The days I spend here in Spain feel like they are flying by! This
week was filled with 21 vision presentations, the heart of why we are
here, to make a plan and DO IT! I was able to share about my vision
about opening up a fair tr
ade store that employs women
from the red light district and the response of my classmates was
inspiring! They saw my heart, my passion, my plan and wanted to help me
by having jewelry parties, connecting me with designers and hoping I
would add some of their future ministry working with women into my
plans. I left that day feeling elated about the future and as Dave and
I went to go celebrate over lunch in our little village of Mijas where
we met these tourists. We began talking about life, and quickly found
ourselves sharing our visions with these random strangers. They were
retired with tons of money to spend on touring the world, having gone
to many of the same places I have been in my lifetime, yet it surprised
me to learn that they loved the role of the tourist. When sharing our
idea about volunteering in the countries we visit, they looked appauled
and simply stated “We don’t do that kind of thing”. It got me thinking
about how many people go through this life as a tourist. They see what
they want to see, complain about the rest, and then leave feeling
unsatisfied about it all while bragging about their so called
accomplishments. I find myself thinking, what are they trying to
accomplish? Who in the end are going to look back at their encounter
with them and think, “I am sure glad they entered my life”. I hope
every where I go someone can say that about me! I want to impact the
world. I know you do as well!
week was filled with 21 vision presentations, the heart of why we are
here, to make a plan and DO IT! I was able to share about my vision
about opening up a fair tr
ade store that employs womenfrom the red light district and the response of my classmates was
inspiring! They saw my heart, my passion, my plan and wanted to help me
by having jewelry parties, connecting me with designers and hoping I
would add some of their future ministry working with women into my
plans. I left that day feeling elated about the future and as Dave and
I went to go celebrate over lunch in our little village of Mijas where
we met these tourists. We began talking about life, and quickly found
ourselves sharing our visions with these random strangers. They were
retired with tons of money to spend on touring the world, having gone
to many of the same places I have been in my lifetime, yet it surprised
me to learn that they loved the role of the tourist. When sharing our
idea about volunteering in the countries we visit, they looked appauled
and simply stated “We don’t do that kind of thing”. It got me thinking
about how many people go through this life as a tourist. They see what
they want to see, complain about the rest, and then leave feeling
unsatisfied about it all while bragging about their so called
accomplishments. I find myself thinking, what are they trying to
accomplish? Who in the end are going to look back at their encounter
with them and think, “I am sure glad they entered my life”. I hope
every where I go someone can say that about me! I want to impact the
world. I know you do as well!
I am a traveler. I LOVE exploring the world. I love the adventure, the food, the sights, but most of all, the people. I wonder how many tourists miss the people in their quest for adventure. My mindset for traveling over the years has had an essential shift. I still love exploring new places with open eyes but most important, an open heart. Much of my desire now is to go to back to the places where the people have grabbed my heart. Places like Thailand, Cambodia, Ukraine, Africa and New Zealand. They are stunning geographically, but more importantly, they are filled with incredible people who are glad I came! Their lives would not be the same without my visit. I want people, tourists, to grab just a glimpse of the impact they can make on every place they go. I heard this great quote i class this week, “When the rich meet the poor, that is when change happens”. There is power in our being with people and opening our eyes to the beauty of the World, and its many needs. Why? Simply because YOU may be the answer they have been waiting for!!
My teammate, Steph, truly impacted me on our trip to Africa last year when she decided to go back to visit two twin boys in a poor community in South Africa over visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Victoria Falls. She got it! It is about the people. I am not saying that one should not travel to see the Seven Wonders of the World or visit beautiful beaches or historical sites, but if that trumps our passion for people, then we got it all mixed up. We will leave as unchanged as we came. I have no doubt that Steph will see Victoria Falls, but in that moment, she chose to be present for those twins birthdays over seeing a waterfall. That was truly a spectacular life changing moment in my life, and yes, it made all the difference to two little boys!
I
am planning a trip with Dave and the infamous Black’s daughter, Alexis Black, to visit four locations in May: Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh. I can not begin to express the excitement I feel to go back to these places, not as a tourist, but as an entrepreneur ready and willing to help serve these women through design. I am planning on using my gifts to help these women prosper and bring you some amazing fair trade products that share more than a great story, they represent lives restored. Alexis is planning on doing a mini documentary while we are there to help show the ministries and more important heart behind this business as missions. I will visit my friend Da, the one I met in the red light district of Chiang Mai, and see about helping her once and for all. It will be about making new connections and revisiting those special people who captured my heart forever. I am thrilled to share the details with you and invite anyone of YOU to join us in this adventure! We know God works through us and we are thankful for your prayers, friendship and support! You are apart of this great adventure and we know together, we can see God move mountains through the obedience of our lives!
am planning a trip with Dave and the infamous Black’s daughter, Alexis Black, to visit four locations in May: Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Cambodia’s Phnom Penh. I can not begin to express the excitement I feel to go back to these places, not as a tourist, but as an entrepreneur ready and willing to help serve these women through design. I am planning on using my gifts to help these women prosper and bring you some amazing fair trade products that share more than a great story, they represent lives restored. Alexis is planning on doing a mini documentary while we are there to help show the ministries and more important heart behind this business as missions. I will visit my friend Da, the one I met in the red light district of Chiang Mai, and see about helping her once and for all. It will be about making new connections and revisiting those special people who captured my heart forever. I am thrilled to share the details with you and invite anyone of YOU to join us in this adventure! We know God works through us and we are thankful for your prayers, friendship and support! You are apart of this great adventure and we know together, we can see God move mountains through the obedience of our lives!
With all of these upcoming flights, we have a HUGE NEED regarding tickets—SO if you have FREQUENT FLYERS and would like to bless us by buying ANY of the following routes, MANY would be greatly blessed by this type of support!
*Round trip to Thailand (Designing jewelry,
visiting Da and creating a documentary) x3
*One way back to California x2
*Roundtrip to Ukraine! (Vika’s graduation!) x1
With great hope for the future & joy in the present!
Lindsay
