I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. Life was crazy busy for a while, but now I have some more time. I'm hoping to finish posting about my trip to Ethiopia soon. I have so much more to write about my trip and news about another trip. I'll try to make some time tomorrow. I wonder if anyone is still checking this since I haven't updated in so long haha. I wouldn't doubt that I'm writing to myself here lol! :)
If there is anyone still out there reading my blog, I will update on the rest of my trip soon! I promise!!!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
July 1, 2008
So many things went wrong this morning. I woke up to find my car had died! The lights were flickering then it was just dead. I think there has to be a short somewhere with the electrical stuff--you can tell I'm not really handy when it comes to cars! My brother and his fiance brought me to the airport. My brother asked a woman from the airline several times if we were in the right line. She kept saying yes. Well, we stood in line, I checked my bags (which cost $125 for the 2 extra bags!) and we walked away. I then realized I didn't get a boarding pass. I talked to a security guard who was every helpful (he tried so hard to help me, but that's probably because he works for the airport not the airline). He told me to talk to a man at a desk who works for the airline. I waited in line. I'm very stressed by this point. (as a side note, my brother left at this point) The man then becomes very rude and nasty to me and tells me I will have to wait in line again where I had already waited. I told him I wasn't going to wait in line again. He got loud and more nasty and made me cry. I walked over to the line and found the woman who said I was in the right line, but it turns out I wasn't because it was for people who already had their boarding pass. I explained the situation to her and she said to calm down. She printed my boarding pass and it took her all of 30 seconds!
Then I had to go through security. They threw away about $20 worth of stuff. I lost my sunblock, bugspray, Purell (hello! can't go without that), and one container of finger paint that didn't fit in my luggage. I was so upset by everything that had happened I cried fro about 10 min or so sitting at the gate. It was a very tough morning!
I am now sitting on the plane and am doing ok. I just can't think too much about this morning or I get upset. Take off was horrible! Just like I thought it would be. I have realized it isn't so much the act of flying that I hate, but the taking off and landing. I don't mind the flying part too much.
I have about an hour to go so I'm going to try and get some rest. I'll write more tonights after I meet everyone and get settled.
(Still on the plane) So, I'm listening to "Something Crazy" by Steven Curtis Chapman (great initials! lol ;-)) and a line in the song says, "its crazy, but you really don't know love at all until it makes you do something crazy."
"it's crazy but it's true, you really don't know love at all until its making you do something crazy."
Something crazy=getting on a plane to go to Dallas for a day then getting on a plane to Ethiopia to do activities, games, and arts and crafts with orphans. That has to be love!
(Random thoughts while on the plane) Everything has led up to this. I got this journal for Christmas 2007, I got the book I'm reading in February (maybe January), and Ethiopia grabbed a hold of my heart over a year ago. God definatly is at work!
Arrived in Dallas around 11:25am. I am very relived to be off the plane. I wait in the baggage claim area for my bags to arrive. As I am dragging all 3, close to 50 lbs. a piece, bags I am wondering 'why on earth did I pack so much?' I know the feeling of overwhelmingness of the bags will fade away when I see the faces of all the children receiving the donations.
I have to catch the bus from terminal E to terminal A. An hour after I land I finally meet up with the group. We wait about another hour or so for everyone to arrive. We go to the hotel and check in. Everyone gets along already. It's going to be a great team.
We get settled in and go to the conference room for our first meeting. Dave, the owner of the Ethiopian Guest House, shares some information about Ethiopia. Dave and his wife were just there in March to adopt two children. How cool is that?!?! He gives us some helpful information and donations to take with us.
We talk about any questions we might have. We then play ice breaker games with skittles. Each color is a different category. Hoe ever many of each color you have is how many things you have to say in that category. Categories are biographical info, hopes and dreams, fears and pet peeves, family, and trip expectations. After this game we go out to dinner. Upon our return to the hotel we decide to meet out by the pool.
At this point we are told to think about our most embarrassing moment and we would get a nn from those. I do not wish to recall the names as they are all quite embarrassing. (Side note...I think we all grew to love them, though.)
After this we went back upstairs to plan our ministry days. We came up with a list of things to do for our carnival day. The day ended with a trip to Wal-Mart to replace what was thrown away in Newark.
Then I had to go through security. They threw away about $20 worth of stuff. I lost my sunblock, bugspray, Purell (hello! can't go without that), and one container of finger paint that didn't fit in my luggage. I was so upset by everything that had happened I cried fro about 10 min or so sitting at the gate. It was a very tough morning!
I am now sitting on the plane and am doing ok. I just can't think too much about this morning or I get upset. Take off was horrible! Just like I thought it would be. I have realized it isn't so much the act of flying that I hate, but the taking off and landing. I don't mind the flying part too much.
I have about an hour to go so I'm going to try and get some rest. I'll write more tonights after I meet everyone and get settled.
(Still on the plane) So, I'm listening to "Something Crazy" by Steven Curtis Chapman (great initials! lol ;-)) and a line in the song says, "its crazy, but you really don't know love at all until it makes you do something crazy."
"it's crazy but it's true, you really don't know love at all until its making you do something crazy."
Something crazy=getting on a plane to go to Dallas for a day then getting on a plane to Ethiopia to do activities, games, and arts and crafts with orphans. That has to be love!
(Random thoughts while on the plane) Everything has led up to this. I got this journal for Christmas 2007, I got the book I'm reading in February (maybe January), and Ethiopia grabbed a hold of my heart over a year ago. God definatly is at work!
Arrived in Dallas around 11:25am. I am very relived to be off the plane. I wait in the baggage claim area for my bags to arrive. As I am dragging all 3, close to 50 lbs. a piece, bags I am wondering 'why on earth did I pack so much?' I know the feeling of overwhelmingness of the bags will fade away when I see the faces of all the children receiving the donations.
I have to catch the bus from terminal E to terminal A. An hour after I land I finally meet up with the group. We wait about another hour or so for everyone to arrive. We go to the hotel and check in. Everyone gets along already. It's going to be a great team.
We get settled in and go to the conference room for our first meeting. Dave, the owner of the Ethiopian Guest House, shares some information about Ethiopia. Dave and his wife were just there in March to adopt two children. How cool is that?!?! He gives us some helpful information and donations to take with us.
We talk about any questions we might have. We then play ice breaker games with skittles. Each color is a different category. Hoe ever many of each color you have is how many things you have to say in that category. Categories are biographical info, hopes and dreams, fears and pet peeves, family, and trip expectations. After this game we go out to dinner. Upon our return to the hotel we decide to meet out by the pool.
At this point we are told to think about our most embarrassing moment and we would get a nn from those. I do not wish to recall the names as they are all quite embarrassing. (Side note...I think we all grew to love them, though.)
After this we went back upstairs to plan our ministry days. We came up with a list of things to do for our carnival day. The day ended with a trip to Wal-Mart to replace what was thrown away in Newark.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Last minute thoughts
I have just finished packing. As I sit here waiting for new songs to be added to my iPod, I'm thinking about tomorrow. My nerves are going crazy! My fears are putting so many bad situations into my head. My fear is telling me not to go, but I can't do that. I have to go! I can't let fear stop me from doing this. If I let fear win this time, it will keep wining. I do not want to live my life in fear because that's when the 'what ifs' start. I don't want to live thinking about 'what if I had gone' 'what if I didn't let fear win'. I want to face my fears head on an do some amazing things. And that is just what I am going to do. I am going to go do some amazing things. How could I ever miss out on something amazing?
I keep thinking about how my life will be forever change because I know it will be. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like in Ethiopia. It is going to be completely different from what I am used to. I'm thinking about the culture shock I am sure I will experience. How will I react to a totally different culture? I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. I'm so excited about this opportunity. Right now the excitement is starting to override the nerves and fear. Ask me if this is still true while I am sitting on a plane tomorrow morning waiting for take off and I think you'll get a different answer.
I must go try to get some sleep. I have to be up in about 6 hours or so. I have some last minute things I have to do then hopefully I'll get a few hours of sleep before I have to get up and run around making sure everything is ready. Please pray for my flights, my team, and the work we will be doing in Africa.
I keep thinking about how my life will be forever change because I know it will be. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like in Ethiopia. It is going to be completely different from what I am used to. I'm thinking about the culture shock I am sure I will experience. How will I react to a totally different culture? I don't know, but I can't wait to find out. I'm so excited about this opportunity. Right now the excitement is starting to override the nerves and fear. Ask me if this is still true while I am sitting on a plane tomorrow morning waiting for take off and I think you'll get a different answer.
I must go try to get some sleep. I have to be up in about 6 hours or so. I have some last minute things I have to do then hopefully I'll get a few hours of sleep before I have to get up and run around making sure everything is ready. Please pray for my flights, my team, and the work we will be doing in Africa.
Friday, June 27, 2008
4 Days to Go!
Just 4 days to go! I cannot believe that in just 4 days I will be on a plane heading to Dallas, TX for training. It came so quickly. I feel like it was just the beginning of March and I was just getting the phone call saying I was going. So much has happened over these last few months. All the conference calls, getting to know the other members of my team, fund raising, collecting donations, and I could go on. It all went by so fast. I wish I would have taken the time to enjoy that part of it more.
The closer it gets the more nervous I find myself. I think it is more nervousness about being on the plane to Dallas by myself. I have never flown by myself before and I dislike flying in general. I also find myself with this fear. Fear of meeting my team members, fear of what Ethiopia will be like, fear for our safety, fear of the reactions of the children. I know I should not be afraid because everything will work out fine.
I'm currently reading "If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat" by John Ortberg. I ordered it before I knew I was going to Ethiopia and it just kind of sat around for a while. I picked it up about a month ago and I read it when I have time. I was hoping to be finished by the time I leave, but I think I might have to finish it on the long flight. It talks about taking that first step (stepping out of the boat) and really trusting that God will take it from there. Fear and all you just have to step out of the boat. If God's plan for me is to be in Ethiopia then I will walk on the water and He will make it happen.
I have known for a while God wants me in Ethiopia. I knew the timing would be up to Him, so I have waited. I knew I had to be prepared in some ways before it would be my time to go. Although it might not seem like the perfect time to go with everything that has been going on this past year, I know God's timing is always perfect. He has a plan for all this and now is the time He wants me there to fulfill His plan.
My hope for this trip is to learn more of what God wants me to do in my life. I want to learn if this is the beginning of a life working with orphans. I want to learn if my life will consist of more trips to Ethiopia. I can hope for many things to happen and that is all it can be is a hope. It could happen and it could not happen. There is one thing I do know for sure. God is going to blow me away with everything He is going to show me. This really will be a life changing adventure.
The closer it gets the more nervous I find myself. I think it is more nervousness about being on the plane to Dallas by myself. I have never flown by myself before and I dislike flying in general. I also find myself with this fear. Fear of meeting my team members, fear of what Ethiopia will be like, fear for our safety, fear of the reactions of the children. I know I should not be afraid because everything will work out fine.
I'm currently reading "If You Want To Walk On Water, You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat" by John Ortberg. I ordered it before I knew I was going to Ethiopia and it just kind of sat around for a while. I picked it up about a month ago and I read it when I have time. I was hoping to be finished by the time I leave, but I think I might have to finish it on the long flight. It talks about taking that first step (stepping out of the boat) and really trusting that God will take it from there. Fear and all you just have to step out of the boat. If God's plan for me is to be in Ethiopia then I will walk on the water and He will make it happen.
I have known for a while God wants me in Ethiopia. I knew the timing would be up to Him, so I have waited. I knew I had to be prepared in some ways before it would be my time to go. Although it might not seem like the perfect time to go with everything that has been going on this past year, I know God's timing is always perfect. He has a plan for all this and now is the time He wants me there to fulfill His plan.
My hope for this trip is to learn more of what God wants me to do in my life. I want to learn if this is the beginning of a life working with orphans. I want to learn if my life will consist of more trips to Ethiopia. I can hope for many things to happen and that is all it can be is a hope. It could happen and it could not happen. There is one thing I do know for sure. God is going to blow me away with everything He is going to show me. This really will be a life changing adventure.
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