Training camp is less than 2 weeks away and I’m getting so excited! I finally get to meet all of the people I’ve been reading about on our blog and talking to on Facebook, Skype etc. It’s becoming more and more real to me. I finally have ALL of my camping equipment! THAT was a looong process… shopping online, stalking every REI store in the Triangle, trying on things, comparing products and prices, going to the REI yard sales and so on… I can officially say that all of my hard work paid off! I got my tent, sleeping bag, backpack, daypack, sleeping mat, keens, footprint, headlamp, and all the little things in between for UNDER $500!!!!
Plus, my sister and I just had a huge yard sale, and thanks to the donations and support of our wonderful friends and family, we raised over $1,300! God is good! I bought my International Health Insurance today. ALL I HAVE LEFT to do is get my vaccinations and continue raising support! I will continue praying the God will work through everyone I know to provide the support I need! I’ve pretty much gotten rid of all of my stuff and I’m moving from place to place… just trying to get all of this last minute stuff worked out….
In the past few months I have been:
Paying off my credit card debt (about half way there!)
Trying to line up places to live in November and December
Putting my student loans on hold
Getting rid of all of my stuff by either giving it to my family or selling it!
Finding a place to store what’s left (thanks Mark!)
Finding someone to sponsor my World Vision children while I’m gone (thanks Renee!)
Buying all of my camping equipment I will need for the trip
Freaking out about getting vaccinations and reading about all of the scary things I could get
Harassing all of my friends on Facebook to support me
Sending out support letters to everyone I know (and some I don’t)
Having meltdowns that I’m not going to have this all figured out or have enough support before I leave
Planning fundraising events every spare minute I have (like right now, I’m at Caribu trying to figure out how I’m going to get this concert event I have in my head planned)
Praying constantly that God will give me direction in this preparation process and also Peace.
I just wanted to get all of this down so HOPEFULLY one day I can look back on this crazy time in my life (the months before the World Race) and think… WOW it was ALL WORTH IT! Who knew how much work it would all be! A lot of my friend say I’m giving up my life and all of the things I have and have worked for… but I say, I’m about to finally FIND my life. The more things I give up, the more I realize that they are not as important to me as I thought they were! Throughout 2011, instead of thinking about what clothes I will buy or my next big electronic purchase, I will be thinking about how I am going to use each day to further the KINGDOM OF GOD!!
