We got here (Panajachel, Guatemala) about two weeks ago. Its a quaint little town on a lake with three volcanos and mountians surrounding the entire thing. When it rains it pours here, and when it gets further into the rainy season and the rains come with force, mudslides typically claim lives and houses and dominate streets trapping everyone in the town and cutting off access for outsiders to bring supplies; food, water, everything is cut off except what is already here. Its not a comforting thought but we aren´t in any danger. The first day of our work here Nathan and I joined our contact in repairing a well. We spent a few hours in a hole in the ground maybe 5ft. in diameter and 35ft. deep. The well has dried up and needs to be dug deeper so we pulled out 800lbs concrete cylindrical tubes to get access to the bottom with a shovel. We only got one out that day; it takes awhile to dig out the dirt around it, filling 5 gallon buckets and hoisting them to the surface with a rope and pulley. This was the only day we worked on the well. The rest of the time we have working to complete the second story of the hotel we are staying in. So far we´ve been doing service projects but this upcoming week I think will be different.
Being in a well with live volcanos surrounding me, causing common earthquakes doesnt scare me as much as what Ill be facing less than two weeks from now. I get home on May 12th. leaving what has become so ordinary and comfortable. Coming on this trip I was leaving the same thing behind, and now coming home, Im facing the same thing all over again from the opposite side. These people, and these places have become a sort of home for me now. Moving every month to a new place has become a common event and one that will be difficult to not do.
So with this, coming home, Ive been asking myself a similar question I was asking myself over a year ago now, when I finished college; “whats next?”. With the World Race and AIM Ive been given some opportunities to step into more leadership. Initially I thought the Lord was opening a door for me to go to India in June, leading a two month trip and then staying after the trip was over to pray and look into some mission opportunities in India that surfaced with a few contacts from the race. I moved in that direction and applied for the leadership position, I was given the position but not to India. No boys had signed up for the trip and therefore no boy leader was needed. So with this door closed I wasn´t sure what to do. AIM stilled needed leaders for other trips and I considered this but wasn´t feeling led to it. I found out that there were several teams that had boys on them but AIM was having trouble finding guy leaders for these teams. I was reminded of my generation and even more so the genereation after mine that has mostly grown up with a single mother, in a fatherless house. I thought about the genereation that the Lord was bringing up, his kingdom and his house that was lacking in male leadership, as he has called us (males) to. I find it as something not acceptable. So I agreed to lead a team.
I leave less than two weeks after I get home to go back to Africa. Im not sure exactly where yet, they will put me where I am needed most. Most likely it will be in Uganda, but possibly Kenya. I should find out on Monday for sure. I will lead with another girl, (I dont know who yet) a college aged group for two months in Africa, being submerged into the culture of Africa once again to lead another group of people into the greatness of what the Lord has for us there. God has been so good to me through your prayers and support on this trip, I dont want to come out from under them so I hope they will continue into this new venture.
I leave for Georgia on May 31 for training, then to Africa on June 7th.
I will be back in Atlanta on Aug. 1st for debrief and then home on Aug. 3rd.
These are my needs:
– prayer for me to find my rest in the Lord, I am tired and know that I need rest but I feel like this a great chance for me to lean on the promise that God has made me: that he will be my refuge and my rest will be found there. Psalm 62 Prayer also for guidance in leadership and more revelation into the design God has for me as a leader.
– I need to raise $1500 in support for my two months in Africa. This covers everything for me: travel, food, lodging, etc. I have $126 left over in my World Race account that will go toward my trip to Africa. You can continue giving through that account for now, untill I know more about my other account. (the “support me” tab on the left)
Thank you all so much, I will let you know more as I find out.
