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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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!