Here i am in my second to last month on the race.. In Ukraine. So much history in this country! And the buildings and the architecture are amazing!! I have been in Odessa for two days and i have fallen so much in love with the city and the people! We are working with an organization called CCX (pronounced S-S-HA) and its a ministry devoted to reaching the college students. The country is an orthodox country.. most people would say they are orthodox but in actuality most the people here don't believe in anything at all. Here in odessa we are actually working with an international group of students who are here to become doctors! – MY FAVORITE! the last two nights we have spend time hanging out with a couple guys from India who are hindu and sikh religions, a guy from Belgium who is athiest, two guys from Iraq who are muslim (they can actually trace their lineage back to muhammad), a couple people originally from Ukraine, a missionary from America and another kid from Nigeria. FOREAL!? And honestly i haven't had this much fun in a long time. The first night we went sight seeing and just laughing and getting to know each other. Last night we went to the beach late and sang some songs and looked out at the Black Sea then went to our contacts apartment and played Rummikup and drank tea. So much fun (its comforting to see college students being real and wanted to have fun and hang out without involving drinking and partying and drugs) One thing that is cool is that i haven't ever met anyone from Iraq- and these guys are some of the most fun full of joy and loving guys i have ever met! Its crazy that i can be in another country hanging out with these brothers while our countries are still at war. Its also awesome that God can put so many diverse people together from different cultures and religions and we can still be like family. I know we have been put in their lives for a reason and i can't wait to go deeper and start sharing God's love with them!! I have only been here 2 days and if i had to leave today i would feel like im leaving family.. Already dreading the end of the month!
Now for my future haha.. an update for my friends and family:
I have been praying about what God wants me to do in the next year of my life and already have some short term missions set up! i wanted to give you heads up so you would know what it is going to look like.
So i have signed up to squad lead a passport team (college age through AIM the same organization that i with right now) Next summer (two months long) we will see if im accepted. I am excited for the opportunity to maybe help lead young adults while they are still in such a prime time of their life! I know God can and will do some amazing things in this time.
I am planning on going back to the Dominican Republic in September with the group i went with last year.. Its about 9 days long.. i can't wait! The pictures from this year look amazing!!
And my final endeavor that God has really put it on my heart to lead a group to Nepal. The school we worked with in June is called Gems Nepal.. Nepal is a stricly Hindu nation and the school is christian and trying to bring the gospel to the village. The building of the school hasn't been finished, they still need a roof. I have been writing back and forth with Daniel our contact.. and i asked how much the roof would cost- and he replied back with rounded up to 4300. So im asking my family and friends if anyone would be up for going and seeing the nation that has captured my heart! I am looking at maybe march/april time.. praying that God will open doors for this to happen.. and just writing this it makes me excited to be able to go back and see everyone.
Anyways.. these are some of my (God's) plans for my next journey.. I know i am going to have to fully rely on God for these things to happen financially because i will be supporting for all of these trips but i know that God is so much bigger than money and it is in his will for these nations to be reached! I hope you can all start praying into these trips for me!! I love you all and ill keep you updated on how our month is going!! xoxo
