raindrops

Two days back in the US and I am still quite jet-lagged and slower in my movements than usual. As I sit here in the living room, a random thunderstorm blew over the house for five minutes leaving raindrops dripping from the roof and painting connect-the-dots on the back window. As quick and sudden as it may be, the effects of the rain benefit the grass and trees for long after the drops cease falling.
I feel that represents a lot of this summer trip. In a flash of lighting I felt like I went from moving in with Jen, Justin, and Kevin to teach English to all of a sudden boarding a plane in Germany to come back to Texas. Before I could realize it had happened, the trip was over. But the water from the rain continues to impact both my life and the lives of others in the Middle East.

I couldn't have expected for God to do so many things with one trip, but I stand back in awe of participating in His blessings raining down. I still can't put my finger on how much happened in five weeks, but I'm glad to have the opportunity to process throughout the next few days yet. One week in Texas, one week in Arizona, and then back to Long Beach. I can't wait to hear about what God did in the lives of my family and friends across the US this summer. Still discerning where all the drops went in the midst of trying to discern what all I am being taught. A beautiful place to be.

Home stretch

I can't believe (to quote Michael Jackson) This is it! Tomorrow is our last day of class and on Monday we leave the Middle East.

So many amazing things have happened this past week and the conversations we have had have been surrounded by the fragrance of the Son. We are all hoping to each share our story one more time with someone before we depart. Last Tuesday was an amazing day for me, after class I met with the dean of the university. She was asking me about my job as a campus mentor and in very loose terms I got to explain about how I prayed about what to do with my degree and felt I should take the job I currently have.

Explaining to her more about what I do, she was so excited and asked me if I ever thought the University here could have something like that! I had to laugh in my head knowing she only knew half of what I really do, but it was so neat to be able to share a part of my story with the Dean and have her be honest with me in return!

Afterwards, I grabbed lunch with Z*, one of the students I've bonded with a lot since coming here. She comes from the same background I do, but sees God as distant and believes in relics and the power of the Saints. We got to look through the Word a little and talk about what role Dad has played in our lives. I plan to leave her the book "Prodigal God," with a little more of my story written out. Pray these last 3 days in this village will be intentional and Dad will be working hard.

We have students coming over to our house in 3 hours for lunch...so I have to go cook, clean, and try to finish the newsletter I'm working on for this University!!

I look forward to sharing with many of you on July 30th in Texas what all Dad has done both this summer and last year.

Keep praying!

Good Morning America!

If you read Justin's post, you know the meaning behind the title of this post:) When I woke up in the states yesterday morning, I cracked a smile and said to myself, "Good morning America!" It's crazy how I could be on the other side of the world a few days ago and how I will be flying across the other ocean today to get to China, but I feel extremely blessed by how well my body has taken the traveling so far.

I just want to share one last story of God's goodness before I go.

One afternoon Marsha and I decided to go around town meeting people and practicing our Arabic. We went with open eyes for what God wanted to show us. We saw a man holding a little girl wearing an eye patch, so we stopped to pray for her. The father spoke great English and said that although they were Muslim he knows that people can be healed in the name of Jesus. We had the opportunity to speak with some different groups of people, but as we started looking for somewhere to grab lunch, we realized that Marsha's passport was missing!

As we retraced our steps, we asked God for pictures that would lead us to the passport. The Chiccle boy kept coming to mind, but Marsha felt like God wanted us to continue to focus on meeting people rather than worrying too much about the passport. God gave me two other pictures as well. He reminded me of a time when my family was vacationing in Mexico and our shell necklace got lost in the ocean. My siblings and I prayed for the necklace to be found, and the next morning, I found it in the waves. From this picture, I gathered that we would find the passport the next day, and I was comforted because if God cared enough to help me find a shell necklace in the sands of an ocean, how much more would He care to help us find a passport along the side of the road. The other picture I had was of someone handing the passport to Marsha. So I decided that we wouldn't find the passport along the road--someone would actually return it to her.

But I still had this picture of the little gum seller, so when we saw what looked like another Chiccle boy across the street, we went to meet him. It turned out he was not a Chiccle boy, just a Brazil fan. However, there was some kids playing in the alley behind him, so we approached them to ask if they had seen the passport. The family living there invited us in to their home. We were able to practice Arabic with them, and they fed us a delicious meal (we were starving by this point). So Marsha was right. God didn't want us to worry. He wanted to bless us with kindness.

Many people helped us that day, including our friend R* and our host family's niece, F*. Everyone told us that if someone found the passport they would return it to the police, so we made an appointment to go see the passport office the next morning. So, the next morning as we were walking through the market on our way to the passport office, this man yells after us, "Mademoiselle!" We turned around and "bam!" the man slapped Marsha in the head with her passport! He was very distressed that she had lost her passport. He had seen us around town earlier that week and recognized Marsha's picture. He had been searching for us since 7 am!

The steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.

Fulfillment

"God is not a man that he should lie. Nor a Son of Man that he should change his mind. Does he speak and not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19

This verse has been stuck in my head the past few days. And it is so true. We have prayed for some time now that we would represent the fragrance of Christ in this village and it is evident that He is at work and not us by any means. T.I.M.E. This is the Middle East is something we say often as rarely do plans work in this culture. Spontaneity is functional here...or at least it can appear to be that way!

Last week we ended up attending the University's graduation ceremony and mini-prom after. Jen and I went shopping with a few of the girls and they insisted we get our hair done with them. So we did and the conversation I got to have with Y was a sweet one talking about how she feels about the wars and drifts and political instability. I'd like to get to know her on more of a personal level. The best part of the graduation ceremony was it ended in fireworks! Their prom is not what you probably picture, but it was about 30 students sharing a meal together over a long table and getting up to dance their traditional dance a little now and again with lots of clapping and jumping.

The worst part was only getting 4 hours of sleep before teaching the next morning! But it definitely was a good time to hang out with the students.

Probably one of the most encouraging things was talking with Marsha yesterday about what God had been teaching her. My heart is to see students from Universities in America to go abroad and grasp more of God's heart for the nations and understand his love extends the neighborhoods we live in in America. Marsha told me that she thought she understood this before coming, but since being here, she realized how little she truly did understand and is glad of what God has been teaching her.

Will you pray with me that the students not only on the Middle East Team, but also those currently in Russia and Japan and New Zealand will grasp God's love for the nations and will be like a wildfire when they come back sharing what God taught them with their friends? How sweet would it be for the next large Workers movement to be from this group of students!

Good Morning America

This is a phrase that my new friend N* loves to say whenever he sees us. So if you are on my email list you have already heard this story but I will share a shortened version here plus there is some more that has happened since my email. I have had the opportunity to become friends with an amazing guy in our English class. N* and I have really connected and within the past week we have become extremely close. I would even consider him one of my best friends. This relationship is a perfect example of how God orchestrates everything in our life so intricately.

The first day we hung out we watched one of the World Cup matches and then he brought me back to his house to meet his family. After spending only 3 hours with him he pretty much poured his heart out to me about a lot of the hurt and pain he has and all the medication he is taking for that. My heart completely broke for him. A few days later God gave me the opportunity to share my testimony with him and tell him about Jesus Christ. I shared Matthew 5:43 with him in response to one of his questions and he was absolutely floored!! He immediately asked, "Can we read the Bible sometime?" I was speechless and tears were welling up in my eyes! I responded with an enthusiastic yes! Then that night when he dropped me off at my apartment I asked if I could pray for him and after I did he looked at me with a face I will never forget and said "Thank you so much!"Since that night I have been praying for him from the bottom of my heart that God would rescue him and pour his peace and love on N*.

Wednesday night we were hanging out after the University's graduation and he dropped me off at home (again) around 2am, haha. Before I got out he grabbed my arm and said with wide eyes, "Can we pray again?" He said that last time I prayed for him he felt a peace from within that he has never experienced before! He told me that he has met a lot of foreigners before but we are different and he absolutely loves being with us. He is tired of going in all different directions and wants to go on a straight path and he said, "I think you can help me find that path." The thing that hit me the most was when he said, "God must have sent you to help me! You are such a close friend and we should make our own culture, just you and me!" I could not handle it at this point and tears started to roll down my cheek!

God is just so amazing and His hand is in every way a part of this relationship. N* and I were able to read John 4 together and he really enjoyed it. We had a really good conversation and finished at about 1 am. He invited me to sleep at his house and as we were getting into bed he grabbed the bible and began reading it. He said he wants to read it every night before he goes to sleep =D Man God is just SO amazing! Please keep N* in your prayers! Pray for God to invade his life and pour out His love and mercy!

Crazy things that happened this weekend.

Both of our groups got together to go for some swimming and rest on the weekend. We found a cafe to settle down and one of my friend noticed that the waiter
had a missed up eye. We found out later that a glass bottle had broke and some how it hit his eye. His vision was very limited and he could barely open it.
So i started praying for his eye and he told us that it was getting progressively better. We prayed for it about 4 times all each getting better, but it wasn't fully restored.
However, his friend / co-worker was there and watching the whole thing, he tells us about this back pain that he's had for years and it won't go away. He asks if we would pray for his back.

So i put my hand on his back and pray. When i finished he says, when my hand was all the pain had left, but now there's pain on either side of where my hand had been. Ok fine, I pray for him again with both hands on his back this time and after that, the pain with gone. PRAISE GOD!!!

The kingdom of God was near. After that they both wanted our numbers so we could pray for everyone they know that was sick. Including a friend that wasn't able to have any kids due to an accident and they wanted us to pray for him over the phone. During this conversation I got this picture of the guy who just had his backed heal, putting his hand on his friend with the damaged eye and praying for it. I didn't know why i had this picture, but my friend told me later (they were speaking Arabic) that he thought I had done magic on his back. Praise God that He had an answer to that belief.
So I called the other guy over, and put his friend's hand on his eye, however the manager came back and they scattered.

We went back to our seats for a little bit. When we were about to leave my friend went to say good bye and the man who got healed, asked him if we had some sort of book or something he could read. Boy do we have book for him. More like the living God. So we made plans to go back and see him and his friend later.

That afternoon I saw the gospel move with power. I didn't need to convince him of our Father, that man SAW our Father move. That was it, Game Over.

God 1 - satan 0

J

Everything is late in this country...including the trees!

This morning we took the photography class north for about an hour to go to a tree reserve. Our first full week of classes officially has come to a close! I am exhausted, but am really encouraged to see the way Dad is moving in this place.

I am so happy Steve and my father e-mailed me the powerpoint notes from CBC! On Friday, I walked into the photography class and met the instructor, E, at 9:30...The class was supposed to start at 9am, but nothing is on time here! So about an hour into the class, E says, "Alicia, you told me you have taught before, do you have powerpoint with you?" Stuttering, I responded yes thinking we would just go over them later, but instead, he asked me to teach! So I stood up and taught through 32 slides about photography! WOW!

We got to see the other half of our team this weekend and figure out how to catch a bus around. Our limited Arabic has been so great as the entire village we are in knows we are here and welcomes us with plenty of coffee and conversations. I can't believe the weekend is already over! Back to English classes in the morning after watching the Argentina/Mexico match with one of our students and a few neighbors we just met today! Viva Mexico! (but really..my heart is for Holland in the finals!)


-Here is a photo by me and one of the smaller trees. The larger one, nine people can wrap around and some are over 2500 years old! We had no idea waking up at 7am that it would be a hike though! Much Love!

Walking to School

This morning I sat in a photography class that was mainly spoken in Arabic. It can be so frustrating sometimes when all I want to do is understand and speak the language of the people's hearts but am unable to. Yet in the midst of the frustration, I found myself so encourage by my new friend R. She sat next to me and translated some of the Arabic on paper instead of giving her full attention to the class she is paying for. She has been such a blessing to me since I have met her. Yesterday I headed to the school early to have coffee with some of the girsl in our English class. I popped my head into R's family store to say good morning and she ended up walking with me to school. The ten minute walk together reminded me of why I am here. I am so grateful for the connection with her. Please pray that God will speak to her and our friendship can grow.
I cannot believe we have only three weeks left of teaching here. It is simply not enough time. I feel like I've lived here for a year, and yet we have only had five days of class. I hope I can make the most of every second here. God is truly moving my heart for my new friends and I know I will never be the same.

Meet our Friend

S* works at the dock. He mends nets at the dock and wishes he could be a fisherman. He wants to learn English and studies twice a week. S* is darker than most because he works under the sun and the sun here* is warm. We pass the dock every day. Mostly as we pass by we give quick glances to the men and continue on, the dock is mainly an area where the men bond and hangout. Today we met S* in English class at the center. He spoke kindly of his family and shared a humble wish for a better future. We pass through the dock ,again. This time instead of walking quickly through, we see S* and my heart skips because we know this man, we know his name and his face. We know him. He calls us over because he knows us too :) . In his kindness he asks us to sit down and have a drink, we blush and decline, hang out at the dock? I smile to myself because I know S* is a good man and Thank God that we get to know him, that we get the chance to be a part of his life for awhile.

Here's a little story on God showing off...

It all started with a little miss communication. Or no communication for that matter. You see, I thought I heard Marsha saying that she would be bringing her guitar on the trip. So, I figured there's no reason for two of us to bring guitars.

Fast forward to the terminal and I'm sitting there talking with her and I ask if she bought her guitar. She looks at me wide eyed and says, "Dude I thought you were bringing yours!"

Uh.... Speechless

Now to where God steps in...

I really wanted to bring a guitar on the trip, so I asked Alicia if I could buy one somewhere.
Her dad over hears this conversation and offers to ask one of his friends, who has a music ministry, if he had any guitars lying around.

He comes back with great news, his friend will sell us a guitar plus a case for $100. I'm over joyed because that is an amazing. (Well honestly in the back of my mind I'm thinking to myself, "How good can a $100 guitar actually be?")

Upon returning, Alicia's father brings back two guitars, both with cases, both have tuners with them and he added 6 extra sets of strings.

Not only that, but they are beautiful in appearance and in tone. Couldn't have asked for anything better.

Again: 2 Guitars + 2 Cases + 2 Tuners + 6 Sets of Strings for $100. God doing work!!!

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and the to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give food gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!"


J

Spirit of the Living God Fall a fresh on Me

This trip has been a humbling experience so far because I feel like we have been blessed far more than we deserve, and we have been served far more than we have served. These are no strangers to hospitality. Getting to explore the city with Marsha and Jon has been such an adventure. We all feel like we were brought here to grow in our relationship with God and and our understanding of the power of the Holy Spirit. We are also asking God to teach us how to pray. Already, He has provided incredible times of prayer and worship. My heart is slowly softening towards this people and I am beginning to see them in the way the Father does. We were able to sit in on three English classes yesterday. It was a pleasure to meet the students and talk with them. We are hoping to spend time with them outside of class soon.

Prayer requests:

• For Marsha to be 100% healthy again. AKA no coughing!!!
• That we would be open to the Spirit's direction
• That we would be partaking in sweet times in the Word
• That we would each have the opportunity to get to know at least one person here and share the good news
  

Marhaba.

Marhaba. A simple hello I like to say to everyone I pass. In Holland, I used to bike around with friends and make it a point to say, “Hoi!” to everyone we passed. Here is no different. So every morning when we walk to where we are teaching, I greet everyone we pass with a mostly-tired hello, Marhaba.

Last night, Kevin and I went out to purchase some refreshments and tonight’s dinner from the local grocery store. We wondered past the store near the roundabout as we were going to check the hours at an internet café. We had just passed the fish-smelling store with the 4-ft empty fishbowl and hear a call from behind us.

“Heej, Hey…you!”

We turned around and saw a man, probably late 20s, calling after us. We turned around to see him coming out of his store after us as our faces probably looked so confused.

“You. You normally say Marhaba…every morning you say. But today, no marhaba. You forget? I no forget.”

That morning, we had be at school at 8 instead of 9 and the shops were not open yet. And he noticed his Marhaba was missing! Wow…honestly, I didn’t even remember his face from before! (Probably in large part because I am not a morning person so normally I’m not fully awake yet!) But he told me to not forget his hello the next day. And I don’t think I will!

My Heart is Stirring

Wow, just finished our first day of "work" which included orientation and some survival Arabic. I was sharing with the team how I haven't felt so inadequate and frustrated in a very long time. I'm reminded of King Jehoshaphat's plea where it says, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."

In the midst of my weakness, I desire to draw closer to Him and He has started to do amazing things already. Here's one quick story of God being God:

We had just finished visiting our work site, and I was commenting on how Asians (and most other ethnicities) are viewed in the Middle East, when out of the blue I hear, "Ahn yea ha se yo?" (Korean for How are you?). I turn around and to my surprise I realize this girl is talking to me. From that, we were able to share with her why we are here and she is extremely excited (to the point that she was shaking) to hang out with us and take us around. She was even considering taking a few English courses at our Center!!!

God is amazing and the Holy Spirit is stirring.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue to pray as both the teams start the work weeks and are adjusting to everything.

J

Fun Crazy Time

Wow, I'm not sure if words can describe the past few days! I absolutely love it here! My team is at our location and new home for the next 3 weeks! We are staying in a flat (that has the most amazing couch :)) that is really close to the university we are teaching at. We have had some pretty crazy/fun experiences and met a lot of amazing people so far. Between blowing our electricity and trying to turn it back on, trying to get groceries back to our flat and getting food on a day when nothing is open we have had a lot of fun! Also, we have met some of the most amazing people. I have never felt so welcome in a place where I know absolutely no one. We have been invited to have coffee, shown around town to try and find a fan and given phone numbers if we ever need anything.

I got the opportunity to connect with a guy named Jalil who owns a fuel station. Even though I only know a few words in Arabic and he only knows a few words in English we were still able to establish a friendship. The first time I met him he called me habibi, which is the word used for someone who is a dear friend. At that moment, God placed him on my heart and I pray our relationship would grow deeper during my time here.

We had our first day of work today and the students are so great! I cannot wait to get to know them more and build friendships with them as well as serve the university! Thank you so much everyone for your prayers! We appreciate it SO much!

Lots of Hospitality...Little Electricity!

When you walk into Home Depot, do the workers meet you at the door with coffee and conversation before you can even tell them what you are looking for? That's how the people in our current town are!

We are on our third day here and started teaching English today. The students are so nice! I found out a professional photographer has asked if I would teach with him on Fridays, so that is what my morning will consist of then! I am so glad to have had the privilege to teach at CBC last summer as I'm using most of the same power-points and material here.

This is a very different, but beautiful country. The worst part has to be sleeping at night! With random power-outages, the little fan we bought is not guaranteed to always work! The roosters outside are always interesting to try and interpret throughout the night as well!

Yesterday, we held our own church at our home and went through 1 Cor. 1-2. 2:13 really stuck out to me as it says, "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." We really do have to rely on God to move in this place. It's not our words or actions that relay who Alicia is...but our hope is to rely who God is.

Pray for our health and rest in our time here. Especially for Jon and myself leading the teams as we begin our first full week of teaching starting today! Next class in 40 min!

Beep Beep!!

We've only been here three days, but we've done so much that it seems like we've been here at least a week. It has been super encouraging to meet other friends here and to hear how our Dad has been using them to shine brightly in this dark place. It is funny that our Dad put in my heart that our privilege to be a light here, and the electricity often goes out here:) It has been exciting to see the area. Each place looks so different! And crossing the streets is fun because there really aren't any traffic rules here, so there is lots of music being made by the car horns. The food here is delicious! (And they even have ice cream--that's a blessing from Dad). It is cool to see how our friends here have been sharing the truth without expecting people to become westernized. We leave for our respective places tomorrow, so we will be finding out what our job is like and meeting our last team member--Bryson!
Prayer requests:

• patience in learning Arabic
• energy to meet with people and share life
• hearts that are open to hearing the truth

Seperating...

Yesterday, we went up to our location to visit where we'll be for the rest of the summer. This is the team! Originally, three of us in the photo were going to head down South...now we are going to a new location! Being here sure does keep you on your feet!

We're here!

We made it here after two days of flying and trying to sleep in airports! It was so nice to lay flat on a bed instead of sleeping in a chair. First impressions? I love it here! The people have been so nice, the city we are in is beautiful, and the food is amazing. Our first couple of days we will be adjusting to time and culture and doing orientation to prepare us for the next four weeks. This trip will be stretching but I think we are all excited to learn new skills, a new language, and to see what God does. Please continue your prayers for us as we do some traveling and acclimating in the next few days. Also, feel free to comment! :) We will be reading your comments as a team for some encouragement, so we appreciate them. Can't wait to experience more and share it with you all!

landed

Dearest friends,

We landed and met our friends over here at the airport. Everyone is safe and sound and all of our luggage made it as well! Keep us in your thoughts! We split for two different locations on Sat.

-Alicia

Away We Go!

I'm currently sitting in the Houston airport waiting for our next leg of the journey. Everyone made it to Texas safe and sound and after some much needed time with the Lord, we went to the airport. It's an exciting and tricky thing to trust being in God's hand throughout this trip. I'm so excited to see all of the things that will happen!

In our first leg to Houston, I felt bad because the gentleman in front of me pulled out his safety card in the seat-back pocket when i the flight attendant told him to and with shaky hands followed along. As we hit a little bump in the air halfway through, he gripped his seat so tightly in fear, I was beginning to wonder what was going through his mind. I am so glad the 7 of us do not have that type of fear when it comes to trusting God. With lost luggage (which was later taken care of), a forgotten passport, and a delayed flight, the team has responded with trust and laughter and all these things that "add to the adventure." What a sweet thing to journey with others who are like-hearted with the knowledge of who God is. Our tiredness adds to the laughter, but that helps make the trip all the more memorable! Next update from across the sea! Keep us in your prayers!

-Alicia

Night before takeoff!

It is late into the night; it will be morning in less than an hour. I’m trying to pack but I feel like I’m not getting the right things into my suitcase. Where there is necessity, I want only memory. Would it be unreasonable for me to take a suitcase of only photographs, books, and letters? I bet that would surprise airport security.

I have just come back from dinner. It was supposed to be a quiet dinner with my family, but I had forgotten how my family has grown. One invite suddenly turned into quite a few more until I was surrounded by a sea of familiar faces. When I began this journey, I didn’t realize how much ones heart could become so intertwined with another’s by the sharing of dreams, hope, and life. Till the last moment I have received an overwhelming amount of love and encouragement. From people driving an hour to say goodbye, to phone calls to pray, my heart cannot contain the gratitude I have for everything done for me. Tonight was great; it was perfect, thanks for that.

Will it be this way when I return? Will I want to lug a suitcase full of memories of the Middle East back to the US? Instead they will be different faces, new experiences, and new love. What kind of love is this? This has to be divine love! Tonight, I stand as a witness that surely a savior has risen and such is the time for his people.

Boldness and Compassion

It is hard to describe in words how I have been/am feeling about the trip to the Middle East. If I had to choose one word it would probably be anticipation! The journey God has brought me on from when I first felt called to go on a missions trip back in October until now has been absolutely incredible. God provided in every single area that I had been praying in regards to this trip and I cannot wait to see what He has in store for our team.

The past month I have been reading through Acts in my quiet times just to get a little insight on how God used the apostles to advance His gospel and build His church. My world has been absolutely rocked by this book. The boldness and compassion of the disciples and the working and leading of the Holy Spirit encouraged me so much. One verse that really stuck out to me is when Paul is about to leave for Jerusalem where he knows he will meet opposition: "But I count my life of no value to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of God's grace"-Acts 20:24. I have been praying for that attitude for both myself and my team. We have all been called to serve in the Middle East this summer and so received the ministry of building relationships and sharing the love and truth of Jesus Christ. I want so badly to finish that course with boldness and compassion as the Holy Spirit works and leads just as He did so long ago.

One other verse that really stuck out to me was in Acts 16. While in jail, Paul and Silas were rescued by God: "Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains came loose" (Acts 16:26). Although, this is very literal I also thought about this in a metaphorical sense. I am praying that God would shake the foundation that those we meet are living their lives by so that the door to their hearts would be opened for God to come in and remove the chains weighing them down.

God is SO good and SO faithful and I know He is going to rock our world over there. Thank you so much for your support and prayers!

Justin

Trust in the Dark

I can't believe that in a week our team will be together in Texas. It seems like just last week I was agreeing to go on this trip and now it is here. This semester has gone by so quickly and it has been such an incredible journey. I am so thankful for all the things I have learned, and now for the opportunity to use some of it.

I've been reading through Isaiah lately, and came upon this verse yesterday. "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God." Isaiah 50:10. I am a person who likes a vision and a plan, and am generally uncomfortable with a lack of details. One of the things that has already stretched me with this trip is going in what feels like darkness to me, because no matter how hard I try, I can't picture it and literally don't know many details anyway. But God is so faithful and knows my heart, and this verse was exactly what I needed to hear. While it seems contrary to me, the more I am in the dark, the safer it is because I have only Him to trust, and who better to trust than the most powerful, trustworthy, and wise one there is? So despite being afraid of the dark (literally), my heart is comforted and so excited for the next part of the journey and the people I get to share it with. Thank you everyone for all your prayer and support that have brought us this far. Keep em coming!

-Jen

Static

I always find myself clinging to God when I am getting ready for a big trip overseas. One of my missions' verses is Psalm 139:9b-10, "if I settle on the far sides of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." I like it for the idea of God's hand both guiding and holding me in the midst of venturing abroad.

I'm excited to go visit my 'friends' overseas and yet it is hard to believe that in less than two weeks the whole team will be over there! People keep asking me if I'm scared to go. The answer is yes, trusting God can be scary sometimes, but it's not about letting the fear outweigh the trust.

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,
Do not fear; I will help you. -Is. 41:13

How neat is that to think about? 13 days!

-Alicia