You never know what you have until you leave it. At least that has been my discovery over the last month. I would have never dreamed that I had such an amazing community around me currently that wants to, cares to and will do whatever it takes to see me succeed in Gods mission for my life.
There is such a blessing in leaving. Yes blessing is the word I am using. Not because I hate everything here and want out (which is certainly not the case). Rather because I was blind to the reality of the people that surround me everyday. I had become so complacent where I was at that I allowed scales to grow around my eyes and view community as something smaller than it was.
Indeed it was greater than I ever thought. In fact once I started announcing I was leaving people all over, some whom I had not been in contact with for years, started surrounding me, supporting me, helping me, encouraging me, and praying for /with me. This is the portion where I say the blessing is most overwhelming. Before I knew it, in just over a month my community (which stretches from B.C to Alberta, and extends south into the states), Had fund raised over $6,000…..American.
That’s not all either, because even people I had not seen, or been in contact with for years were coming behind me. Like the place where I had my first job donated a generous amount, as well as the candy/convenience store I LOVED to go to as a child and still as an adult donated an incredible amount.
For those who had no money to offer, they offered something just as wonderful. They gave of their time, skills, and passions. For example my amazing, wonderful, and loving cousin in B.C. who is already overwhelmed with a full post secondary education load, plus having a family, volunteered endless hours to helping me sell shirts, and even made a poster up to rally support from other family/ church’s in B.C. She sold 25 t shirts alone. Another very close, very dear friend, who is an amazingly talented artist did the sweetest thing. She made an incredibly detailed, and in depth cutout of me, with full color etc. to help me rally support (I will show a picture of it at the end of this post). The first person who came forward though, this person is the reason my fund raising campaign even launched. He is the person who has given me so much guidance on how to fund raise, how often to post, designed my first support card/ campaign, took my photo’s and is still always offering amazing advice, and encouragement.
Then there is the anonymous community, the people whom I do not know, the multiple strangers who have come forward and just given me checks, cash, and prayer, or donated online to completely seal their identity. If I added up all the anonymous donations it would equal $2205 U.S. Which stands right now to be a third of the donations received. Thank you, anonymous persons.
Finally there is the church community who is endlessly praying for me, and for Gods will in my life, that my relationship with him would only flourish through this. This community is such a treasured one in my heart. they have encouraged me, prayed for me, donated to me. To sum it all they have been the perfect community for me!
It is amazing to wake up, and know that this is the community that surrounds me today. It causes me to have a reason to be sad to leave this place. I would have never realized though, what I had unless I was to leave it. The point I am trying to get across here, is do not despair about your surroundings friends. You may not know what you really have is a diamond.
what leaving has taught me about community is that it is something unseen, and undervalued, but something that is incredibly powerful, valuable, and necessary. It is something evident everywhere you go, people need each other. It is how we are made. To live in community with each other. So that when it is time to leave, we can see the blessings of our father in each and every person he has placed in our life, all the lessons learned, and support given. In essence what leaving has taught me about community is that, I am leaving one amazing place, full of wonderful people, with wonderful talents and amazing things to offer this world. Leaving has torn the scales from my eyes, and revealed a beautiful reality. It has given me an incredible gratitude for all those that are around me. I cannot wait to go now and see, create, and grow this kind of community everywhere I go. Where people will lift each other up, through the talents, and gifts they can offer.
There is still a long way to go on fund raising, and an even longer journey for the adventure itself. However I know that God will come through, as he already has done in many ways, through many people. I continue to see his blessing on my life daily, now that the scales are removed. Suddenly another $11,000 worth of fund raising does not seem so impossible. But rather just another way I can say I have been blessed, and blessed in great abundance.
To conclude, thank you to all, anonymous, and others, who have offered up their gifts and talents in a selfless act to enable God’s will in my life. To make happen my greatest desires, to enable me to use my talents where I go in the hopes to encourage, and grow communities as great as this one.
