Just some random thoughts between packing and last minute Target runs I wanted to share!
Greetings one and all! I am nearing the end of my time in America and will be heading to Kenya in just over a week! It’s crazy how fast time goes by and yet how slowly it drags on. Half of me still believes that I am on the World Race and that the past couple of months have been a very vivid dream. The other half feels like the World Race was 10 years ago (which would mean I was 16 so I guess that doesn’t really make sense…). I am sitting in my room, surrounded by piles of things I need to pack, and it is now just sinking in what I am doing. I am leading a missions trip. To Kenya. For 2 months. I will be back in Africa. Living out of a backpack (again). I will be spending a significant amount of time in airports over the next week. I will get home in November when it’s cold and snowy. I haven’t been cold and snowy since March 2009. I hate being cold and snowy.
This is my life…..and I LOVE it.
I really love this life that God has given me. I love traveling, everything about it. Not just being in a new place and experiencing a new culture, but the actual travel from one place to another. I find excitement about being in an airport, in plane, in a bus, a flatbed truck, taxi. Even when I am stressed out, not sleeping, confused and complaining, deep down I love what I am doing and wouldn’t wish to be anywhere else. To me the world around us is filled with metaphors and symbolism. Whenever I stop for minute and stare at the sky I find God speaking to me through what I am seeing. When I travel I don’t just see it as going from point a to point b. I am not merely traveling to Kenya, I am entering a new experience, I am growing and deepening my relationship with Christ, I am taking one step towards being who I am created to be. Seriously, I don’t know if I have ever been more excited for anything in my life. I mean, maybe the World Race…..I feel that Kenya is just the beginning of this next part/adventure/phase/chapter of my life and that God is going to use these next couple of months in HUGE ways. Being a leader is fairly new to me, for the longest time I refused to see myself as any kind of leader. I was a follower, “leader support” was the phrase I used often, but never a leader. That is scary. Who wants that responsibility? Yuck. But, I know that this is where God wants me. He sees me as a leader and I need to start walking in that.
I have no idea what is waiting in Kenya. I could spout of every detail I have about the ministry, the names of those I am going with or facts about the country. But no matter what I say God is going to go beyond it…..I’ve stopped trying to figure out what it’s going to be like…..that’s pretty much where I am in terms of my future as well. Many people want to know what’s coming AFTER Kenya. Well, I sure have no idea! I’ve stopped trying to get ahead of God, I know that He will bring me where He wants me to go. I mean, but in May I thought I’d be going to Brazil or Hong Kong this fall. Kenya wasn’t even on my radar screen. But here I am, going to Kenya!
Please continue to pray for me and my team during these last few days of preparation. Pray that we continue to be open to all God has in store for us and for us to put out faith and strength in Him. Pray for our families as well, that they will continue to support us and not worry about the coming months. If you want to know more about my Kenya team please check out our team blog: http://kenya.adventures.org….
Also, I am still need of your support! I need about $1500 to reach my total goal of $3000. God has brought in $500 in just the past 2 weeks, which is AMAZING! I know He will bring the rest in! If you are interested in supporting me financially please go to http://www.adventures.org/give/ Chose “Mission Trip Participant,” the program is Real Life and the participant’s full name is Hannah Olsen! It is a secure website and Adventures in Missions is a non-profit organization! You can also click on the Support Me link under my profile picture. Or, feel free to mail in your donations to: Adventures in Missions, P.O. Box 534470, Atlanta, GA 30353-4470. Just put my name in the memo line!
Thank you all who have supported me thus far! I have been truly blessed by so many people- my fellow World Racers, Camp Pecometh peeps, college buddies, people from my childhood church- God has seriously used people from all areas of my life to get me here! THANK YOU AND LOVE YOU ALL!!
