So I did it. I graduated high school. I’m done! This part of my life is over. And now I begin to make the biggest transition of my life so far. I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. I’ve only switched schools once. I’ve had many of the same friends for YEARS.
And now I change.
In 91 days I say goodbye to you. In 91 days I leave for Swaziland with a backpack and a home inside. In 91 days my life changes—no longer school 8-3. No. Ministry everyday in all kinds of different ways. In 91 days the people I have only met once before (training camp this July 10-20) will quickly become my family. In 91 short days I will learn things I never imagined. God will stretch me. Humble me. Love me. Teach me how to radically obey and follow Him.
Change has always been a hard concept for me. Its hard for me to let people go and move on, it’s hard for me leave places—even short term trips. Leaving the blue sky, yellow sunflower fields of Ukraine when I was 13 after just ten days there completely wrecked me. I fell in love with the culture and people and orphans and my heart longed to stay, it still longs to return.
In 91 days I leave my home to find Swaziland, Nepal, India, Guatemala as my home too.
Whenever people ask me when I leave and I say “September 8!” Most will reply with, “Oh, so you have a long time” or “Oh so you have all summer!” And yes I do have summer. But 91 days will go by fast and next thing you know I will be on the longest plane ride of my life sitting next to the most beautiful souls whom I just met, on a mission to serve Jesus. My life next year will be crazy and adventurous and simply awesome. But also hard and tiring and normal. All of us will learn how to make it our normal everyday life. The foods and the cultures and our homes (whatever they may be) will become our normal. There is no doubt I will be homesick for Ohio. For my sweet Lebanon and the people in it. It will be weird seeing my friends in college having similar experiences with each other while I am away, living a completely different life. But life is weird. And I can’t wait to explore this world that God so perfectly created just for us to explore and fall in love with. I can’t wait to fall in love with the children, orphans, families, women, church goers, random people on the street, Muslims, Hindus, atheists. I can’t wait to meet new, different people.
Thank you Jesus for this opportunity!
Although I am excited the devil still creeps in the passages of my mind some nights with fears , doubts, and anxieties. And I say “No Saten! I am a daughter of the king!” I have found that every time, God wins that fight. The Lord is leading me.
So with all that being said what does funding look like? Where am I? And where do I want to be? Thanks for asking!
My account should show that I have roughly $7,000 soon. So wow! Almost half way fully funded. This is great because I’m ahead of my first goal of $5,000 that is due June 22. But I have $10,000 due in August. My goal is to be at $10,000 by the time I get home from training camp. Training camp is ten days long outside of Atlanta, Georgia where I meet everyone I’ll be spending the nine months with, we will worship and pray together, workout together, set up our tents together, get to know each other, and probably a lot more stuff I don’t even know about yet. I leave July 10 and return on the 20th. Ten days to train for nine months—lets do this!
If you want to help me reach my next goal of $10,000 ADOPT A BOX! I’ve been doing this fundraiser for a while and when every box is adopted I make $5,000. What a blessing that would be. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, look at my recent Facebook post. Choose an open box and donate that amount #78=$78). I am also putting all of my graduation money to the race!
Beyond fundraising if you want to hear more about my trip let’s go get coffee! Seriously. I’d love to share my heart for this and the way God is moving. Always open for conversation!
I wish I had more words than THANK YOU. I love you all. I am so blessed to be surrounded by people that pour into me constantly and have donated and prayed for me constantly.
(And to my two monthly supporters. THANK YOU—for every month thinking of me. Giving to me. And loving me.)
Thank you, Jesus.
Specifics things to pray for me:
- Training camp is soon and honestly I’m a little scared
- That the money would come in at His time
- That the devil would have no hold of me
- Safety and peace
