I haven’t blogged in a while. Why?
Well… This happened:
YOU GUYS. I graduated COLLEGE.
I mean it only took 5 and ½ years but I did it! Granted, I took a year off to travel after high school and one of those 9 semesters of school I did some MAJOR slacking off. But I’m here. I hold my degree!
If you are wondering what I graduated with, I now have a Bachelor’s in Bible and Theology, a Bachelor’s in Global Studies, and a Minor in Children at Risk.
My focus the past few weeks has been trying to finish a 30 page senior thesis paper along with a presentation. As well as raising money for malaria pills, other medication, gear, and travel to launch. I could tell you it has been a busy season, but really, I’ve spent a lot of my time at home. No car, no more work, just needed to finish that dang paper. And I did, I’m really proud of it. I wrote on the girl child in the world today and what our call as the church is to take care of her holistically. Passion just flew out of my fingertips as I wrote that paper and presented to the Global Studies board at Multnomah University. I have a real heart for children, specifically the girl child, and God showed me more of His heart for them in that paper.
It doesn’t feel real that college is now behind me. What I am absolutely stoked about is that I received my degree of December 15th, 2017 and on January 15th, 2018 is when I get to put it into use! Exactly one month. How crazy is that! Never in my life would I have dreamed of using my degree so quickly! I am beyond excited.
ALRIGHT FOLKS. I figured I would update you on what is going on now that I am done!
→ Me and my Oregon family of 4 will drive down to Southern California on December 23rd for Christmas (16 hours in one day LETS GOOOOO) to complete our family of 7 and celebrate the birth of our Savior!
→ I will spend about 2 weeks in my hometown before I head off to Georgia! I will say goodbye to friends and family, do some photoshoots (contact me if you are interested!), do some last minute shopping and then head off to launch!
→ I currently cannot afford a plane ticket to Georgia. BUT happy coincidence, my parents are moving to Georgia! I know, weird right? My parents have taken jobs at a ministry in Georgia, about half a hour away from where I will be launching! Me and my parents will do the giant road trip across country to make it to my World Race launch on time.
→ For those of you keeping track… yes, that is 2 road trips across country in 2 weeks. One from North to South, and one from West to East.
→ LAUNCH (3 days before leaving for the World Race that takes place in Georgia). I will receive a few more days of practical, spiritual, and travel training and then me and my squad will launch to our first country which is Haiti!
Aaaaand this just in!
Just kidding! We found out what our ministry will be the first month!
Me and my team will be partnering with Grace So Amazing Ministries which runs an orphanage and school in Mirebalais, Haiti. They also operate a daily feeding program and respond to immediate needs in the community. This ministry exists to respond to the needs of those living in extreme poverty and desperate situations. It looks like my ministry there could look like helping in classrooms, working and living with orphans, construction, office work, etc. Lots of options available.
Everything is in limbo and subject to change but my team is very excited to hear this news of our first ministry opportunity on the World Race!
*fun fact: I also wrote a paper this semester in my Cross-cultural communication class on the country and culture of Haiti. I get to put all that I researched and learned into practice in my first month!
Today is Tuesday and I leave for California early Saturday morning. That means 3 more days living in Portland, Oregon. My plans for the week look like this: packing, crying, packing, crying, dinner with best friend, goodbyes, crying, packing, dinner with best friend, goodbyes, crying, packing, dinner with best friend, goodbyes, crying, packing, repeat.
Some of you know that my journey up here in Oregon has been nothing but easy. It has been hell for every single one of my family members in different ways. I sit here asking myself “shouldn’t I be happy to leave this city?” Well, I still am saying goodbye to people that I don’t know when I am going to see them again. I’m the most sentimental person on the planet so every memory in this house, this campus, this city is treasured even though there are difficult memories sprinkled throughout them. These are my last days living here.
These next three days will be a giant reflection of my 2 and ½ years here and what God did in and through me. The crying? These are my first goodbyes for the World Race. I have made wonderful friends here that I am going to miss terribly. You know who you are. Crying now thinking about the goodbyes I have to do in the next few days.
UGH. I hate change. I hate goodbyes. I hate packing. Yet God is pulling me through loads of it. And now that I’ve used the Michael and Jim Office goodbye gif and you’re crying too… here’s to a week of packing, crying, and goodbyes; and trusting God through it all!
Prayers for peace, patience, finances, and trust are appreciated.
All my love,
JJ
