Greetings from South Africa! I had a wonderful, uneventful trip and am now happily stationed at the Africa School of Missions near White River, South Africa. I am one of 5 young people going through this program. We have a very comfortable, small house we are all living in. Today was our first day of orientation. The majority of this week we will just be learning about the area and the mission of Hands at Work. Later this week I will go out and stay with a community family to really see how they live and function. That will be wonderfully interesting!
I was a bit nervous flying from London to SA but I have had complete peace since being here. I am very eager to get with the people and start learning and using things that God has blessed me with that I can share with these people.
I should be able to have quite regular access to the internet while here in South Africa. So please feel free to email regularly:) It's a highlight to hear from you! I do miss you all and think of you so often. I miss the ability of being able to pick up my phone and call anyone, anytime I would like. That will be a struggle that I am praying about.
Okay, I am feeling a bit of pressure to get off the computer so I better scram. I will try to write more in the near future. Take care. Cheers!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
Off to South Africa
I am waiting for Adriel to get home from work and then we will start the long trek from Brighton back to Heathrow for my flight tonight. I feel a bit butterflyish today. I am pretty comfortable here in England with Joel and Adriel so the journey today is the real thing- I am on my way!
I had a wonderful day yesterday with Adriel and Hannah. Hannah was my roommate on Mercy Ships. She lives here in England so she took the 3 1/2 hour train trip down to Brighton to spend the day with me. It was so great to see her and be encouraged with someone whom I have experienced great things with! It was a splendid day!
Well, I better make sure my bags are packed...
I had a wonderful day yesterday with Adriel and Hannah. Hannah was my roommate on Mercy Ships. She lives here in England so she took the 3 1/2 hour train trip down to Brighton to spend the day with me. It was so great to see her and be encouraged with someone whom I have experienced great things with! It was a splendid day!
Well, I better make sure my bags are packed...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
In the UK...
Greetings from England! I just want to leave a brief message to let you know that I have arrived safely in England. My flight was great and my luggage arrived intact. After a couple weeks of mental, emotional and physical exhaustion I slept almost the entire flight from Phoenix- even slept through the offer for dinner. I smelt it once but decided to continue sleeping.
Tomorrow I will spend the day with Joel and Adriel and then Friday afternoon will be on my way to S Africa. Next time you hear from me will be from Africa- not sure when I will have access to the internet there but I will write as soon as I get the opportunity!
Thanks for the prayers that have carried me and given me the strength to take this step. Keep praying as the unknown still lies ahead. Even so, I go with complete certainty and am excited! Blessings!
Tomorrow I will spend the day with Joel and Adriel and then Friday afternoon will be on my way to S Africa. Next time you hear from me will be from Africa- not sure when I will have access to the internet there but I will write as soon as I get the opportunity!
Thanks for the prayers that have carried me and given me the strength to take this step. Keep praying as the unknown still lies ahead. Even so, I go with complete certainty and am excited! Blessings!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Beyond Blessed
These days have been filled with sweetness. Busy days of packing, cleaning, running errands, tieing up ends in order to be able to be away for 1 year- all have caused stress, showed my greatest weaknesses and humbled me to tears. In the midst of the busy tasks I have scheduled my days around lunches and coffee, snacks and chats with so many- so many- special people in my life. I have been so blessed over the last two weeks. All these blessing confirming that, in obedience, I AM headed right where God has called me for this season of my life. Although after Tues I will be walking in a land of unknown I do not go there without incredible certainty that among this land of unknown there is a constant that I never need to doubt. I have all the tools that I need to go and be any where God chooses to send me. No matter where this is, now or in the future, I'll be okay. With my eyes fixed on the Lord's face I have the freedom to go in any direction confidently and joyfully.
I need to thank so many people for your kindness, thoughtfulness and support. One of the many things on my to do list has been to write thank you notes to many of you who have treated me to lunch, dinner, given me support in many ways (money, shopping, prayers, words, love) but as the time is ticking and it is 11pm the night before I leave I don't think I am going to get to my list of thank you notes. So please accept this as a sincere thank you to all of you who have loved me in such special ways. Your faith in me and this journey is what keeps me going and has readied me to be at this place. I remember writing last time I was in Africa about how impressive African communities are as the whole community takes part in raising a child. Well, I feel my life is also an example of that...I am blessed to have many communities- here in AZ, back in MN and ND- all supporting, encouraging me and being a part of preparing me to take off on this adventure! So, I go in faith...tomorrow I will be on my way. I am scaried silly at times, so excited and also so tired of my heart breaking as I say "so long" to all of you. I look forward to communicating in a different way and sharing what God has in store- I can only imagine! But I do know this- It is going to be good!
I need to thank so many people for your kindness, thoughtfulness and support. One of the many things on my to do list has been to write thank you notes to many of you who have treated me to lunch, dinner, given me support in many ways (money, shopping, prayers, words, love) but as the time is ticking and it is 11pm the night before I leave I don't think I am going to get to my list of thank you notes. So please accept this as a sincere thank you to all of you who have loved me in such special ways. Your faith in me and this journey is what keeps me going and has readied me to be at this place. I remember writing last time I was in Africa about how impressive African communities are as the whole community takes part in raising a child. Well, I feel my life is also an example of that...I am blessed to have many communities- here in AZ, back in MN and ND- all supporting, encouraging me and being a part of preparing me to take off on this adventure! So, I go in faith...tomorrow I will be on my way. I am scaried silly at times, so excited and also so tired of my heart breaking as I say "so long" to all of you. I look forward to communicating in a different way and sharing what God has in store- I can only imagine! But I do know this- It is going to be good!
Finances
Many people have asked how I am doing financially for this adventure. So here is my least favorite entry of talking about money...
I anticipate needing approximately $12,000 for the year. Currently I have about $8,000 of support available to me. Here's the rough breakdown of how my money is going to be spent:
Flight to South Africa $2,500
3 months in SA for training
-tuition, accommodations, food $2,000
Transport to Mozambique, Visa $1,200
Food, housing, transport in Moz $3,000
Health Insurance $ 700
Medications, medical supplies $2,000
Incidental expenses
-(prophylactic malaria medications) $ 600
Total $12,000
If you do feel so called to be part of my ministry financially you can mail checks to Highlands Church, 9050 E Pinnacle Peak Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Make checks payable to Highlands Church and write Hands at Work on the memo line.
More importantly than finances I ask that you continue to pray and encourage me. I am fully aware that there are going to be hard times in this next year. I also know that couldn't be doing this without the prayers, support and encouragement from my many family, friends and church! As I have experienced in the past hearing from those of you "back home" is encouragmement and often brings enough joy to keep going on the tough days. So, please pray and write as often as possible! Also, please share with me what is going on in your lives and your prayer requests. Never think that because I am off doing something different and exciting that I don't care about life back here. I desperately want to be kept up to date as to what is going on in your lives. My culture shock on the return will be difficult enough. If I am clueless as to what I have missed out on I will be a mess:) So, start the emails coming:) More soon...the adventure is about to begin!
I anticipate needing approximately $12,000 for the year. Currently I have about $8,000 of support available to me. Here's the rough breakdown of how my money is going to be spent:
Flight to South Africa $2,500
3 months in SA for training
-tuition, accommodations, food $2,000
Transport to Mozambique, Visa $1,200
Food, housing, transport in Moz $3,000
Health Insurance $ 700
Medications, medical supplies $2,000
Incidental expenses
-(prophylactic malaria medications) $ 600
Total $12,000
If you do feel so called to be part of my ministry financially you can mail checks to Highlands Church, 9050 E Pinnacle Peak Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85255. Make checks payable to Highlands Church and write Hands at Work on the memo line.
More importantly than finances I ask that you continue to pray and encourage me. I am fully aware that there are going to be hard times in this next year. I also know that couldn't be doing this without the prayers, support and encouragement from my many family, friends and church! As I have experienced in the past hearing from those of you "back home" is encouragmement and often brings enough joy to keep going on the tough days. So, please pray and write as often as possible! Also, please share with me what is going on in your lives and your prayer requests. Never think that because I am off doing something different and exciting that I don't care about life back here. I desperately want to be kept up to date as to what is going on in your lives. My culture shock on the return will be difficult enough. If I am clueless as to what I have missed out on I will be a mess:) So, start the emails coming:) More soon...the adventure is about to begin!
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