I’M BACK!!! What a year. So many things have happened over this past year, many of my squad mates kept tally charts of all the flights we have taken, and the number of places we have slept. I didn’t keep a tally of that stuff but it was a lot of flights, busses, taxies, and beds or at least places I just feel asleep. It feels like I just left the USA yesterday. I knew this trip would go fast but I don’t think I expected it to go that fast.
I wanted to try and answer some questions that I know everyone is wanting to ask:
What did you learn?
What was your favorite country?
And What is next?
I learned many lessons about who our God is and how He truly is a mighty and powerful God. I have grown through so many things and have had my eyes opened to the things I still need to work on. I have learned what a healthy, loving, God-driven community can and should look like. I have served with some of the most talented, loving, creative people. All around the world, no matter where I have been and what we have been doing, God was there to guide and protect us.
I am truly appreciative of all your prayers and support that you have given me over this past year. Even if we didn’t talk all year, I hope each of you know just how much this opportunity has opened my eyes and heart to Gods will in my life. That your prayers were heard and that God is continuing His Good work in this world. While I really enjoyed all the places I lived this past year, my favorite country was Nepal, I really fell in love with the people of the country, it is the one country that broke my heart to leave. And maybe one day I will be back. God has placed a vision on my heart to maybe one day open an orphanage in Nepal. And since that vision God has taken me places and each month since Nepal and has taught me a lesson or given me encouragement to stay on the path towards this. In Swaziland I worked with an orphanage. In South Africa I visited LIV village and got to see how they ran their orphanage. Then in Malaysia I had an opportunity to work in a kindergarten with one of my team mates who is a top level teacher and then finally in China I worked with New Day a foster home program, creative company and community outreach organization. All of these experiences have helped me to see Gods vision clearer and to gain knowledge and tools to help make this dream start to form a reality.
So what is next? Well my plan is to be home with my family for a little time, find a job working with a daycare, school, or something that will give me more hands on experience in the USA working with Kids and learning the standards. As well as give me some time to save some money to pay my student loans back from my undergrad.
And then there are several options floating around in my head, one Go back to school for a degree maybe a masters, in something that will help me to run an orphanage, maybe child development degree, maybe just a teaching degree from a Christian college. (school is not my first choice… I’m better with hands on learning, rather than learning from books.)
Two is going back to New Day in china to be a missionary and learn from their organization, from how they run there Foster Home, to having their business side of the organization to learning how to love the community.
Or maybe there is some other option I haven’t seen yet (any tips or guidance is welcomed)…
I don’t have complete answers to all of the questions. But I’m open to talk, ask me questions about my trip. Lets grab some lunch or a water/coffee and chat. I’m so excited to be home and to get to see all of you face to face. I want to hear about your past year and what God has been doing in your life, just as much as you want to hear about mine!
Last I want to ask you to stick with me through this next journey of my life. If an orphanage is truly Gods path for me, I would love if you could please start praying now for supporters, for prayer warriors and for strength and wisdom. I truly am blessed to have such a great group of people that I know are here to support me through my life and to live with me in community and support me through all the wonderful, amazing, crazy, chapters of my life.
