Well this week has been rather interesting to say the very least. At the start of this week my squad was preparing to order squad shirts for training camp. By the end of the week we were scattered across three separate routes.
It all started Wednesday morning when we all received an email saying that we were all going to be getting an email update later that day with a big update. Of course at that point our group message exploded with worry, confusion and a lot of speculation. When the second email finally came it was the news that we were all dreading, our route had been cancelled and we would have to pick a new route and a new family to spend the next year with. I think at that point I just stood in my mom’s room for about five minutes just staring at my phone watching every ones messages flash past and tried to wrap my mind around not going to the countries I was so looking forward to with people I had spent the last several months getting to know.
Eventually I had to mute our group chat in order to just clear my head and read through the three routes I had to choose from. I was so confused that I could barely pray for direction. I called my best friend just to hear someone else tell me that this was part of God’s plan. I also sent a quick text message to the student minister at church to let him know what was going on since my church has been so involved and supportive I knew they would want to be in prayer for me through this time and to know the struggle I was going through to make this decision. Once all of that was done the choice came rather quickly for me. I turned my computer on and looked at each route then at each route with the description of each country.
After making that decision all I had left to do was wait to see if I would get my first choice. Yesterday I was through for another loop as I was standing in target when I got another email from AIM. I now had to also be medically released by my doctor and had about 5 days to do that. Thankfully I was able to go to my doctor first thing this morning and they had my paperwork completed before lunch.
God has used these last few days to remind me who is in control. He has a plan that is so much bigger than me and the things I want to accomplish in this life. He was not surprised with any of the obstacles that have cropped up over the last week and He will not be surprised by anymore I may face along this journey. I am excited to see where this new route takes me and to begin to get to know all the wonderful people that I will now be spending the next year with.
My new route: Albania, Romania, Malawi, Zambia, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.
Next Financial Deadline: $7,500 by June 17th.
I also wanted to thank everyone again for all the prayer and support I have gotten throughout this process so far. I can’t want to share more of this journey with you all as we get closer to heading out to our first country!
