In the middle of evaluating my thoughts and my feelings before training camp, I cannot help but feel overwhelmed. A typical week day looks like this. I wake up at 7am, roll out of bed, get to work by 8, get out of work at 3, go to my internship at 3, leave at 5, get dinner and go home, and then depending on the day of the week, I’m either spending 5-7 hours doing support raising or attending fellowship groups or helping out with a summer mission team. And somewhere in the day, I find time to spend with the Lord whether through prayer or reading scripture. It has been a great 4 weeks since the academic quarter has ended because there are a lot of activities going on that I enjoy being a part of! It has also been the toughest 4 weeks of my summer because of fundraising! Oddly, I enjoy doing it but it’s not easy! I take public transit to meet my supporters who are often 2 hours away. It is worth my weekends though. I get to see my mother, my family, and my friends. I get to share and invite people into a BIG part of life. I am so glad to have fantastic friends, wise counselors and people who I admire and value be my brothers and sisters. I want to thank those who have supported me emotionally, financially, and spiritually. Your presence, prayers, and generous gifts have truly been a blessing to me. They’re the ones that remind me of how sweet and wonderful the Lord’s love is.
Even though my schedule looks overwhelming, I am managing it well. I am able to find my sabbath throughout my week. I am able to attend my community groups and receive spiritual nourishment. I am able to return home with a loving attitude and a thankful heart for the people’s lives around me and for the future the Lord has for me. Though, I don’t know his ways nor his plans, I can only fully trust in Him as I lean in every day since He called me to the World Race. Because of His leading and my obedience in taking this step of faith to do the World Race, I am starting to see what a life of a true follower of Christ looks like. It’s not just about moral uprightness, but its about the awareness of my humanity and allowing God’s spirit working in my life to love others through and through. Indeed, God has been shaping other aspects of my life as well. He has shown me just how capable I am in loving my family by being vulnerable and honest upfront about what I’m planning to do this next year with Adventures in Missions. He has been working in my heart to see the World through His eyes. Without getting ahead of myself, I am doing all I can to prepare for the countries and communities I’ll be going to. That includes a history of Christianity and the Church and a history of the United States in these countries (Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Albania, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey).
