Continent number two is completed. SAY WHAT?! It is so hard to believe that we are over half way and just starting month 7.
South Africa:
Such a busy month it feels like a lifetime ago. We had the opportunity to serve at Global Leadership Academy and partner with Global Challenge in Jeffery’s Bay.
Such a perfect little surf town. I never knew how much I enjoyed watching people surf until this month. Everyone we met was super nice and super chill. When we arrived, we were told of the different opportunities we had to serve. One of the areas was fundraising. To be honest I was not super pumped about this area. However, once we were given more information I realized that I was just the person they needed.
Rewind to the start of 2016:
Christmas break had just ended and I had just arrived back on campus after an 18-hour drive. I walked into the office and found out that I was actually finished with an undergraduate degree. I talked with my boss and they were willing to hire me so I could take master level classes however I had nowhere to stay. I had three days to get out of the dorms and find a place to stay or drive home. I kept asking God what he had for me. Did He want me to stay or was it time for me to go home? I head nothing. Talk about frustration. I called one of my mentors and asked if God told them anything cause I was getting nothing. They told me, “God wants you to make the choice and He will be with you either way.” He gave us the freedom to chose for a reason. I took another day and was searching for a place to stay in Tulsa. Ultimately, I decided it was time to go home and see what God had for me.
Upon arrival, I had the opportunity to start working for my church. We needed to update the website and wanted to create an app. I had never done anything like that before but why not give it a try. By the end of the year, I had finished the church’s website, another church’s website, a local nonprofit’s website, and created and maintained an app.
Back to Jeffery’s Bay:
Global Challenge is partnering with Adventures in Missions to build a soup kitchen in a squatter township. Some of the guys worked pretty hard by digging and building the foundation. While they were working on the actual foundation I was asked to build a fundraising website that other teams could use as the foundation. I just love how God uses whatever we offer for His glory. Their goal is to be able to provide as many meals as possible to the hundreds of kids in the township.
You can learn more about the project on the website:
https://sites.google.com/view/soup-kitchen/home?authuser=2&read_current=1
After Jeffery’s Bay, we took a bus to Cape Town for LDW (Leadership Development Weekend). This is where we had to say goodbye to our alumni squad leaders, Reece and Kate.
I miss them already! These two have given so much to us as a team! They love so well and care so deeply. Thankfully I get to see them in Spain!
During this LDW we were split into 3 new teams.
Team Americanos:
Cari, Jenna, Tanner, and Ronny.
Team Chimichanga:
Josh, Ana, Kaelyn, Emily, Daniel, and Hunter.
Team Salt:
Travis, Me, Matt, America, and Lindsay.
Eastern Europe:
After four short days, we flew to Sofia, Bulgaria by way of Istanbul, Turkey. What a day of travel. When Matt and Lindsay knocked on the door of our Airbnb they were surprised to find a family living there. Only then did the host tell us that it was no longer available. So we sat at a nearby Starbucks and searched for a new place. With no luck and a setting sun team, Americano came in clutch and we were able to squeeze into their four bed flat. After some much-needed sleep (12+ hours for all) we found a new place to move into. Finally having our own place we met as a team to pray for our next steps. If you ever need to hear how God can take 5 people, with different opinions, bring us together in unity just ask Him for your next steps. Every time God is faithful and there is so much beauty found in Him and His plans.
Our next step as team salt is Athens, Greece!!!! I am so excited about the things that God has for us over these next few weeks.
