I'm very excited as to what the coming year will hold. I'm convinced that this is what God has called me to next and so I'm excited because I believe I'll be right where God wants me, which is a fascinating prospect.
I'm not sure what to expect from the different places but the route looks quite interesting – a good variety of places and what sounds like a wide variety of activities to get stuck into. I expect that there will be activites that I will enjoy but I'm trying to be ready for the tasks that will be difficult – whether physically draining or emotionally crippling. I suspect there will be tasks that I don't want to do and that I will need to humble myself to do and I suspect there will be tasks I can't wait to start. I'm fully expecting to experience most feelings and moods at some point during the year.
I'm not sure how I'm going to find sleeping in a sleeping bag/tent for eleven months. I'm normally happy to do it for a weekend, but a week of it is usually difficult. Although I think you tend to get used to it after a week, so I'm not sure if it'll become easy or be the most annoying thing about the year. I'm sure it won't be the most annoying thing.
I don't think I'll find living out of a backpack for a year too bad, since I've had to live out of a suitcase for a number of months before when traveling with YFC, but that always felt like I hadn't reached my destination, whereas I'll be places for a month at a time this time. Hopefully it will be ok though. I'm looking forward to living simply in terms of the possessions I have with me.
I'm curious as to what will be expected for cultural things like eating. Will it be easy, will I long for a simple knife and fork. And all the other cultural things like that I take for granted and don't think about usually. Basically, will I get a lot of culture shock?
And what about health? I am slightly worried about what could happen if I get ill, but this is a year for trusting God and so I'm sure if it happens we will pray together for my healing. But still, buying travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation makes you think 😛
I'm really interested to see what the team will be like – those I'll be travelling with and those who I'll be in the same squad as. What will they be like? Where will they have come from? How will they be to work with? And, pressingly, will they all make fun of things like my accent since I'm British whilst they're all American? 😛 I don't have an accent – you guys all do 😉
But these are really all the secondary matters. I'm keen to be working in front line work that makes a direct difference to those living in poverty. I'm expectant that we will do things that improve the lives of those we come into contact with – whether helping raise them out of poverty, comforting them in difficulties, or encouraging them in matters of faith. I'm also expectant that God will grow in us a desire to see His Kingdom and a willingness to do what it takes to bring that Kingdom forward. I think this year will build us up in confidence, passion and faith, but I think this year will also break us – break our hearts for those who are in poverty, but also break our hearts to see more people come to know Him.
All in all, it looks set to be a challenging year, but one of greatness. So all I can say is – bring it on!
I'm very excited as to what the coming year will hold. I'm convinced that this is what God has called me to next and so I'm excited because I believe I'll be right where God wants me, which is a fascinating prospect.
I'm not sure what to expect from the different places but the route looks quite interesting – a good variety of places and what sounds like a wide variety of activities to get stuck into. I expect that there will be activites that I will enjoy but I'm trying to be ready for the tasks that will be difficult – whether physically draining or emotionally crippling. I suspect there will be tasks that I don't want to do and that I will need to humble myself to do and I suspect there will be tasks I can't wait to start. I'm fully expecting to experience most feelings and moods at some point during the year.
I'm not sure how I'm going to find sleeping in a sleeping bag/tent for eleven months. I'm normally happy to do it for a weekend, but a week of it is usually difficult. Although I think you tend to get used to it after a week, so I'm not sure if it'll become easy or be the most annoying thing about the year. I'm sure it won't be the most annoying thing.
I don't think I'll find living out of a backpack for a year too bad, since I've had to live out of a suitcase for a number of months before when traveling with YFC, but that always felt like I hadn't reached my destination, whereas I'll be places for a month at a time this time. Hopefully it will be ok though. I'm looking forward to living simply in terms of the possessions I have with me.
I'm curious as to what will be expected for cultural things like eating. Will it be easy, will I long for a simple knife and fork. And all the other cultural things like that I take for granted and don't think about usually. Basically, will I get a lot of culture shock?
And what about health? I am slightly worried about what could happen if I get ill, but this is a year for trusting God and so I'm sure if it happens we will pray together for my healing. But still, buying travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation makes you think 😛
I'm really interested to see what the team will be like – those I'll be travelling with and those who I'll be in the same squad as. What will they be like? Where will they have come from? How will they be to work with? And, pressingly, will they all make fun of things like my accent since I'm British whilst they're all American? 😛 I don't have an accent – you guys all do 😉
But these are really all the secondary matters. I'm keen to be working in front line work that makes a direct difference to those living in poverty. I'm expectant that we will do things that improve the lives of those we come into contact with – whether helping raise them out of poverty, comforting them in difficulties, or encouraging them in matters of faith. I'm also expectant that God will grow in us a desire to see His Kingdom and a willingness to do what it takes to bring that Kingdom forward. I think this year will build us up in confidence, passion and faith, but I think this year will also break us – break our hearts for those who are in poverty, but also break our hearts to see more people come to know Him.
All in all, it looks set to be a challenging year, but one of greatness. So all I can say is – bring it on!
