Here are some thoughts from Lara...

Missions..."StraightUpBeautiful-Style"

Have you ever been on a "missions trip" to another country before?

When is the last time you heard of a missions trip led by a woman, made up of a team of women and going to a different country to reach women?!...well, that is a missions trip- "straightupbeautiful-style" and it is happening today!

I have been on several "traditional" missions trip. Going to Zimbabwe, Africa, particulary impacted me and has played an inspiring role in creating a new style of missions-"straightupbeautiful style".

Years ago, I had the privilege of going to Zimbabwe, Africa, on a missions trip with an a Christian athletic ministry. I learned alot on this trip...I learned alot about God's heart for His girls in the world and also what was NOT being done to share God's heart to them.

One afternoon while in Zimbabwe, our team set out to our first destination of that day, a "junior high" school located out "in the bush". The further we drove away from town and closer to this school, the quieter it grew in our van because of what our eyes were seeing- such need for better quality of life!

After arriving, we all walked over to the outside court area for the guys to coach basketball. While the women on our team went to sit down to the side of the court, the school's principal came over to our team leader and asked him if we ( the "chickies" as one of my friends would say : ) would be willing to talk to the girls.

We ( my best friend & myself) stood up with excitement and walked with the principal over to a large area out in the open field where we were amazed to see girls coming from everywhere to hear us talk. I was shocked to see so many girls ( a couple hundred) so hurt and so needing to be talked to...by women.

There is such a great need for women to talk to girls about "girl-stuff". And... "straightupbeautiful" is redesigning the face of missions by going to the girls of all cultures sharing the truth of God's heart for them, redefining beauty and caring for the soul of a woman.

If you are interested in being apart of "missions- straightupbeautiful-style"...let me know!