I’m sitting on my bed in my hotel room. Thinking, writing letters to my brother and sister, and pondering about what this next week will hold. Launch officially starts tomorrow for me, and I fly to Cambodia on Wednesday. It still doesn’t feel real. It feels like I am just going to another conference with my parents. I still can’t believe that I am going to be gone for nine months! It feels like such a long time, yet I also feel like it has the possibility of going by super fast.
Saying goodbye to my friends has been hard. I am horrible at them, and most the time I say, “See-you-later,” instead of, “Goodbye”. I will miss all of my amazing friends from band, Taekwondo, and church. I have grown so much through their friendships, and I can’t wait to take them all out to coffee and lunch when I get back.
I had to say goodbye to my brother and sister this morning. It was so hard! I knew it was going to be, but I didn’t realize just how much so. I’m not going to see my sister for nine months, and I won’t be able to see my brother for a long 15 months because of adventures he is going on. It hurt so much to let them go after our last hug. I am going to miss them so, so much!
I will have to say goodbye to my amazing parents on Monday. I honestly don’t know how I am going to do it. They have been my number one supporters since before I was born. They have always been there for the hard stuff and the amazing moments of life. They have been so good about being supportive of all of my dreams, and specifically this new adventure that I am about to embark on.
Amongst all of these goodbyes, there will be numerous hellos as well. I will get to see my team again tomorrow! They are so amazing, and you can read their blogs on the left. I love these amazing women already, and I can’t wait to do life with them for the next nine months!
I will also get say, “Hi!!” to my squad of 50 other women. They are great! We will be traveling together and occasionally joining together to do ministry.
I get to say, “Hi!” to my amazing leadership team too! Casey, Amanda, and Maggie are fantastic, gorgeous, and wise. I know I will learn so much from them and grow from their guidance. They will be traveling with us and hopping between teams to support and guide us. Then there is Kate. She is amazing and wonderful, and shining she’s so in love with Jesus. She will be our support from the American side of things. She has already given us podcasts and all sorts of good book lists so we can grow in our relationship with God.
Saying goodbye is hard, but it is not as bad as it could be with all of the good I am running into. I will miss my family and friends, but God has blessed me with amazing people to do this adventure with. I can’t wait! Cambodia, “Here I come!!!!!!!!!”
May the King of Kings bless you!
~Ashlyn
P.S. I only need to raise $600 to be fully funded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is so good, and I am so grateful to all of you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!!!
If you would still like to partner with me financially, please click the Donate! button on the upper right of the screen. Once I become fully funded, all of the extra money will go to Adventure’s in Missions’ general fund and will not go to me. Again, thank you!!!!!!!!
