing the Spirit of Truth so that we can worship Him in spirit and truth. As we come to encounter Him in a real and intimate way, both corporately and individually, we behold His glory(his ultimate beauty and magnificence) and therefore are transformed from one glorious state to another. We also learn from the biblical history of worship to get the foundations and then work with the Lord for new revelation on how to use those foundations in todays church, and world.

Jesus said in Matthew 22 that the greatest commandment is to “first, love God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.” We see worship and missions as the marriage of the first and second commandment to obey the greatest commandment Jesus gave us. We also recognize that He had an order to that commandment and that loving God comes first with love-driven ministry following.

In this school as we are trained to minister to the Lord and love Him with all we have, we will be filled with His Spirit and sent by Him to our neighbors in spiritual and practical ways. We will minister on outreach every week in Nashville after lectures to give away these truths in power to a lost and blind world. We also engage on an 8 week foreign outreach after the 12 week lecture phase to take the life we receive from worship and bring healing and restoration to the nations. (Rev. 22:1-2)

I am SO excited and blessed to have been accepted into this life-changing school. I know that God is asking me to continue walking in the grand calling he has given me to love him and take his love to the nations, and that is exactly what he is allowing me to do in this new season.

Thank you for allowing me to share my heart and circumstances with you
(even in the most painful of times) and to call on you for your support in both prayer and finances. Your prayers are the greatest gift you can give. Please also let me know how I can pray for you! I will be sending out frequent updates upon my arrival in Nashville, as well as throughout our travels overseas. Thank you, with all my heart, for walking with me through the trials and adventures God has set before me. He is my life, and I will give everything in me to glorify him and take his hope and healing to the ends of the earth.

"You were wearied with the length of your way, but you did not say 'it is hopeless'; you found NEW LIFE for your strength, and so you were not faint." -Isaiah 57:10

Faithfully and Forever HIS,

Katie

2010-01-19T13:13:00.000-08:00

2010-01-19T12:50:00.000-08:00

2009-06-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

My dear family and friends,

Greetings from Montevideo!

After several JAM-PACKED months of life and ministry here in Uruguay, I finally have the opportunity to update you on all that has happened and all that the Lord is doing in this beautiful country!

LA MISSION – ATLANTIDA

The missions school that I am helping at here in the costal city of Atlantida has been absolutely bursting with activity over the past few months. The Lord has been moving and bringing about huge, powerful changes in the lives of each of our students, as they spend a significant part of each day in pure discipleship. They are learning to truly listen to the voice of God, and that has taken them to incredible new levels in their relationship and intimacy with Him. It’s been such a joy to share in that process – to journey with these passionate youth as they fall more in love with their Savior, and at the same time, are being trained and equipped with the tools and skills to be sent out and develop ministries of their own! God has also burdened a few of our students with a burning passion and call to overseas missions, which, as you can imagine, thrills me beyond belief! I’ve been able to encourage and pray with one student, in particular, who is now pursuing a future in missions and learning how to be obedient to the call God has given her … she is 13 years old!

When the students finish their classes and discipleship, they spend the rest of the day preparing for ministry. God blessed me with the opportunity to teach them dramas and choreographies for our evangelistic ministry, which are then taken to the streets, to churches, and right down to the beach. We also developed some awesome children’s programs that are done throughout our city and taken out on the mission field, as well as weekly service in local Assisted Living homes.

In April, a large team of American youth arrived to spend a week serving here in Uruguay, where I worked as a translator. The team was a huge blessing to this country and a great encouragement to the church here as well.

We recently returned from our second outreach trip to the interior of the country and Brazil, and WOW – God did HUGE things! We spent a lot of time ministering specifically to the Pastoral family of the church we were partnering with, as they find themselves incredibly alone and in need of support and love. We brought a Circus to the children of the town, complete with fire-juggling, unicycling, and some amazing Bible story re-enactments, and saw more then 30 children give their lives to Christ! One of my fellow leaders and myself were able to encourage and support the worship ministry of the church, and, through the street evangelism and dramas, numerous youth living on the streets accept Christ as well! Both trips were fantastic, and gave the students some awesome first experiences in missions.

La Mission was also asked to participate in a massive event in Montevideo for the World Day of Prayer at the end of May. The students performed a powerful, live-painting drama, and I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship for more than a thousand people. This was yet another awesome chance to bring La Mission’s unique talents and ministries to the people of Uruguay, and God blessed it immensely!

We are now in our last 2 weeks of the students’ 6-month school, and will be busy until the very last day. Myself and two other leaders have just been called, last minute, to serve as translators/interpreters for a large missions team from the U.S. that arrived two days ago. We will be assisting in medical clinics and translating during their weeks of service projects and evangelism. On the 5th of July, our students will graduate, and each will then be heading back to their homes – some to the interior of Uruguay, others to the Unites States.

Thank you SO much for your support, letters, and constant prayer. It truly has been sustaining me here. I love you all SO very much, and look forward to seeing many of you soon!

His,
Katie

“Now to Him who is able to do FAR MORE abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!” ~Eph. 3:20-21

2009-02-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

2008-12-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

2008-12-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

2008-12-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

2008-10-01T13:02:00.000-07:00

Outreach has finally arrived! Tomorrow is our final day on the base, as we finish preparations for our journey. We will be spending the next 3 weeks living in a squatter camp here in South Africa called Kysne (pronounced Nigh-zna), and working with a massive population of HIV victims. Much of this time will be spent in the HIV clinic, in the maternity ward, as well as working with street kids and in a preschool of HIV-positive children. It will be a very challenging and heart-wrenching period of time, but we are SO thrilled to have the opportunity to bring HOPE to these people! To show them unconditional love and just be there to listen to their struggles and pain. And it will be a life-changing experience, living in the shacks with these families during our time in the camp! The chances of us having access to electricity are quite slim, so updates will not be easy. But we will attempt to send out a team update every few weeks (technology permitting) from the address : iphc2008@gmail.com So watch for news, as we are EXPECTANT that God is going to do HUGE things during this time!
Following our weeks is Kysne, we’ll embark on a 5-day journey to northern Mozambique, where we will spend 5 weeks in the bush. Our team will work in the bush health clinic, as well as give many health teachings in the villages and schools. This period of time, as well, is going to be filled with unbelievable challenges and opportunities to bring healing to a desperate people! Praise the Lord for the chance to go where healthcare is nearly non-existent, and to love, love LOVE on these villagers! Please pray for safety, financial breakthrough (as many students are still struggling to pay their expenses), and God’s AWESOME grace as we deal with corruption on the borders and in travel plans. Thank you for trusting in the Lord alongside of us, and joining in this spectacular journey through your NEEDED and powerful prayers!

Looking forward to the next update!

Walking by Faith,
Katie

2008-09-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

Hello my dear ones!

I pray you are all having a splendid day, and enjoying the last beautiful moments of August! It’s so strange to be in the middle of a winter storm, and hear updates from home about summer travels and adventures and the return to classes! I love being reminded of all that the other half of the world is experiencing, and I miss you all SO very much!

Life at the base has been full, to say the least, but simply beautiful. We are in full-throttle, gearing up for our travels to the bush of Mozambique, and packing more and more medical knowledge into our ever-expanding minds. However, we are not only studying, but have now begun actually doing! Spending many hours performing physical examinations on patients and traveling around Worcester, serving and practicing our skills. We spent part of last week at the blood transfusion clinic, studying and testing in an awesome healthcare setting, and recently returned from an afternoon in the slums, providing wound care at a gathering of more than 200 children. Our practical exams took place last week as well, where we spent 4 hours demonstrating all of our skills and knowledge – caring for and treating patients, as well as diagnosing diseases and conditions. It was nerve-wracking but an excellent beginning to all that we will be doing in the field next month! We’ve begun our last four weeks in South Africa, and it is mind-boggling how quickly time has flown by! But to be honest, I have struggled a bit during this lecture phase, to be patient during this time of preparation. My heart is eager to begin loving on the people of Mozambique, and my hands burning to bring them the healing that they are crying out for!

And thank you SO much to all of you who have emailed prayer requests! I have had so many sweet times of prayer for you and will continue to intercede constantly for those things!

Please pray for continued health and unity of our team, as well as financial breakthrough for numerous students who are still struggling to pay their fees for outreach! We are standing with them in faith as the time of our departure draws near.

All my love,

Katie

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever!”

~Romans 11:36

2008-07-26T02:50:00.000-07:00

Good morning brothers and sisters!

I want to quickly share some AMAZING news with you all and give God ALL the Glory He deserves!
Two days ago, during an incredible and powerful prayer meeting of over 300 people, there was a moment when our Base Director asked if there was anyone suffering from an illness that desired to see and experience healing. I didn’t think anything of it, but moments later, the Lord spoke straight to my heart and said, “Katie, I want to heal you of your Asthma. Go forward.” I was quite surprised, but I know the voice of my Heavenly Father very well, and know that when He speaks, He will act. So I walked forward, and as a few pastors and leaders began praying over me, a little boy (about 8 years old) came to me, grabbed my hand, and began praying for healing! It was an incredible experience, and all of a sudden, I physically felt my trachea (wind-pipe) and lungs open wide and fill completely (something that has not taken place since I was about 6 years old)! I felt this amazing sensation throughout my entire body – from the tips of my fingers, down to my toes, up into my head…I could literally feel new air…new oxygen…coursing through my veins and filling my body with strength and life that I have not had since I was a very young child! It was an unbelievable miracle! So, after spending many hours praising the Lord for his awesome might and power, and calling friends and family, my friend Natasha and I decided to go for a RUN. I have never in my life been able to run without chest-pain and closure of my airways, but having ALL FAITH that the Creator of the Universe had healed me of life-long Asthma (not just partially, but FULLY and COMPLETELY) I tied my running shoes and stepped outside (at 11:30pm, in the freezing cold winter night) and began running…at full speed…sprinting around the entire base……..without one second of pain or difficulty! In fact, I was breathing better and more deeply, mid-sprint, than I had ever breathed on a normal day of my life! It was an absolute miracle, and I cannot stop praising our Awesome God for His power!! The Lord continued speaking that night, whispering to my heart that He had brought healing to me so that now, I can go and bring this same healing to the Nations! He desired to demonstrate His power in me first – renewing my faith that He truly can work through me, and fully receiving this gift and anointing of Healing! All week, He was speaking to me about His desire for me to receive this anointing…this gift of touching and healing through His power and authority IN ME, yet there was a barrier of unbelief in my heart…I did not truly believe that He could use ME. But when I finally allowed God to break that unbelief, and I put ALL my faith in His awesome power, He immediately came to make it a reality in my life! He has anointed me with this gift, and I will run hard with it until my last day on this earth! PRAISE THE LORD!

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound…to comfort all who mourn…to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be GLORIFIED!” ~Isaiah 61:1-3

2008-07-22T08:09:00.000-07:00

Sawubona!

Blessings to you ALL from Worcester!

The past few weeks have been absolutely MARVELOUS! Classes began on the 4th (no mention of U.S. Independence Day here) and we were, in NO way, ‘eased-into’ things. Our days are bursting with lectures, work duties, studying, presentations, performing full medical examinations on anyone we can get our hands on… and in all of the “free-time” we have, we’re expected to be studying for our weekly exams and writing lesson plans for all of the health teachings we will be doing! And can safely say that I have done more intense learning and practice in 2 weeks here, than I did in 2 MONTHS at University!
God has been SO faithful in renewing my strength (especially as I am battling sickness this week) and His mercies truly are new every morning! He has also brought INCREDIBLE blessing through relationships! I have never in my life experienced SO many friendships built in such a small amount of time. We are such a unique and beautiful family here, as more than 100 students from all over the world live together in this splendid “home.” (not to mention the other 200 people living on the base!) God has given me so many amazing brothers and sisters – many from Africa, a few from Korea, and a LOAD of Brazilians! My Health Care school only consists of 7 students, but the rest of the base if filled with English Language School students and various other schools as well, so all of our free time is spent together – playing Fútbol, learning each others’ languages, eating other cultures’ foods, and (for us medical students) seeking out “victims” for our physical examination quota each week!
Last Friday, our team took a combi (van) into Zwelithemba – the most impoverished squatter camp community in all of Worcester. We were there to survey the health and sanitation conditions, but let me tell you, it was truly a heartbreaking morning. There is such incredible devastation in the black community of South Africa, and the need is absolutely unfathomable (especially to us Westerners). Our team will have a lot of interaction with this specific community in the coming 2 months – giving vaccines, working in the clinic, and giving health teachings. Please pray for openness among the people of Zwelithemba, and for wisdom for our team as we seek out creative and practical ways to reach them. The prevalence of HIV in this community is ENORMOUS. Please also pray for strategies in health education, as we will be taking every possible opportunity to present teachings of the causes, dangers, and prevention of this deadly disease! Please pray for financial breakthrough among our team of students. Nearly half of them made it here to South Africa on God’s grace alone, and have absolutely NO money to pay their school fees. They simply made a huge leap of faith, and are trusting that God will provide! Pray for their fundraising and for miracles! And lastly, I would be so blessed if you would pray for my physical and emotional strength over the next 2 and a half months of training. The work load is unbelievable, and stress is quickly building, but please pray that I would do all in the Lord’s strength! He is my sustainer, and the only reason I am here!
Please keep YOUR updates coming as well! It blesses me SO very much to hear what is going on in your lives, and how I can continue praying for each of you!

Praise the Lord for His awesome plans and His sweet, sweet mercies!
Love you all!
Kate

2008-07-03T12:25:00.000-07:00

Ngiyagubingelela!!

I have made it to Africa!

Hope all is well with everyone! Miss you guys already!!

Praise the LORD I had 2 very smooth (yet LONG) flights, and a lovely afternoon in London! God provided SO graciously for safe travels, and I was greeted with loving, open arms when I arrived at the base yesterday!

South Africa is GORGEOUS, and Worcester...is like a DREAM!! We are surrounded by MASSIVE, Majestic mountains, and I joyed in my first African RAIN this afternoon! It is absolutely lovely here! And COLD!!! Let me tell you - I have not worn less than 3 coats, a scarf and gloves since I arrived - and that is INDOORS!! It is definitely winter here, and MUCH colder than I ever thought AFRICA could be! But I love it! I'll be thinking about all of you in Colorado when you are hit with this HOT SUMMER and wishing I could send you some of our Cold weather!

Classes begin tomorrow afternoon, and I am thrilled to commence with the next step of this grand adventure!

This base is AMAZING! And SO very different from Argentina! I share a room with 2 girls (still waiting on the 3rd to arrive) and they are from Nigeria and Ghana. Our class will only be 7 IN TOTAL (and only 1 guy!) but I think it is truly going to be a blessing to have such a small size. However, the rest of the base is a totally different story! There are about 6 other schools going on at the same time, and a few giant teams of youth visiting for the next few weeks as well! So this place is PACKED! SO many different cultures and LANGUAGES! My favorite group is the load of Brazilians that are here for the next year studying English! My Portuguese is improving like lightning, and actually ran into a kid who I previously met in Argentina for a short time! I’ve also begun to learn French and Africaans in order to better communicate with my classmates! There’s only one other person from the States here, so it is awesome to get to know all of the other cultures! As most of your know, I absolutely thrive in situations like this, where I can use my language skills and learn new ones, and really just love on everyone around me! God is SO GOOD!

I will definitely keep you all posted as we begin to delve into our studies and see God moving in incredible ways!

And yes, mom – we CAN drink the water!

LOVE YOU ALL!!

~“Kate the American”(as they all call me here)

Mozambique, Political Unrest, and God's Awesome Promises!

2008-05-28T16:01:00.001-07:00

Hi All!
Just wanted to give you a quick update on all that has been going on in the past few weeks.
God has been SO incredibly faithful in answering prayers during this stressful time of preparation and WORK. I've been working full-time in Home Healthcare (which alone, is a HUGE answer to prayer!) and have now entered into my last 4 weeks in America! It is unbelievable how quickly the time disappears.

I was finally able to purchase my plane ticket after a month of work, and my visa was approved in RECORD time by the South African Embassy - praise the Lord! This weekend I found out that following my training in South Africa, our team will head to the country of Mozambique and begin work in clinics and hospitals! I am thrilled at the places the Lord is going to take us and the ways he will surely use us to heal and bring hope! What an absolute honor it is to be used by the Creator of the Universe in these nations so desperate for love and hope!

I’ve been informed that some of my fellow students from the countries of Cameroon and Nigeria are struggling to be granted their visas, and I’d like to ask that you would join me in praying often for these brothers and sisters! Let’s pray, in FAITH, that God will do some major miracles and work out all of the governmental issues. I know that the Lord has HUGE plans for each one of these students, and I have faith that nothing can stand in the way of God’s will!

Please also join me in lifting up the political situation in South Africa. There have been numerous incidents of foreigners being assaulted and killed recently. Please pray for their families and for the safety of the rest of the foreign population living in the country – as well as for my fellow missionaries and myself as we arrive at the beginning of July. That there will be no issues and that the Lord would protect us as we travel to the base.

As far as finances go, God has been teaching and challenging me to truly claim the promises he has given us in his word as I learn to rely on Him for my every need. I have especially been blessed by Ephesians 3:20, which is the promise God has given us that He can do immeasurably more than we will ever ask or imagine, according to his power at work within us! What an amazing and powerful thing to be able to declare as I trust God and ask him to do miracles to provide the money I need! After my medical training this fall, I will be joining the missions staff in South Africa and working, without pay, in the clinics. For this reason, I will be in need of financial support in order to live and serve on the mission field. Please join me in asking God to display his awesome power and authority in bringing about brothers and sisters willing to commit to monthly support. I have total faith that, as he has promised, the Lord will do immeasurably more than I could ever ask or imagine!

If you feel led to give, even if it is just $5 a month, I would be SO very blessed, and your support will contribute to bringing healthcare to the neediest people and nations!

For support donations:
Katherine Doud
Wells Fargo Bank
Acct #: 1276964481

Or By Check:
Payable to Katherine Doud
Can be sent to:
1620 Buckeye Street
Fort Collins, CO. 80524

May God richly bless your week, and please let me know how I can be praying for you this summer! I fly to Africa on the 30th of June, but I would love to see you before then!

Living in His promises,
Katie

2008-05-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

If you weren't able to receive my email update, here is some insight into what I was doing in South America and exactly what I will be doing in Africa!

During my time in South America I grew so immensely in the reality of my relationship with God - learning to embrace my complete necessity for vulnerability and allowing the Lord to renew and revamp every broken part of me. And for the last 2 months of the school, we traveled around Argentina and then a month in Peru, serving in existing churches - building them up and equipping/encouraging them to begin to infiltrate their own societies with the message of hope we have in Jesus! We also spent a lot of time in the area of Arts and Choreography, performing dances and dramas in the streets and plazas and sharing the gospel through that medium - as well as doing a lot of practical service (cleaning streets, visiting hospitals, etc.) It was phenomenal, and truly prepared me to continue serving.

Over the past couple of years, God has laid a huge burden on my heart for the victims of HIV/AIDS, and throughout my 6 months in Argentina, He continued to confirm and speak to my heart about His call on my life to reach that group of His children. I have such an incredible desire to literally "touch the untouchables" - tangibly bringing the unconditional love of Christ to people who have, in many cases, never experienced love in their lives! So, as my Discipleship Training School came to an end in Buenos Aires, God opened an amazing door to begin my ministry with this group of people in the most AIDS-saturated continent in the world – Africa. I am going to Worcester, South Africa to study in a Primary Health Care School, that will equip and train me in the areas of health care needed to care for patients in the most remote areas of Africa. Following 3 months of intense training, I will be traveling to another country in southern Africa, working alongside medical institutes and clinics in the areas of dehydration, malnutrition, Mother and child care, community development, water and sanitation, wound care, counseling, and most importantly, working with terminally ill patients with HIV/AIDS. I will even be trained to emergency-deliver babies! It is absolutely exactly in-line with what God has called me to do, and I cannot be more thrilled with how He has laid everything out so beautifully!

As this training is only offered once every year, beginning in July, I am having to really work quickly in preparing everything – most of all, the finances. The total cost is around $8,000 – which, by human means is simply an unreachable amount in this short time. However, I am working full-time until the day I leave, and have complete trust that God will absolutely provide the rest! As always, your prayers are the greatest gift you can give! Please pray specifically for my financial situation in these next weeks, as well as that God would continue to prepare my heart to love these men, women, and children, amidst the immense despair of this destructive disease.
I am also very much in need of financial support, so I would ask you to simply pray about it. If you feel led to give (however is most convenient for you - whether one time, or monthly) I would be so, so very blessed. To be honest, I find it SO special to be able to stop and look around in the midst of serving in these nations, and think that a huge part of the reason I am in these places is because of my amazingly faithful friends and family, and their desire to tangibly participate in building the kingdom of God worldwide!

It is such a blessing to have you walking with me, as the Lord uses a mere servant of His to bring His hope to the lost. I could not be more thankful to have been called to this life of missions, and to be so faithfully supported by you. Thank you SO much and please pray for South Africa!

Walking By Faith,
Katie

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’" ~Isaiah 6:8

2008-04-17T17:19:00.000-07:00

2008-04-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!
This is where you can find me from here on out. I'll keep you updated on all of my preparations for Africa, as well as what I am learning as I study more and more about HIV and prepare to immerse myself in this people so desperate and in need of God's awesome and healing love! Keep checking back!

LOVE YOU ALL!