9 & Alive

Wow, it’s October 1st already, which means I’m coming home NEXT MONTH! Sorry I’m failing miserably at keeping you up to date on the current. I am always running behind on this blog. Apologies. However, lots has happened over the last 4 weeks so… here’s a rundown of last month!.

• Leaving Africa was bittersweet. I will miss all the wonderful people we got to serve and their passion for the Lord, but at the same time was excited to move on and get healthy again. Stepping off the plane into Ireland felt a bit like coming home. What a relief after spending three months in Africa to discover grocery stores with rows of food I recognize, hot showers, and many smiley faces I recognized.  The air was fresh and crisp, the scenery beautiful (much like Oregon), and not only could I walk alone for the first time in three months, I could do so without falling into sewage, piles of trash, or potholes in the muddy roads.

• The Awakening : We flew out of Nairobi, Kenya and headed to Ireland for a conference called The Awakening. It is a time for all of the World Race squads to come together and get refueled and rejuvenated. The conference itself was incredible.  It was refreshing to experience God in new ways. We worshiped, we heard some incredible speakers, and we explored beautiful Dublin. Over 300 racers set up our tents and joined together in community.  There was instant bonding and mutual understanding as we swapped stories of the ways God has worked this year, the duration between our showers, and  health struggles.  We were able to encourage and pray for one another and I recognized that the world race community is something special and rare.  We share a bond which no one else will ever quite grasp.  I am so thankful for each of these people and the impact they have made on my life. 

 

 

• The end of the conference was bitter sweet.  We said goodbye to L squad who finished their race and has headed back to America.  It was foreshadowing of the emotions I will feel in just a couple short months when our own mission is complete.  We were also able to pour into P squad who has been on the field for only two short months. I recognized in them all the feelings I experienced when I first set out.  The homesickness, the confusion, the fears, the struggle between a love for home and a love for the mission field with the knowledge that there must be a separation from our loved ones for these 11 months.  The desperate desire to experience God more. My favorite part of the entire Awakening was the morning our squad entered into the room where P squad was worshiping.  We interceded on their behalf and spent time in the room worshiping with them and praying over them. 

• Ukraine:  On September 6th we flew out of Ireland heading to Ukraine. After a night in a hostel in Kiev, and an 18 hour train ride we arrived at our home and ministry location for the month in Yalta, Ukraine. It’s month 9:  The adrenaline has worn off.  The novelty of traveling has faded.  I’m terrible at living out of a backpack. I want to burn my clothes because I’m tired of the same 3 holey, stained t shirts.  It’s tiring not being in one place for more than 4 weeks – eating weird random food, having no control over your diet, sleeping in a small child’s room with at least 4 grown people, and a FAT rat that keeps you up all night eating your stuff. Are we kind of getting the idea? Don’t get me wrong!  I’m having a blast traveling the world, seeing different cultures, and serving God in a wide variety of ways.  That hasn’t changed.  But my energy level has.

• Here we’ve been doing manual labor around a church retreat center and teaching English classes at night for the past four weeks.   We are living here with a pastor who runs the place for ministers/pastors to come and rest. It is located right on the Black Sea and the view is incredible! It’s amazing to see how the Lord meets you right where you are and provides exactly what you need at that given time. Our last month in Africa was rough- definitely one of the toughest months that we’ve had on the race and coming to minister here this month has been one of the most relaxing and peaceful places that we have been this year. We are exhausted at the end of the day but it has been so nice to be in such a relaxed environment.

 

• And maybe being tired and pooped isn’t such a bad place to be.  Maybe it’s a blessing that the novelty and adrenaline have worn off.  We GET to rely on His strength because there’s no other option.  We GET to be fully led by Him because we can’t do it ourselves any longer.

• UP NEXT: We have three days left here in Ukraine. Then on Tuesday we start our trek to Romania for month 10.  It will take us three days and 51 hours on a train ride to reach our next ministry contact. I am very excited about our work next month. We will be living and serving at the Potters House in Timisoara, Romania. There we will be working with children in their day program and some medical missions to remote villages.