So it has been quite a while since I last posted a blog. And I want to apologize to all my supporters and readers for not keeping you posted as I should. As I eluded to previously, I’m not that good with blogging, but what better way to improve than by sitting down and writing. So here I go! 😀
So much has occurred in the past… let’s just say 9 months, since I last posted. Fundraising, personal life changes, more fundraising, visits from family and friends, route changes, TRAINING CAMP, and we can’t forget about more fundraising.
I have been blessed by so many people when it comes to support raising. We are just under $12K. I say “we” for a couple of reasons. One, because it wouldn’t be this way if it weren’t for you all! Secondly, I may be the one physically going, but you all will be doing this with me. You made this happen!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
I know this might come as a shock to quite a few people, but I just sent out my fundraising letters within the past month so my account has been funded roughly 73% through donations, friends/family giving me opportunities to earn the money through various odd jobs, and rummage sales! God opened up the floodgates of generosity! I am so humbled.
Training camp was everything I had hoped for yet didn’t expect it to be. Now before I lose you, hear me out. Two weeks before training camp, AIM (Adventures in Missions—the organization I’m doing the World Race through) emailed me and the rest of my previous squad and told us that our route had been dropped due to the lack of participation and that we they would like for us to choose another route. I chose my new route and began to hit the ground running. Training camp arrived, and we got to experience different things that we may run across while on the field such as port-o-potties/no bathrooms, bucket showers, tent living and hiking with our gear during torrential downpours. This just scratches the surface. During training camp, the staff wanted to see how different people within our squad interacted with each other and how well we worked and communicated through team building exercises. At the end of each scenario, we had meetings called debriefs. In the last team building scenario debrief, one of the AIM staff members asked us to take a minute and allow God to give you a word or a vision to cast over this team because there was a very good possibility that this was who we were going to be traveling with for the next eleven months.
I sat there with my eyes closed and just asked God to reveal to me what He wanted me to say. It was like my mind was a door to a windowless room and as soon as He spoke, nothing else came in and I couldn’t get the word out. CHANGE. I was like “okay, God, what about change?” So I shared to the team and staff what He put on my heart. Later in the day when they did the official announcement of teams, I was on a completely different team with 6 other girls who I hadn’t even done any scenarios with. I wasn’t expecting it in the slightest bit. But once I got to know them more, my heart was at peace and I was able to celebrate with them! It wasn’t until later that evening during our squad bonfire that I connected it all and saw what Jesus was trying to teach me. Two weeks before TC I was added to a completely new squad and then at TC, I was changed to a different team. I went to my team leader at the bonfire and shared with her how the word that I got for my old team was really a sweet whisper for me that I wouldn’t actually be on the team that I originally was supposed to be on, that I was meant to be with them.
The Lord was preparing me and trying to show me how open my heart was to change now and how I need to be more open to letting Him change me. Especially within the next eleven months.
