Whoa. 13 days until I leave for the most life-changing year ever. 13 days. My emotions are absolutely up and down. I literally go from feeling flurries of butterflies in my stomach to my heart bursting with passion and excitement every 5 seconds. (sidenote: my heart just filled up and I legitimately took a few minutes to joyfully dance to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBD9h0jUq3w ).
So, I have been rather bad at blogging, consequently I have a whole lotta update that needs to happen!
First things first: say hello to my team: MaBinti Wa Yesu (which means Daughters of Jesus, in Swahili)!!
We are the only all-women’s team on my squad (holla)!
I am so incredibly excited to unify together as a team and to grow deeper as sisters in Christ. My teammates are all unbelievably beautiful, strong, loving women and I feel so privileged to be able to spend this next year with them!
Next order of business: Support=crazy awesome
Financially, I am currently at $13,000, which is absolutely incredible! Seriously, Praise the Lord! He has provided in such unexpected, amazing ways and I feel so humbled seeing the generosity and love from my family and friends . I am hoping to be fully funded by the time I leave (which amounts to about $1,800 left to raise) and I am completely confident that the Lord will provide the means necessary to be so.
Which leads into the next topic: launch date=13 days.
Crazyness. On August 1, I will fly into Washington D.C. to receive further training before flying out to Kenya a few days later.
This reminds me; at training camp I was appointed the position of “finance person�. This means I will be in charge of my team’s budget and making sure all of the purchases we make are recorded and sent into AIM. Slightly humorous of God, putting me in this position, I know. Overall though, I am so pumped and ready to step into this role and to bear this responsibility for my team. I know I will be taught and molded a lot through it!
Back to launch date info: As I previously said, 13 days. After a few days of briefing in D.C., we will officially launch and set off for Nairobi, Kenya! J From there, my team (Ma Binti Ya Yesu) will make the journey to Busia, Kenya to work with Deliverance Church! From the contact we have had with this church and from reading past racer’s blogs, it sounds this will be the perfect place to be our first month!
Next line of update: Route Change!
Originally my route was: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Cambodia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova.
There have been some changes and our route is now: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, The Philippines, China, Romania, Ukraine and Moldova.
Super exciting! I am so willing to go anywhere and everywhere, so route changes are slightly exhilarating for me J. Depending on safety, accessibility and need, our route may/probably will change several more times. I will let you all know if/when it does!
That’s all I have for now- thanks for being patient and reading through all of this update! I love you all. Seriously, I am so thankful for the support system I have been blessed with! Please know that I do not take your provision lightly, it all means so much to me. Have a beautiful day 
