The past ten days I was living out of my tent and pack in Gainesville, Georgia. It was hot, sticky, humid and would rain just a little bit every day. I got the opportunity to meet those I will be spending my time with overseas for nine months; and I must say that they are all pretty cool individuals. We then got divided into our teams of up to eight people, these teams are who we will be doing ministry with during the day to day. My team consists of (from left to right) Luke, Gwyn, Elijah, Tamara, Kaite and David.
Throughout the duration of this past week, God continued to open my heart and eyes to what he can do in and through me. I heard from God for the first time and immediately began to pray harder than ever before. The words that He had put on my heart were Peace and Freedom. These were things that I have had trouble with believing for a rather long time. when my mom asked me how I was feeling about halfway through I told her I just felt Good. That was the only way I could explain it because there were no words other that that I felt free and just good. I had a genuine happiness inside me that I haven’t felt in a long time.
I learned a lot about who I was and what I had to contribute to my team. The entire squad became one big family by the third day. The squad mentors and team leaders for other squads all told us that we were the first squad to become that close in that amount of time. and this would have been their seventh and eighth trading camps that they had volunteered for. This whole trip changed my perspective on everything I do in life and how I interact with people. It was only ten days I spent away from home surrounded by people I dint know; But it felt as if I had known these people for years before. I am only six weeks out from leaving the United States for nine months.
I still have a lot more fundraising I need to do and things I need to get but I can not wait for the day I leave. My excitement continues to grow with every day that passes.
To every one that stuck by my side through ought my life, through the ups and downs, pushing me to do the things that were uncomfortable, I want to thank you. Because of you, I am working towards the person that God has called me to be and is continuing to prep me for this trek and challenge I will be facing.
