this guy

this guy makes me laugh. all the time. 

Hotel del Coronado :)

Feet

My feet are blessed.   Hear me out because I am stuck on this idea.  I keep thinking about the last time I was in an airport, I was conquering a task for my bucket list by simply people watching. So then I questioned, when was the last time I stepped foot on an airplane? Ah yes, Italy… A country of elegance, prestigious fabrics, rich food, and classical art. My feet touched cobblestone the last time I stepped foot on foreign land. 

Since then my feet have been blessed to walk across a college campus situated right above the ocean, to stand beside my sister on her wedding day, run a half marathon, and learn to swing dance. 

My feet are about to entire foreign territory yet again. Instead this time it will not be cobblestone.  In three weeks I will step off American soil and into African desert.  I will step out of freedom and security and into poverty and a culture fighting the aftermath of a civil war.  My feet are blessed.  They are blessed to see the world, not for what I hope or think it is, but for what it really is. 

In my bible study, we talked about what God had been teaching us in the last year.   God revealed to me a new view of the concept of washing one another’s feet.  By having someone wash my feet, I am vulnerable and by washing theirs I am selfless. It was beautiful to both receive and to give during that experience.  Having my feet washed was an analogy for letting down insecurities and allowing people to care for me even in my weakest trials.  It is my turn to wash.  I believe I am equipped for the next two months.  I am ready to learn how to be more and more selfless everyday, by washing feet.  No, I will not literally wash their feet everyday, but I hope to share a love for them that allows them to let down insecurities and create a safe environment to go through the good and the bad, not alone, but together. My feet have been blessed, its time for me to return the favor.

 Thank you to everyone who prayed, encouraged, and/or financially supported me the last 7 weeks, I am shocked by God’s power and love and my gratitude to you all is endless.    

5,563-5086=$477

UPDATE!!!
So I just found out we got our flights and because of fuel prices they were crazy expensive!!! Therefore instead of $5,000 I need $5,563 by sunday.  Right now I have $5,086 so i need $477  by sunday!  That is a lot of numbers to take in!

Please be praying, and if you would like to financially support me, please contact me on the most efficient way to do it, since it is crunch time!!!

Thanks for all your support and love.

SHOCKED

Tomorrow my junior year will be over and God has done unimaginable things to shape me into a woman of Christ.  It has been hard work to say the least, but there is no greater victory than enduring the race. 

            Gods promise is true and I have beautiful friends and family.  To be honest, I was expecting a maximum of $300 for the garage sale… boy was I in for a surprise.  I walked into my house on Friday, to see my friend Jill, her husband Mike, my sister and Greg, separating a house full of garage sale items.  There were bags upon bags of clothes, a huge desk, baseball bats, rollerblades, cups, plates, towels, a mattress, chairs, and even a Jefferson statue.  My living room, family room, and side yard was full.  Family, friends, and friends of friends had brought stuff over to my parents’ house in hopes that there would be plenty of shoppers.

            By 6am on Saturday morning, my Dad was up making omelets for all the helpers and the garage sale crew was busy putting up signs and dragging everything out the driveway.   We laughed a lot and even found some treasures for ourselves.  I was able to have awesome conversations with my mom and tell neighbors about what I will be doing in Uganda.  By 2pm my sister gave the final total…. $780.00. I was shocked. God had called me to this, but seeing his promise be fulfilled is overwhelming because to be honest 6 weeks ago, I was scared. 

            My shots are done and my prescription for malaria is ready to go.  I am about a month away from stepping on a plane and into a different culture.  I am so open to serve the people in Uganda and to the lessons that God has to teach me through this internship. 

            I will be teaching money management and computer training to the staff.  I will also be helping take sponsorship photos and helping the kids write letters to the people that support them. 

            Please be praying for my team, as many of them are still anxiously waiting for envelopes to arrive in the mailbox.  I am very close to my goal and I cant thank you all enough for believing in my ability to show love to the people in Africa, it is unbelievably humbling.  

Garage Sale Countdown

Less than 48 hours until the garage sale!  I feel so blessed to have my friend Jill completely handling every detail of this garage sale.  I told her I was stressed and she said," dont worry ill take care of it." Some friends in Point Loma have given me their clothes and I get texts and emails about people bringing items over to my house.  I am so excited to just be with friends and family from home, their encouragement and prayers have been so uplifting.  If you are in Oraneg County, we would love shoppers! Bring yourself and a friend, or two, or 10, there will be lots of good stuff!!!

Thanks Alli!