To everyone who has supported me through giving, through prayer, though positive thoughts… THANK YOU! I continue to feel your love and care and cannot enough express my gratitude to all of you. Truly. I am so, so blessed.
Check out a month of serving in the incredible country of Indonesia! We are among the second squad from The World Race to volunteer within this nation and I believe each of the 25 of us who served on different teams and on different islands can all confirm that it was an amazingly memorable and magnificent month.
Team KiMBERLiTE worked with an American couple who have lived in the city of Bandung, Indonesia for the past 25+ years. We had an opportunity to support a variety of efforts and organizations with whom they are directly or indirectly connected, as well as explore all of the beauty that this country has to offer!
TWR 4.1: travel day- malaysia to indonesia arrival
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the final leg of our journey to indonesia included some layover chaos and comedy, airplane shenanigans, and a lot of layers of emotion in moving forward with our new teams into month 4.
*this episode is dedicated to jorge, who i know from soul city church [and also- as it turns out- my high school!]. jorge has a delightfully sarcastic, witty sense of humor, has a heart for serving others, and is incredibly dedicated to promoting inclusivity.
thank you, jorge, for your investment in sharing GOD’s love across the world- through your own service and travels and through supporting me in the world race!
TWR 4.2: meet team KiMBERLiTE
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moving into our fourth month of the world race, we have new teams- and i want to introduce you to the five incredible women with whom i am now living and serving! meet team KiMBERLiTE!
*this episode is dedicated to becky bergstedt and her family, who were among the VERY FiRST to contribute to my support-raising! i know becky through my friend, katie micensky [who also supported me with her family!]. becky, her husband, steve, and their three sweet girls are beautifully committed to the LORD and what great things HE does throughout the world. their heart for supporting individuals in the mission field is so evident and i am tremendously inspired by the way they generously and wholeheartedly invest toward partnering with the work of CHRiST.
TWR 4.3: supporting residents at a mental health center
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a part of our service work this month was visiting a local residential facility to support individuals with various mental health and wellness needs. we assisted in leading music gatherings and aerobic exercises, facilitating activities and art projects, and sharing words of encouragement. building relationships with the individuals who live there was a significant and meaningful highlight of our month in indonesia.
*this episode is dedicated to danielle miller-schuster, who is one of the most cheerful, energetic, and compassionate illinois state university redbirds i know! danielle is a professional within the division of student affairs at iSU and brings an unmatchable level of enthusasim and investment into the campus and surrounding community. for me – and for so many others – danielle has set an impressively high standard of how to lead within the higher education field and make a significant, positive impact on students and colleagues. danielle is never without a smile and wholeheartedly values each interaction and experience of which she is a part.
danielle, thank you for all of the ways you have supported me- as a graduate student, as a professional, and now- as a part of the world race. you have an incredible and joyful spirit and i am so blessed and inspired by the way you share your heart!
TWR 4.4: rock climbing indonesia
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on our first “adventure day” in bandung, indonesia, our host took us rock climbing! i have a significant fear of heights [like TERRiFiED!] and did not anticipate that i would actually even try to climb- but with the encouragement of my teammies and lots of prayer, i was able to overcome the tears and the mountainside and make it to the top!
*this episode is dedicated to my incredible friend and filmmaker, scott drucker! i first met scott through a college student group dedicated to community service work, and our common passion for volunteering and for the visual arts served as a strong foundation for connecting. scott and i have a friendship that has withstood over a decade of life seasons and long-distance!
scott has a resilient, persevering work ethic and a compassionate heart for humanity and all of creation, which has shaped him into an incredible filmmaker. [check out www.scottdrucker.com] i am so, so proud to have been able to see scott accomplish so much through his dedication to storytelling and international exploration. and in the midst of all he does, scott remains dedicated to his friends and family. thank you, scott, for your constant support and friendship.
TWR 4.5: natural hot springs of indonesia
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our american host for this month, who has called indonesia the home to her and her family for the last 25+ years, has joined a community aerobics group, which meets in the early mornings twice a week. it’s a way for her to connect with her neighbors and build friendships with the local community. the women of this gathering coordinate a big outing twice a year and invited us to their afternoon at a natural hot spring!
*this episode is dedicated to a neighbor who would babysit me with her own boys when i was young. my mom and jan would rotate caring for each other’s children and i would even consider jan’s older son my first ever friend! recently, i was able to reconnect with jan, as well as her son, jonathon and his wife, which was such a gift. while many years have passed between my childhood days at her home, she again welcomed me into her house as if no time had passed at all. jan has an incredibly uplifting and joyful spirit and I am beyond blessed to have received her care, prayers, and support as i moved forward into the world race.
thank you, jan, for investing in what the LORD is doing across the world. i am honored to share this with you!
TWR 4.6: connecting with indonesian university students
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“american corners” are partnerships between the united states embassy and major universities in indonesia. these sponsored programs provide opportunities for the u.s. to strengthen relationship with this beautiful nation. once a week, my teammies and i spend the morning with university students at institut teknologi bandung, practicing english and discussing american history and culture.
it fills my heart to be back on a university campus to connect with and support students. and it’s a privilege to be a part of the increasing development of a relationship between the united states and the country of Indonesia!
*this episode is dedicated to abe lopez, who i met through my graduate assistantship at illinois state university. abe was an outstanding student leader while finishing his undergraduate degree and his passion and commitment toward promoting justice, community, and support to others through volunteer trips and student organizations was at an impressive and inspiring level. abe is a talented photographer and uses his gifts to fully glofity the LORD and uplift others. anyone who has met abe has been enriched by his heart and joy. thank you, abe, for your ever-present positivity and encouragement, and for your support and partnership in what GOD is doing through the world race!
TWR 4.7: fun at the floating market
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my teammies and i decided to spend a drizzly morning at the local floating markets for our “adventure day”!
*this episode is dedicated to alyssa allgood, who i know from my days working as an area hall director at north central college. alyssa was a resident in one of my halls and went on to serve as a resident assistant for two years where she made an incredible impact on her communities through her caring and joyful spirit. in addition to leaving a strong legacy through her leadership, alyssa has been building an impressive reputation as a jazz vocalist [check out her EP album “lady bird” at www.alyssaallgood.com!], blessing others with her talents. and though she has one of the most amazing voices and set of unique gifts, alyssa remains humble, poised, and gracious.
thank you, alyssa, for the ways you have shared your heart and your talents with me and with so many. and thank you, especially, for your care and support of global impact through the world race!
TWR 4.8: facilitating english lessons at a brand new school
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team KiMBERLiTE had the opportunity to visit a brand new school, which had opened earlier that year to educate students specifically pursuing future careers in medicine and health care. once a week, we would arrive to facilitate lessons, games, and activities to help the students improve their english skills.
*this episode is dedicated to staci vonholten, with whom i graduated in 2007 from north central college. during our college experience, staci’s positivity and joy was evident in the way she involved herself in campus activities and through her practice and studies of athletic training. even though i haven’t seen staci in recent years, her enthusiasm and vivacious life perspectives are evident to me through her social media posts and her commitment to reaching out to others.
staci, i am so, so moved to have your support and partnership with what GOD can do to make an impact around the world. thank you for they way you spread cheer and kindness through all that you do! i hope that these students will bring the same level of joyful energy to the field of medicine as you do!
TWR 4.9: a mosque and a movie
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for an afternoon of adventures, my teammies and i went to explore an outdoor adventure store and the outside courtyard of the grand mosque of bandung. to end our evening, we decided to see a movie at the theater together!
*this episode is dedicated to nancy dunker, who is a dear friend and strong example of a JESUS follower. i originally got to know nancy as an undergraduate student at north central college, when nancy served as a staff support to an international service trip in bangkok, thailand. as we supported an organization committed to outreach in the red light districts, nancy’s heart for others and for the LORD was so evident. and over the past ten years, nancy has remained a great friend, supporter, and encourager. we’ve been able to connect in the context of professional colleagues and as sisters in CHRiST.
nancy, thank you for the ways you have always extended your heart and your prayers to support me. thank you for the kindness and care you show to everyone around you. i am grateful for the spirit of gentleness and love you have demonstrated to me and i am blessed by the example you set.
TWR 4.10: indoneisan tea fields
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indonesia is dazzling with beauty. the tea fields are certainly a stunning gem to these islands.
*this episode is dedicated to one of my colleagues and friends from my semester at sea voyage. michael deterra served as the videographer for the fall 2014 voyage and has an incredible talent for storytelling and capturing magnificent moments. michael is incredibly thoughtful, caring, approachable, and humorous. he has a gift for making others laugh and feel valued, included.
michael, thank you so much for your friendship, for our shared adventures around the world, and for your continued support and care through your partnership in global impact through the world race!
TWR 4.11: side trip to bali
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we were told that we “can’t come to indonesia and not see bali…”, so we decided to take the advice from everyone we met over our month in this beautiful country and use our adventure day for a side trip to bali!
*this episode is dedicated to my friend, matt lacognata, who i first met through an alternative spring break trip in 2010 with illinois state university. matt is very passionate about the environment and caring for our home planet – he truly has a heart set on serving. he is an incredibly thoughtful and compassionate individual; committed to his friendships. and i am so grateful to have remained connected throughout these past years and various life seasons.
matt, thank you for your support in me being a part of the world race – and through all of the different organizations and roles of which i’ve been a part- and for the way you contributed as a sponsor for me to be here!
TWR 4.12: traveling on from bali
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we left the beautiful island of bali to begin a multi-leg journey to meet up with the rest of our squad and continue on to our next country serving with the world race.
*this episode is dedicated to one of the first individuals who contributed to my support-raising for the world race – becky gleason! i know becky from my graduate school experience, as we were in the same cohort, as well as graduate assistants colleagues working in different units within the dean of students office at illinois state university. becky has an incredible passion and strong work ethic focused on supporting the university student experience, specifically with greek life. becky’s sense of commitment and care for students is certainly something i admire and her heart for supporting global citizenship is evident through her enthusiasm to invest in various organizations and efforts that serve across the world.
becky, thank you SO much for being among the first few contributors to support me in serving with the world race. i am so, so honored to have you as someone who has partnered with an opportunity to make an impact on the world and inspired by the generous and joyful way you give!
