How did this happen?!
TWO WORDS…..FULLY FUNDED!!!
Wow. Guys, I don’t know if you understand the thankfulness and awe in my heart right now. A little over a year ago I committed two years of my life to the World Race.
I say two years because the first year would be for fundraising, preparing, working, saving and just getting ready to leave. The second year is this year, the year I am gone for 11 months serving, ministering, building relationships and being obedient to the Lord in so many other ways in 11 different countries.
Today I stand on Cambodian soil, doing manual labor and helping an organization that prevents sex trafficking. They do this by taking in young children who are at high risk for being sold into the sex industry. These children are given an education and being equipped to work, and get a higher education so that a life lived in the sex industry will never be a means of survival for them or their families.
We start our day between 5:30-6am, breakfast at 6:30, worship at 7 and then we work outside from 7:30-11:30, then we head to lunch and the rest of our day is free time and hanging out with the boys and girls here on the property.
At 11:15 my teammate Alyssa and I were getting ready to head back to the house to prepare lunch for everyone. The schedule says it’s PB&J for lunch but since we have so many left overs from dinner the past few days we decide to finish off those. We stop in at the office window to ask dani (This incredible human is our squad content manager, so she helps encourage us to blog, gives us ideas and even edits them for us. On top of all of that, she’s just plain awesome and we’re so lucky to have her as part of our squad. And this month, our team receives her with open arms, as she’s spending some time with Team Hesed in the village.)
Today she was posting blogs for our whole team since we don’t have wifi this month. So we stopped to ask what she wanted for lunch.
I asked how her morning had been so far, she just looked at me, pulled out her phone and showed me a picture she had taken.
It was a picture of one of my mom’s Facebook posts, which told me that I was FULLY FUNDED! I read the post and apparently had no outward reaction – truthfully this was because I was in so much shock. dani asked to make sure I was looking at the right picture and seemed really excited, then it hit me – maybe I should have some sort of reaction to this but just as I began to try and form words the tears came spilling out.
I knew that one day this would happen but for such a long time it seemed so far away. I remember in the beginning of fundraising, I would day dream about the day my fundraising bar on my blog would be full. That day is here! How crazy is that? I can’t even fathom it still.
So I want to say thank you to all of you! So many people have played a part in making this a reality. For giving me the financial means to follow where the Lord has called me. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way and for being obedient in what He asked you to do with your money. There are so many other places your money could have gone to whether it was a $10 donation or $100.
You have become part of a much bigger story that the Lord is using. Because of the money you donated I have been able to share the gospel in 4 different countries, (and still have 7 more to go) by my words, and my actions. I’ve taught English and given students bibles. I’ve worked with kids with special needs and disabilities. I’ve hiked mountains and walked around praying for the country, for the cities, and for the people. And now I’m in Cambodia shoveling, laying gravel, planting gardens and ultimately sweating more than I ever have. But I’m doing it to help an organization that is saving lives! Saving young girls from physical and emotional damage and giving them hope in the name of Jesus! So, thank YOU for being willing to be apart of this story. HIS story.
I want to say a special thanks to my mom Julie and my step dad Eric and all my siblings for supporting me in all my adventures-specifically this one. Whether it be financial support or just backing me up. Thanks for buying my big backpack for me and mom, I think of you hugging me every time I wear it just like you wanted. 🙂 Thank you Kylie, McKayla, Peyton, Cade, Braelynn, and Marissa for all your hugs and love and for supporting me even though I’m leaving you for such a long time. I can’t wait to see you again, to cuddle, watch a movie and go out on our birthday dates again next year! I love you all.
Thank you Mums, Pops, Uncle Bryan, Aunt Laura, Piper, Aunt Karen, Uncle Adam, Mammy, Pappy, Grandmom, Poppy Frank and all my amazing amazing friends and church family that have contributed! Thank you for loving and supporting me, financially and for always having my back, for allowing me to follow my dreams and the dreams the Lord has for me! Thank you for openly expressing your concerns but also loving me enough to support me in this crazy adventure.
This part is a little sappy but I do want to thank my Dad and my Gingaw who are now in the arms of Jesus. Thank you for the lessons you taught me, for the ways you loved me and for always supporting my dreams, even my dreams to be a movie star when I was younger. I love you guys and I’ll see you someday soon!
They are a bigger part of this journey for me than you may think. 🙂
Thank YOU! For reading my blogs, following my story, praying, donating… whatever it may be.
I can’t wait to continue to share all that the Lord is doing this year!
FULLY FUNDED!! WOO-HOO!!!
Wow.
Just wow!
