Sing Praise to Him

Hey everyone,        I am in need of some prayer support! I have an opportunity to travel to New Haven, Connecticut this summer for a mission trip.  I could spend one week to the entire summer. However long I feel called to stay.  Some of the ideas I have right now are staying maybe a month or less. I would love to spend an entire summer, but due to work back at home this may not be possible. Currently I am working at a grocery story, and they would be flexible with my schedule but I also work as a counselor at a kids camp in town doing all of the arts and crafts. I absolutely loved this job and I could not imagine a summer not around these kids. I may split it and do half and half :) But, please join me in prayer as I try and figure out where my next journey is..

         Last year I really felt called to make bean bags.  You know the ones you pop in the microwave during those winter storms or crampy days? These bags are perfect and oh so fun to pick out material for! I am selling them for $8 a piece or 2 for $14 All of the money made goes right into the bank for a Mission Trip fund :-) Whether I am called to go back to Costa Rica in the following year or travel elsewhere this money will go towards mission trips.  So excited!

The ticos love to play futbol!  Dago was so helpful helping me get ready for my first time ever going zip lining! I don't know what I would have done without him.  Randal is an amazing guy who has a great sense of humor. He is always smiling and is willing to lend a helping hand at any time. Skateboarding is a large part of his life and he now is involved in a skate ministry with the local boys in the community.  Chris (third one in) on the last night with his new friends :)  Tito and I share the same passion for music, and I had a great time joking around him with him. I also had the amazing experience to share my testimony with him and the youth group. He helped me find the strength I needed to share it, and was there for me the entire time.  David was the translator/worship leader who lives in the Harvest Hands house. Him and I were grouped up together most of the week. I miss David so much! One of my favorite memories of Costa R...

After two days in Jasmine, and being inside praying for people at the eye glass clinic (you'll here about that next)- this is how red I was! Tiana, the girl behind me is a lot fair skinned than I am and yet she didn't burn at all and she was outside most of the time with the kids! I gained a lot more freckles while in Costa Rica! This is for sure!

Our team was a very youth filled team! The only adults were our pastor, Dick & his wife Maida along with Marsha and Sonny. The rest of us were all 18 or younger.  Every single one of us were impacted greatly in Costa Rica. Often people think missionaries just go to foreign places to give them money or to do projects for them.  However, Costa Rica was so different. Our goal in going there was not to intrude in these peoples lives, and help them out, it was simply to go and spend time with them and love on them.  The people are no different than we are.  Especially us teenagers.  This picture was taken in Jasmine, a community over from Los Anonos. 

 In February of 2012 I had an amazing opportunity to travel to Los Anonos, Costa Rica for my first mission trip.  God changed my heart here.  For 10 days a group of us from the Mechanic Falls Vineyard traveled done to love on those in the community. Together a lot was achieved. Hand in hang with the youth there we held an eye glass clinic in Jasmine (my personal favorite part of the trip) & also the males from our group went and played futbol with men in a rehab program.  In addition we were involved in prayer walks, youth group and the regular Sunday service. I love everything about the Latin America culture. God's spirit flowed through this community, it was so peaceful unlike any other place I had ever been. My heart truly longs to be back in Costa Rica with these people whom I connected so well with.  Here are just a few pictures of the views and houses of people.

  Welcome all to my new blog! My name is Mariah Dufour and I have been called to spread the love of Jesus everywhere I go.  A daughter of Christ I am, brought forth into this broken world to share the good news. I have chosen to win the battle by declaring that I will choose to think and act not on thoughts that are of mine but that of the heavenly Father. I am a sinner saved by GRACE, & I have the best Father in the world!  I love to help those who are less fortunate and traveling is where my heart is.  Currently I am in HS and I am also taking extra classes to become a nursing assistant. My goal is to one day become a national medical assistant so I can travel wherever it is the Lord sends me.  I decided to start this blog in hopes of sharing where it is I am at, how you can help and get involved and just a way to simply brighten your day!