This is the year I leave for an 11 month long mission trip. I’ve spent the past month saying goodbye to friends, family, and all things familiar. I also turned a year older but that’s already starting to feel like forever ago. With only days left before flying out to my launch site, I seem to be hyper focused on all things World Race. My concentration on anything else is pretty much non-existent at this point. But despite all of that, it still hasn’t really sunk in that I’m leaving. It will probably hit me at the airport when I’m hugging my mom for the last time before boarding my flight, knowing that the next time I see her I will be a changed person—hopefully a better person.
I know that I’m capable of doing this and I know that this is what God wants me to do, but that doesn’t make it any easier leaving everything and everyone behind and it certainly hasn’t made the queasy feeling in my stomach go away. Once I’m on the field and I get into the groove of things I know I will feel a lot better, but right now I feel like I’m on an emotional roller coaster ride being tossed around in many different directions. I just need to catch my bearings. Not surprisingly, I’ve been praying a lot for strength and courage and a peace of mind.
When I go out into the world, I want to leave behind my footprints and I want to know that I did everything I possibly could to make it even a little bit better. My wish is to give people hope and bring some joy into their lives. I can’t stop hunger. I can’t stop diseases from spreading. I can’t stop homelessness. But as a missionary and a woman of God, I can spread His love to people who most desperately need to know it and that’s a good start.
My first country is the Philippines and I found out a few weeks ago that my team will be traveling to Mindanao to work with Kids International Ministries. So please pray for me and my team as we try to make our mark in the world and show these precious little children that they are wanted and they are loved. Thank you so much to everyone who has prayed for me thus far and who has supported me financially, helping to make this dream a reality. The next time you hear from me I will be in the Philippines and I bet I’ll have quite a few stories to tell. So, that’s all for now folks. Take care and Happy New Year!
P.S. If you would like to donate to help my journey continue for months to come then please hit the Support Me button under my green progress bar.
