Greetings from beautiful Fidalgo Island! I arrived back in Washington this weekend and, after a whirlwind trip to Portland, am settled in here for the next month or so. Theres something really special about going home. As we drove on Highway 20 on Saturday night, the lights from the refinery reflecting upon the water, a contentment settled over me. Guatemala is where I do life these days, but Its impossible to write off the 20-something years I spent doing life in this place. My semi-annual trips back to the island are a needed reminder of the simplicity and beauty life can hold.
[Cap Sante, Fidalgo Island]
Its the same thing with people, I think. The last three years, I’ve met some absolutely incredible people, and built wonderful relationships. I’ve lived in two different community houses, and am so thankful for the people I’ve done life with. But our connection only goes back so far.
I was on the phone the other day with one of my dearest friends, Heather. We don’t get to talk all that often, but when we do, we pick up right from where we left off. I’ve known Heather for around ten years, since we were teenagers. Now, we’re both in our twenties. She’s married, and expecting her first baby. And she knows me. Like, she knows me. We’ve walked through a ton of life together, and it was refreshing to talk to somebody who knows my intricacies, the way that I think and the why I am the way that I am.
[Heather and I, about eight years ago.]
Its really easy for me to get caught up in where I am. Thats something thats both a blessing and a curse. When I get to a new place, I dive right in and focus on the present. But things like returning to my hometown and talking to my oldest friends remind me of who I am, at my core. They remind me of the things that matter most to me. And they also show me again and again that I’m absolutely meant to be doing what I’m doing. Going back to my roots gives me a chance to see all that the Lord really has done, all of the ways that I’ve grown.
In the same way, I’ve found it important to take time and reflect on different seasons of life. The last three years, and even the last year, has brought so much movement into my life. It can be easy to lose track of all that the Lord has done.
[Worship and prayer at the Adventures office, February 2014]
This week, Adventures in Missions released their year-end report for 2014. While reading it, I was amazed to see all that the Lord has allowed me to be a part of. It brought me to a place of reflection and thankfulness for all of the opportunities I’ve had within the Adventures in Missions community and around the globe.
January-April: In January, I moved to Gainesville, Georgia to be a part of The Center for Global Action. While participating in the CGA, I got work in the marketing department of Adventures in Missions. I also received training in worship leading and got to take part in several worship burns, which are extended times of corporate worship. I took part in a training to become a trip leader for short-term missions, and will be co-leading my first trip this coming July. During this season, I also took my first short-term trip to Guatemala.
[Adventures Staff field trip to the Kroger grand opening. Just because.]
May: After completing my time in the CGA, I was able to attend World Race training camp, where I both volunteered with WR training and received training in long-term missions. Directly following that week of training, I was able to help prepare for the summer Passport teams training camp, including writing up cultural briefings for countries they would be visiting.
[World Race training camp, May 2014]
June-December: At the beginning of June, I moved to the long-term missions base in Antigua, Guatemala. My original plan to serve there for three months quickly changed, and I am now in the process of coming on staff at the base. While serving there this year, I was able to participate in many different Adventures programs. During the summer, we took part in several short-term trips and an Ambassador trip. We got to lead these teams in ask the Lord ministry at the markets around town, as well as host nights of worship with them.
In September, we welcomed a World Race: Gap Year team to live with us for three months. I was given the opportunity to serve as their main contact for their time with us. They were able to partner with us in our vision to disciple and send Guatemalans to the Nations as missionaries. We also were able to intersect with several World Race squads as they had times of debriefing in Antigua. We were able to do teachings with them, and I got to help lead them in worship. Finally, in December, three of us traveled to Granada, Nicaragua to meet Scott and Jennifer Esposito, who run the Nicaragua long-term base. We hope to partner with them more in this coming year.
[Our Gap Year team, dressed up as the Kardashians for Halloween.]
The year-end report that Adventures published allowed me to realize just how many programs I was able to be a part of over this last year. It also gave me a fresh dose of excitement for all of the opportunities I’ll have this coming year, both the ones that I’m aware of and the ones I’m not.
Here’s to 2014, and all that 2015 will bring!
[Guatemala, my tribe.]
