Finally Home

Here I am, in Pemba Mozambique. I still can't quite believe it's real. It's actually so real and surreal all at the same time.

God has been blowing me away with his goodness and love the last few days. He's more than I could ever imagine.

Tuesday morning we got up early to leave Johnanesburg. We had two short flights to Pemba. The planes were probably 50% full of Harvest students so it started to become more real as I was meeting more and more people who were just as excited and passionate. People who share the same heart. 

So much happens each day it's hard to even remember it all and record it, but I'll try to keep some of the highlights. 

As I write, I'm sitting on the front porch of my house, where I live with about 10 other amazing women and a "house mom" who has been through Harvest before and staffed other schools. It's hot, but the breeze is blowing in the shade and it's prefect. Behind me I can hear a student playing guitar and singing, leading an impromptu worship session with other students, I can hear people praying and prophesying, I hear people walking by speaking Portuguese. I feel the red sand/dirt on my feet, my legs, my shoes, sometimes my eyes. Lol. The sun hasn't stopped shining since I've been here. (Except from about 5pm-5am when it's dark of course) the sky is so blue. So you know I'm happy. :) 

I've met so many wonderful people. The connection I feel with some is instant because we are all here with one purpose and the unity allows for us to connect immediately. I've bonded already with a few of my roommates here and also a few who I spent the night with in Joburg. Last night I met two girls who I will be going to Cambodia with. They were so sweet and we connected quickly. 

I guess I owe an update on my bags. They did not show up in Pemba like I was told they would. Turns out they stayed in Ethiopia where I had a layover. Although at first I was a little shook up about it and upset, I have quickly realized how good and how sovereign God is in all of it. It has been an opportunity to trust him more deeply. Even in something seemingly little and non-spiritual, I've been able to give it to God. And I've felt freedom in that. I've been able to connect with a couple people who also lost luggage and I have been able to tell God that I will trust him whether I get it or not. If you know me, you know clothes are kind of a big deal to me, so the thought of living on two outfits all summer isn't all too apealing but I've been able to see it in such a different light and it's become a huge blessing. I have a good Father and he knows what he's doing. He knows exactly how to get my attention and draw me closer in surrender. Other girls have also been so kind to share things with me that I need and I have lacked nothing. I am still hoping my bags get here soon. Maybe today. ;) 

One of my favorite things so far has been student worship in the evenings. We all gather together and worship under a gazebo or out in the open under the stars. THE STARS. GAHHH!!! They are so incredible! You can see so many here and the sky is almost always clear at night. There's really nothing like worshipping Jesus with 400 other like-minded people out in the dirt under the stars. I've had a couple wow moments, mostly in worship, where I just know that I know that I know that in that moment I'm right where I'm supposed to be. That is a priceless feeling. 

In the mornings I've been able to spend my quiet-time in the "prayer hut." For IHOP people, think prayer room. Just a place to go and send time with Jesus in prayer or worship or whatever. It's the perfect place to meet with God. The atmosphere is so peaceful. And it happens to be one of the breeziest,

coolest places on the base. 

View from the prayer hut:

I've been journaling creatively. Thanks to Krista:) writing words people have given me, scriptures, things I want to remember etc. Here's a sample:

This post is really long because I've been taking in so much and doing so much the last few days and I really have no idea how much I'll be able to go use internet. Possibly less than I had planned on. It takes some effort, getting a group of 4, getting a taxi into town and buying a meal at a restaurant that has wifi. As I write this I don't have internet, but I will post it when I do. So as they say, for the most part, no news is good news. I'm enjoying being "off the grid" and I don't want to stress trying to go to use internet all the time when I could miss something else I could be doing. 

Yesterday I finally got to go to the beach. Again, you know I could hardly contain myself living accross the street from the beach and not going till the second day I was here. Haha. It's GOOOORGEOUS! I keep asking myself, is this real life? Am I on a mission trip or a vacation? Lol.

Well now I'm at a restraunt getting dinner and wifi. It's right on the beach. And it has AC. It's basically like a resort. Haha. No big deal right? Missionary favor.

Oh well, I'm done for now. Love and miss you all bunches!!! Thank you for the prayers!!! 

Final trek

I feel like an official African missionary this morning. 

Well, this is it! Off to the airport to fly to Pemba! Crazy to think I will be there in about 8 hours. I don't think it will all really hit me till I get there. Can't wait to see the ocean, and all the beautiful children! I don't know when I'll have internet next, but I will post when I can. :)

Bags and blogs

So, update on my bags! Went back to the airport to pick up another girl, talked to the airlines and if all goes well and I understood correctly, my bags should be meeting me in Pemba Mozambique tomorrow! God is good! Just pray that what they told me actually happens:)

Also, if you are on the web version, you can now subscribe to my blog by entering your email address at the top so you will get updates sent to you. I don't think it's available on the mobile version but I'm not sure.

Thanks for praying! Keep it up! 

What day is it? Where am I?

So I made it safely to my overnight in Johannesburg South Africa! The guest house I'm staying at tonight is lovely and so is the weather! 

All of the travel went so smoothly I can't even express how well it went. Until I arrived... My luggage is lost. Yay! Not. That caused for a few frustrated tears when running on pure exhaustion and just glad to be to my destination and realize my bags aren't there. But God is still good and hopefully they will arrive before I need to leave in the morning. 

I was greeted by the shuttle driver for the guest house and three wonderful ladies who I will be rooming with tonight and spending all summer with! They are now out shopping and eating but I came to the guest house to regain some sanity and cleanliness. Although I have no soap or shampoo because it's in my lost luggage. Quite the adventure! 

But there's wifi here so that's always good right?!

Things I've learned so far on this trip:

1. God is good and he wants me on this trip. Well I knew that already, but he keeps confirming it each little step of the way. E.g. My layover in Addis Ababa Ethiopia was only an hour which is rather short for international flights. I was pretty concerned because I figured with a 13hr flight, there was a good chance of arriving late. But I made it to my gate with 5 minutes to spare before boarding to Joburg! Also, I had to show my yellow fever immunization record at costums in Joberg and I thought I might have an issue since today is the 28 and it won't be in effect until the 30th. But guess what? They looked at it and passed me right through! Surprise surprise. 

2. Staying up all night the night before traveling is a good way to insure sleep on the plane. 

3. Said lack of sleep can not be made up for when you're traveling over 24 hours straight no matter how much you try to sleep on the plane and you will still arrive an emotional zombie.

4. Ethiopian arilines is great. Except for losing my luggage. The plane was big and clean, free movies, great service, multiple meals, which were actually pretty good. And they even gave us personal items like a pillow, blanket, toothbrush, toothpaste and sleep mask.

5. I don't know if this is a South Africa thing or just this door, but upon arriving to my room (alone) like a normal person who's been traveling forever, I went to use the bathroom, finally could breathe and relax only to realize I didn't know how to open the door to get back out of the bathroom. It had no handle. So once again, frustrated tears insue, imagining scenarios of me being stuck till the other girls get back, climbing out the window, screaming for help etc. I prayed (should always be my first reaction) and finally realized the handle to the door was sitting on the window sill and I had to use it to open the door. Now I just want to laugh at myself.

For you praying people, obviously my biggest current request is for my luggage to get to me before I leave for Mozambique in the morning. The prayers have been working because everything else has gone so well. Not sure when I'll have wifi in Mozambique, but I will post an update about my luggage before I leave! 

Now for a water-only shower or a nap???

He is faithful

This was something I wrote a couple weeks ago and posted on Facebook, thought I would share here too.

Two weeks from yesterday I will be getting on a plane! Things have really been coming together. I've been proud of myself for not procrastinating more than I have. Lol. God has come through in so many ways. I payed my way in full out of pocket, but people have still been so generous to support me and back me financially. I have had gifts and donations flooding in. I've had people specifically help me buy things I need, like a nice backpack, hiking sandals, a new phone, clothes and tons of little stuff. 

I have to have a visa for Mozambique so I applied for one a few weeks ago. There a bunch of things you have to include in your visa application, one being proof of airline reservations, which about and hour after I sent my application to the embassy in DC, I realized I forgot to include. I tried to get ahold of the embassy for a week after that with no response. Finally a week later I got through on the phone and was able to understand through broken English that I could email my itinerary, so I did. That was in the morning, and that afternoon when I got home from work, my visa had arrived!! So they had already issued it and sent it out without even having my itinerary. God is good!

I have to get travel insurance, trip and medical. I had looked into it and it was a lot more expensive than I had expected. I saw some quotes for $300-600 and was a bit discouraged. Then someone told me about a company for volunteers, and I was able to get trip and medical insurance for $53 just by sending my acceptance letter!!! 

This past weekend I was attacked out of the blue with bad anxiety. I've dealt with it before but I don't think it's ever been that bad. For 3 days I had a lot of stomach pain, my heart raced and I couldn't focus. On the Facebook page for the school I asked the other people going this summer to pray for me, and a few friends and family were praying for me too. Since Monday it has been so much better! 

Thank you so much to everyone for your support and prayers. I know that this summer is going to be life-changing to say the least!

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Another update/prayer request is that I had to get a yellow fever shot, and I have to show paperwork for it in the airport. I got the shot 7 days before traveling and they told me the shot would take 10 days to be effective. So I'm not sure what will happen, because the dates are all on my immunization record that I have to show in the airport, but with how God has provided for me so far, I know he will continue to and it will be ok! He is faithful:) 

Where it all began

This is something I wrote a couple months ago for my fundraising page. This is the story of how I believe God called me to Mozambique and Cambodia.

I believe God has put it strongly on my heart to go to Mozambique and Cambodia this summer. I first heard about the ministry a few years ago. I read a book called "Compelled by Love" in preparation for a mission trip to Haiti. The book is all about the life and ministry of Heidi and Rolland Baker and specifically their ministry in Mozambique. The book touched my heart and deeply impacted me. Ever since I read it I occasionally would jokingly (but not so jokingly) say "Can I just pack up and move to Mozambique?" or "I just want to go live with Heidi Baker." Heidi and Rolland live among some of the poorest of the poor and they are seeing incredible revial, miracles and turning to Jesus. The more I heard about them and their ministry, the more I was drawn to it. I remember being struck by something Bill Johnson said in the film "Finger or God." He encouraged people that when you see God moving in a place or ministry, and you see God moving in ways you want to know and experience at a deeper level; go! Do whatever it takes to seek that out and put yourself in that environment to grow and experience more of God. 
Just a month or so ago, a documentary film on Heidi and Rolland's life came out, also called "Compelled by Love." I went to see the movie at a local church with some friends. The whole time through the film, I could feel God stirring my heart and birthing desire in me. In my heart, while watching, I was saying, "Yes! I'll go! Send me! I want to go to the nations! Just show me where!" At that point, I had no clue where God would send me. I just knew I was ready and I felt him putting the desire on my heart. Towards the end of the movie, I started to cry just being touched by what I saw. When it ended people were getting up and chatting and laughing, but all I wanted to do was get on my knees alone somewhere and weep. The Pastor called anyone up to the front for prayer who felt a call to missions, so I went up. The whole time I was up there, I couldn't stop weeping. After that, I still just wanted to be alone and process and talk to God. I ended up talking with a woman there and she spoke some very encouraging things to me, specifically about how I was precious to God and he had big plans for my life.
A few days later, I found myself on the Iris Ministries website (Heidi and Rolland's Ministry). Just looking over the website, I found a page about their missions school, Harvest School of Missions. As I read more about it my heart started pounding (in a good way) and tears filled my eyes. I just kept thinking "What if this is it? What if I just do it? What if I take a leap of faith and chase my dreams? 
A week or so later, I finished my application and sent it in. Then the waiting came. I had no idea the chances of getting accepted. I didn't think there was anything on my application that would keep me from getting accepted, but I had no idea how many people applied, and how the process worked, so I put it in God's hands. After I applied, everyone I talked to about it was so excited for me and encouraged me. A number of people kept saying "When you go to Africa" rather than if I go. Some people told me "Oh, I know you're going to get accpeted and go." Everyone who knew me well believed this was right for me and an opportunity that God had placed before me which I should pursue. They told me 2-3 weeks until I would hear back about my application, so I waited very impatiently. I kept praying and hoping that I would be able to go, but ultimately I asked for God's will to be done (even though I couldn't deny I would be very dissapointed if I didn't get accepted). Just over two weeks later I got the much anticipated email that I had been accepted! I was (and still am) so excited, grateful, humbled, and overwhelmed at God's goodness and love in blessing me with this life-changning opportunity. And the rest is history! ;)
The program in Mozambique consists of classes, speakers, worship, small groups, lots of time in prayer and ministry, practical outreach, loving on children, weekend outreaches to communities in the "bush" nearby and much more. I can't wait to see God move in power! Iris ministries has seen countless miracles, healings and mighty moves of God. I long to see those things happen more, but I am learning to always make sure I desire Jesus more than the things he does. 
Oh, not to mention, they say on saturdays one of the ways you can spend your free time is at the BEACH accross the street. Not that I'm excited for that extra blessing or anything. ;)
Last but not least, I have the wonderful opportunity to go to Cambodia for two weeks after I graduate the program in Mozambique. I will (Lord willing) go with a team of about 15 people and we will do Ministry with the Iris Base there. Specifically showing the love of Jesus to victims of the sex trade. 
Once again, I am so blessed and humbled to have this opportunity and I can't thank God enough for it!

Here we go!

Well it is time! I'm sitting in Toronto waiting to board a flight to Addis Ababa Ethiopia, then to Johannesburg SA, spend the night there and then finally on to Pemba Mozambique the next morning! It's a crazy travel schedule but 2 days from now I'll finally be boarding to Pemba! God has been with me all the way and I know he will continue to be. Not sure how much I will be able to post, but I will when I can! I will probably post some about my story and how I got here if I need things to do before boarding. :) 

Thank you to everyone who is praying! I have felt a lot of peace.