Meeting!!

This past Saturday we had a meeting at camp where we all met up and discussed the plan. We got a really long 60-page packet of information that I have yet to read (good thing I'm going to be spending 40something hours in the car over the next week!), but I now have a better idea of the game plan for the week!!

We have to be at the airport early early early Sunday morning, and land in Honduras around noon. It is a 2 hour drive to the camp that we are staying at. Sunday night is devoted in order for us to get all of our stuff in gear and make sure that we are all keyed in on what roles we are playing and missions we are accomplishing for the week.

Monday-Thursday morning, we are breaking up into 2 "teams" and each team will build one home for a family. Then in the afternoons we are going into a local village on Monday/Wednesday and an orphanage on Tuesday/Thursday. We are essentially taking Cho-Yeh to those kids and running activities, playing alpha/omega games, doing Bible studies, and just getting to hang out with the children. TOTALLY exciting!

On Friday we get to go sight seeing, and are staying at a bed-and-breakfast near the airport, then on Saturday we will be leaving to come back to the States. It's going to be a fast week, but I couldn't be more excited!

It was SO good to be able to be in one room with all of the other people who are going on the mission trip. We shared our excitements, our fears, our nervousness, and what we are looking forward to, and it was great to see that everybody was kinda feeling the same way. We have a GREAT team going, and we are all looking forward to getting to know each other more too.

One of the Bible Study skits that I am in is a skit that I saw for the first time when I was at Cho-Yeh as a camper. It is VERY moving and powerful, and I still remember the emotions that I was flooded with when I was watching it. I am excited to be able to perform this skit for the children, and give them something that moved me so much when I was younger. Here is a link to the skit that we will be performing (all though we are changing it up so it won't be so heavy and depressing, but more applicable to younger children's lives).

It's going to be a great week!! Our 4 major prayer goals right now are for 1) The families of the homes we are building. 2) Safe travels to/from the airport and Honduras. 3) The children in the orphanage and the village. 4) The hearts of all those who will be on the mission trip. Please join me in especially praying for those specific needs as this trip is just around the corner!

ONE MONTH!! :)

In one month I will be beginning the Lord's work in Honduras on our mission trip! WAH! Cannot wait!

It seems like everything is getting pulled together, our plane tickets have been purchased, we have registered with the Honduran Embassy, we have raised quite a bit of money to sponsor ourselves and help pay for the projects we will be doing. It is really exciting to see how everything is working together to spend the 21 of us out to do Our Great God's work!

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest fields"" - Matthew 9:36-38

The Lord has called the 21 of us to go out into His harvest fields and be His workers. We couldn't be more blessed to have the opportunity to GO and be the Lord's hands and feet. We are getting very excited, and we are all down to counting the days left. Until then, we are surrounding this trip in prayers. This week, we are focusing on praying for each other, and that we will all be spiritually ready when we depart. It's easy to get caught up in the Christmas frenzy and become comfortable during our break from school. We leave just a week and a half after Christmas, and it is crucial that we don't let the presents and the festivities take our mind off of Our Jesus and our reasons for going. It's not for us to be glorified, but for HIM to be glorified!

36 Days!

WOW! I cannot believe in just 36 days I will be in Honduras starting a wonderful week filled with serving Our Great God! I cannot believe how quickly it is coming -- it seems literally that just a short while ago I was on the phone asking my parents if it was okay, sending in my deposit and thinking how crazy far away 4 months would be. Well... three of those months have already gone by!

The Lord has been providing and preparing me in so many ways for this trip! First off, He allowed my family and friends to join in on this trip by helping sponsor me in going and by becoming my own little prayer team! The fact that I have those people in my life who are so supportive of me and believe in me and what I want to do when I'm there is so reassuring and gives me so much confidence. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such awesome people in my life!

He has also been teaching and breaking my heart in more ways than I can count, especially in the past couple weeks. It all started out when I got to work with a few foster children at the elementary. My heart hurt for them, and I loved getting to see them and spend individualized time with them each week. I also read a book entitled "Kisses from Katie" (READ IT- SO GOOD!) that broke my heart a little bit more for all the children in the world who don't have families and who don't know what love is. That has become a passion of mine, and I am trying to find all the ways that I can help these precious children out. Orphans and foster children have become a passion of mine (One of my campers from this past summer was adopted officially by her foster care family when she was at camp -- talking with her this summer might have been what really started this passion). God has been preparing my heart and growing this passion inside of me, and I cannot wait to play and teach and LOVE on those precious precious children in the orphanage when I'm in Honduras. God's beautiful and perfect sons and daughters! Cannot wait!

The saying "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called" has seriously been so true in my life! I knew that He wanted me going to Honduras on this trip, and at the time I had no idea what I was doing and didn't have any passion out of the ordinary for this beautiful children who don't have homes and families. He sure has grown that inside of me!!!

I cannot wait to see what else God is going to teach me in these next 36 days before I leave!!