El Salvador

In less than 24 hours, I will be on my way to El Salvador with a group from my college!

To say that I am excited would be an understatement. Thanks to a huge collection of tests and paper, I have hardly had time to pack this week, and I am thankfully just finishing. Only thing left is to clean up the after math... my dorm room : )

The process for this trip has been such a blessing to me in and of itself. Within a month of going to college, I submitted the application to go on an Alternative Service Break trip and was selected. I was then placed onto a team going to El Salvador and partnering with ( GET THIS) the only Christian organization my college was working with for spring break.

I accepted the invitation to travel knowing I had no money to pay for it. Once again, God provided like He always has and always will. Through two big donations coupled with some other donation from friends and family, I almost had all the money to go!! Then... right before the last team meeting, I'm checking my email in English class and read "Our scholarship donor has selected you! The rest of your trip is paid for."

WHAT?! I almost broke down right then and there in English class. God is incredible!! He blows my mind away on a daily basis. Just more confirmation that when you follow Him and go where He wants you to go, great and mighty things happen!!

I am so ready to experience a new culture, new people... and from what I hear, INCREDIBLE food.

I pray that God will break my heart for the things that break His and open up my heart to be attentive to not only the large things He will show me, but the small things that would probably go unnoticed if my heart is not tuned into what He has for me there.

In the chaos and confusion of life the past few weeks, I started to doubt this trip because my body and mind were tired and all of my friends were gearing up for a week of doing nothing. I know now, after all of the confusion has been cleared up, that there is nowhere else I would rather be this week then in El Salvador learning more about a different group of people that God loves. All power and glory be to you God.

Use me to serve Yours!

Just One at a Time...

Bob Pierce once said, "Don't fail to do something just because you can't do everything." These are wise words to anyone overwhelmed with the magnitude of human suffering in our world. We are not asked to help all of them at once, just one at a time. - Richard Stearns

Travel plans were confirmed today.
April 12th through the 21st, I will get to go back!

Planes, RVs, vans...
It will be a long travel journey, but one well worth it.
I can't wait to go back to those people.
Acceptance, love, humility, gratitude.
They teach me more than I could ever teach them.
I want God to break my heart for what breaks His. No matter what that means.
That's scary to me. It will hurt; I will not want to leave because a huge chunk of my heart belongs to those people. He will sustain me though.
Exactly how He sustains them every single day.
Like Bob Pierce and Richard Stearns have said, I can't fix everything.
Just one orphan, one widow, one homeless person at a time.

I have no doubts that when I get back, my heart will rebreak all over again.
All I will want to do is go back. I will have to be patient and wait which is really NOT easy for me.
So what does that mean...
It means I love them with everything in me, with love like Christ, the entire time I'm down there.
I play whatever silly games they want to play; I go out of my comfort zone to join in their dance parties.
I try and remember everything that happens and everything they say to me.
I have them write me more letter to read when I'm thinking and praying for them.
I have the sweet feeling of sheer exhaustion the whole way back to the states; it's such a sweet feeling because I know I gave all my energy to the people of Guyana.
I tell them that they belong; I love like crazy...

Why Guyana? Part 2

So I got the yes from Dad, but I still needed the money and to overcome a few fears. I prayed and prayed that God would provide the money and upon sending out support letters, I had enough money to go in a little over a week. I was thrilled!!

The next problem... I was terrified of planes. I didn't even like going into airports. I knew, however, that if Guyana was where God wanted me, I would just need to face that fear. My boyfriend and his family picked me up the day of, and we drove two hours to the airport. The whole time I was praying that I would be able to get on the plane and not be scared. When we got into the airport, I was fine. We went through security and even as we were waiting to board, I was okay. I assumed that once we actually got on the plane, I would freak. Thanks to God and Miles, I was perfectly calm. I actually really enjoyed flying! God is so incredible : )

After finally getting to Guyana, I was ready for the adventure. Surprisingly, I didn't get car sick like I usually do on the bumpy car ride to the place we were staying. The boat ride down the Amazon didn't scare me like I thought it would. I was able to eat more meat than I usually do without getting sick! God calmed all of my fears and anxieties so that I could truly enjoy my time there. Fortunately, my parents were willing to let me go again so spring break while my friends are on their senior trip, I'll be seeing my Guyana loves again!! I can't wait!

Why Guyana? Part 1

I just realized that I never really explained "Why Guyana?" Part of this journey is how I got there! Plus, the story is kind of funny : )

Ever since eighth grade, I had watched tons of my friends go on foreign mission's trip. The one the church I was going to at the time sponsored a church in the Dominican Republic, so every summer I would ask my parents if I could go. Their answers were usually "yes" because they knew I was too terrified to do anything like that to begin with. Obviously, a few years had passed, and I really felt like God was calling me to go somewhere. I really thought it was going to be Belize, but long story short, my parents said no and the trip ended up falling through. So I kept praying...

About this time, my boyfriend, Miles, threw out the idea of Guyana. I think he figured I would say no because I was terrified of a lot of things the trip would entail. My answer was a little different. I said that I would go if my parents would agree. There's the catch. Neither of my parents have ever been on a mission's trip, and my dad doesn't really like me even leaving my city. I knew, however, that if Guyana was where I was being led, God would answer my prayers. So I walked into the kitchen, "Dad, I really want to go to Guyana this summer... Can I go?" And Dad says "Yes!". I was shocked and almost 100% I was hearing it wrong. DAD SAID YES!!!

My Community

         A few summers ago, I had to privilege to go on a domestic mission's trip to Bluefield, West Virginia. It really opened my eyes to how much need we have within the United States. The children we worked with were in horrible home situations and lived well below the poverty line. It made me realize how fortunate I am to be where I am and to come home to a safe and loving environment. I'm to the point now with high school that I am so ready to be done; so ready to move on and see new things. Start my own life. Sometimes I feel as if God is telling me to just stop and realize what I have. Be thankful for family, friends, and the memories I have made with them. When I graduate and leave this town, things will not ever be the same.

    
      I think I get so completely caught up in the moment that I forget how badly my community needs me too. There are plenty of people within my own city who desperately need help, whether it be food and shelter or love and support. I'm currently trying to plan an outreach event for my school's Beta Club, and I'm excited to see how God is going to move within my city. As badly as I long to be back in Guyana, there is no need to waste precious time. I need to get to serving my own town!!