I love how we always think we have our plans together and we have it all worked out. This is what we're going to do with our lives and there's no if's, and's, or but's about it. I thought I was going to Swaziland after the race was over.
I think sometimes God chuckles a bit inside when He thinks about my plans and about how set in stone they were.
This past week I went to Project Searchlight. My intent was to reconnect with my team and the other two squads that would be there and to get fired up again with God. I wanted to get rekindled, because lets just face it: life back in the States isn't as easy after what we've seen, after we've heard the stories we've heard, and met the very stong people that those stories belong to.
I needed a kick. Just like in the movie Inception when they needed a kick to wake them up 🙂 And I received that kick. At Searchlight, God totally rocked my world.
Not only did I get to reconnect with everyone and rekindle the flame for God, but my future was changed.
Instead of going to Swaziland to work with El Shaddai Ministries-a children's home and school-I'll be going to G42, discipleship and leadership academy in Mijas, Spain.
When they first spoke about G42 and I felt God pulling me that way, I wrestled with giving up Swaziland. I've wanted to go back to work with the children there since I left the country and giving it up was not at all easy. It was the last thing I wanted. But as I prayed for God to give me direction and as I pulled a couple of people aside and asked for prayer, I stopped wrestling and began realizing that maybe I really do need to be discipled. Maybe I really do need to work on my own character and integrity before I begin long-term mission work overseas. I'll be living with the other students of G42, so I'll not only be able to work on it inside the classroom and while doing missional work, but outside of the classroom as well.
In addition to the courses, I'll learn how to use the gifts that God gave me to help people.
Photojournalism.
More than anything, I want to sit with someone, hear their story, and write it down. I want people to know about the girl that forgave her father for trying to sell her into slavery. I want people to know about the government that stole the pastor and his family's land to sell very cheaply to someone who would support them. I want people to know about the children in the Philippines that are given away because their parents want their brothers and sisters, but not them. These stories are stories of hurt and pain. Stories of confusion. Stories of strength.
Thats my dream. I want to sit with someone and cry with them as they tell me their story, but write about it as well and let them know that I will do my best to get the story on paper, get the photographs taken, and show the world-so stories like theirs are stories that happen no more.
G42 can refine me. G42 can teach me. It can change me and give me the tools to build my foundation and use it to put an end to stories like these happening.
Help me get there. Please follow my blog to receive updates. If you choose to donate, great! I need to raise $6300 and I'd like to raise it before I even get over to Spain in April. If you don't choose to donate, then every now and then, email me and send me a bit of encouragement. I could always use it 🙂
Here is the link to a group funding campaign I set up. Thank you.
