Its odd to think that it has already been ten weeks here in Hawaii. So weird to think that not too long ago, I was sitting in a classroom with sixty some people I had never met before that had come from all over the world all for one purpose, to learn to use the gifts that God has given them and to use it to his glory. But thats not the only thing we have learned. We've learned to be vulnerable with each other, to love one another in brotherly and sisterly love. Learned how to tell a story about an individual that is not from our own culture through a photograph, to submit our own plans for the future to God and offer it freely so that he may show us what great things he had planned out for us before time began, and to have compassion for someone we have never met who is living in difficult living situations that is inhuman and unjust. Looking back, I have learned much, much more than I have taken notes of, and I take A LOT of notes. Each speaker played an important role in my life and always made me see things in a different perspective. Made me want to be someone who changes something for the better. This whole experience has really changed me. I can see it in myself, see it through other people that I've met here on campus, and soon to be through my friends and family back home. But I am not done being transformed yet! I still have three more months left! But this time, in a new country with a smaller amount of people. South Africa, here I come!!
In my Outreach team we have six girls and one guy, Erika, Cammie, Sarah G., Sarah M., Madalyn, Caleb, and myself. BUT! Our team has been blessed with another male to join our team! Welcome Graham Stewart! Graham is thee sweetest, most interesting individual you'll ever met. He is a young nineteen year old man who desires deeply after God's heart and its so amazing to be a person to champion him on in that. He makes our group complete and I'm pretty sure Caleb is absolutely stoked to have another guy on the team to hang out with for the next two months.
These next couple of weeks are going to be killer. Not only because we will be further learning about our skills and what more we can do with them, but also knowing that in a week and a half, a lot of us will be leaving for our Outreaches! Its so sad to think that we will all be separated after we've grown so close and live in all different directions of the globe. But what cheers us all up is knowing that we are all doing the work of the Lord all over the world!! I cannot wait to hear everyone's stories once we all return. With that, I'd like to share that from the $2,675 that I needed for outreach, I now only owe $1,300!! PTL! (Praise the Lord) Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, and donations for those of you who did. It means so much to me that you helped.
As you can see I still am in need of $1,300 before I leave in THIRTEEN DAYS!! Woah! That came up quick.. So please, if you feel led from the Lord to donate, please don't delay. The sooner, the better! Thank you all so much for keeping up with my blogs and what I've been up to over Facebook. When I receive more info on South Africa, I will let all of you know. Again, thank you for everything. Please keep my team in your prayers.
Love you all dearly.