The Case for Short Term Mission Trips AND an Announcement!!

Disclaimer(s): 

#1: This post will most likely be rather long, but stick through it! And if you really don't have time, just scroll down to the bottom and check out my exciting news! 

#2: I am definitely advocating for short term mission trips, but I understand that the circumstances God has given each of us is different. I totally understand that not everyone has the means or gifts to go on such trips. There must be "go-ers" and "senders." I mean this post to address the criticism against short term mission trips and to explain why they have been so important in my life. 

SO...

We've all experienced moments in our lives when people cocked their heads to the side and said to us, "What on earth do you think you're doing?" For some, this happened when, at the ripe age of 6, they played barber shop with their dear friend, and ended up with quite a funny looking hairdo. 

I think people also ask "What on earth do you think you're doing?" about short term mission trips. Maybe not stated so overtly as in the question above, but you can feel it when you talk to people who don't believe short term trips are worthwhile. They say things like, 

Can't you just send your money instead? 

Biblically speaking, just sending money doesn't really make much sense to me. Not that donating money is bad; I think stewardship is awesome, but when we're arguing whether or not giving should replace going, going will always trump. 

     In Matthew 28:10, Jesus compels His followers, "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing the in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 

Aren't we followers of Jesus? Doesn't that then compel us to GO too? 

What's more, we show Jesus' love most clearly, boldly, and effectively through building relationships with others. How can we build relationships just by sending money? You're bright, so I'm sure you came up with the answer yourself...You can't!! God works through us to reach people for the kingdom through relationships. To build a relationship we must get to know a person, and to get to know a person, we must GO. 

So it's kind of like a vacation for you though? 

Ok, so no one has ever specifically said this to me, but part of me just knows there are people out there who think it. In part, this is true. Going on a short term trip was about as exciting as a vacation. A new place, a new culture, fun and games, travel. But in a lot of ways, mission trips are not like vacation. On vacation, your heart doesn't break for little kids walking around with tattered shirts and no pants. On vacation, you generally don't have to trust God that you'll survive scary situations. On vacation, your objective is comfort, not discomfort. So, I guess in a way, short term trips are like vacation, but in a lot of ways it's really not. 

Is such a short amount of time really worth that amount of money? 

Can you put a dollar amount on vibrantly experiencing God's tremendous love? 

Is there a specific price for a child who doesn't feel loved to get to learn about and tangibly feel the love Jesus has for him? 

How about a dollar amount for a radically changed heart? 

The truth is I don't think there's a price for carrying out the gospel of Christ. Yeah, it's a bummer that flights cost so much and that we have to pay for a place to rest our heads, but this is God's work we're talking about. There's not a dollar amount that matches.

Short term mission trips are not religious tourism, they're not worthless, they're an expression of faith. They're a chance for a life-changing experience. They're opportunities to break up selfish materialism and pride, and they're a way for God's precious children to physically see His great love for the world. 

If you want an example of God's great power through short term trips, just look at my life. I was the girl who prayed, "Dear God, I'll be anything you want me to be except an astronaut or a missionary." Now, I want to be a missionary nurse. Short term trips change hearts. I promise. 

Ok, so as promised an ANNOUNCEMENT (drum roll please)...

This coming summer, I'm going to Limon, Costa Rica, on a mission trip with Visiting Orphans!!

God has heavily weighed orphans and the oppressed on my heart, so off I go, this time to a Spanish speaking country to use one of gifts He's given me.  

I'm a firm believer that it's never too early to start praying, so pretty please pray for the trip and for our team. 

Stay tuned to find out more about the trip! 

Paid in Full: The Beauty of Grace

But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you."

Sufficient. Adequate. Ample. Complete. Satisfying. Lavish.

A grace that covers. A grace that counters rebellion, pride, failure, imperfection. A grace that is unconditional.

This is the gift we are offered.

This is the beauty of the gospel.

This is what knocks quietly at my heart when I fail time after time to get it right on my own.

God says of grace, “It's sufficient for you, my child. You cannot earn it. It’s already been lavished upon you with the utmost care, without any action on your part. The grace I offer you came at a great price, but I was willing to pay it for you, my beloved. I gave up my best for you, even when you offered me your least. Take my sufficient grace, and run. Run further and faster. Tell everyone you know about this free gift I have given to all humanity. Do not let anything stop you; not the emotional walls you have built up, not the fear of rejection, not racial boundaries, not great, big, blue oceans, not your selfish pride. Rest in my grace, dear one, and delight when you fail to do it on your own because then my all-sufficient grace will cover your failure; my mighty power will work through you. Take the free gift and be satisfied in its ample blessings.”

Let’s rest in the grace of Jesus. Let’s take seriously the promises of His grace. Let’s embrace the fact that we are obligated to share this grace.

Ephesians 2:8

“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith—and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God”

Titus 2:11

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.”

Ephesians 1:7

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Sideline Christians Anonymous

I'm a great pretender; no really, I'm the best. For years I put on a show of what seemed to be "good Christianity." But what was on the outside didn't reflect what was happening on the inside. Deep in my heart, I ignored God. I turned my back on Him and instead decided to focus on my outward appearance, to wear down my body in a dangerous way, and to downright fake the life of a good Christian girl.

But God saw fit to keep pursuing my pitifully lost heart. He set up my life circumstances in exactly the right way, the way that would lead me to pursue Him fearlessly. My family moved to Ohio, and there, I met some of the most spiritually strong young women you'll ever see. At first, I was intimidated by these "spiritual giants," but after a while, I soon realized that what these ladies were living out could be mine to. I didn't have to go through the motions; I could live out the same passionate love for Jesus that they did.

So I decided to give up. I decided to let go and let God. This was just the beginning...

I went to Africa, and everything changed.

I saw people who love the Lord with every fiber of their being. I saw people whose lives will end if they don't rely on God's power each and every day of their existence. These people, these precious, precious sons and daughters of the God Most High showed me how to love God.

I talk all of the time about how God broke my heart for orphans and the oppressed while I was in Africa, but something else happened there too. When I came back from Africa, I ceased to be a girl who is content with going through the motions of Christianity. I stopped being a girl whose life only differs from a non-Christian because of my Sunday schedule. My days as a sideline Christian stopped dead in their tracks.

God revived my sick and dying heart.

I hope people notice how different my life looks, not for my sake, but as a testament to God's redeeming work in each of His children's lives. I hope people see through my "God-story" that God doesn't give up on us when we turn our back on Him. He pursues the lost and the broken, and there's no level of brokenness He won't pursue. Trust me; I've been there. There's no games or gimmicks. It's not rocket science or a magic formula. I simply let go and let God.

Your God-story isn't going to look the same as mine; most of you won't go to Africa, although I hope you do! To be honest, I think it's more of a testament to God's power that all of our stories are different. The vast lengths and diverse ways God will go to captivate your heart are astounding.

Please consider letting go and letting God without holding anything back. You might have to let go of things daily (I know I sure do), but don't live your life as a sideline Christian. You'll be missing out on something AWESOME!

An Eternal Perspective

Life is stressful. It's messy and tiresome. Rarely do things work out the way we want; in fact, they usually go the exactly opposite to how we had pictured.

But in these moments, when people die who weren't supposed to yet, when two year olds get cancer, when decisions weigh heavy, when the work piles up, we have a greater hope.

This is not our home.

In the grand scheme of eternity, is that exam really going to matter? Are you going to care about workplace stress when you're in heaven? Are the worries of this life going to effect you as you stand in the presence of Jesus?

The answer, plain and simply, is no; it's not gonna matter.

But, sometimes, it's hard to let the abstract idea of heaven comfort us in hard times. So this is when we look to the blessings around us, God's mighty presence woven into the very fabric ofour lives.

Here are some of the blessings God's given me

An unwavering support system: God's blessing of family.

A Papa bear who understands, a momma bear who nurtures, a brother who makes me laugh, a sister who shows me how to compassionately love, a brother who shows me fearless determination.

Spiritual Strongholds: God's blessing of friends

My Soul Sistas, who helped set my heart on fire for Jesus and encouraged and challenged me when I wanted to give up.

African brothers and sisters: God's blessing of passion

God provided for this trip to Africa. He broke my heart for orphans and the oppressed. He sent my heart on fire for Him, gave me a vision for the future, and made a place for me to join in His redeeming work of this broken world.

Love: God's blessing of a best friend

Four years ago, I met this handsome fella, and I've not quite been the same since. All I can say is God's timing and planning are perfect. I've been blessed to run closer to God with him running right by my side.

These past two weeks I have been so overwhelmed; overwhelmed with the heart ache of this world and overwhelmed with the amount of things I'm supposed to get done. Foolishly, I didn't turn to my Bible or to prayer; instead, I cried and moped and complained, probably to the chagrin of all those around me. But in the last couple days I've realized that in the grand scheme of my life and in the grand scheme of eternity doesn't matter. What's more, I'm BEYOND blessed, so really I don't have much to complain about.

So, to all of you out there, when your life get's so stressful that you feel like you just want to crawl into bed and never come out, if you're facing something that seems unconquerable, make a list of all of the ways God has taken care of you so far. Remind yourself that in the grand scheme of eternity, what you are facing will be gone in the blink of an eye.

If you're feeling ambitious, I'd encourage you to memorize John 14:27; it's not long, and you can use it as your secret weapon for the times when this life get's too hard.

Rest in God's blessings, dear friends, they're all around you.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 14:27

This Beautiful Ache

Love hurts, plain and simply.

If you don't want to take my word for it, then...

try to meet a significant other who is so incredibly perfect for you in every way, and then... move far away so that you never get to consistently see them. Spend your time fighting the urge to grow up just so that you can see them more than once a month (if that). Sit and wait until you feel like your heart is going to burst open if you wait any longer.

If that doesn't work...

Might I suggest leaving various pieces of your heart half-way across the world in two small African communities. Entrust those pieces of your heart to several precious children, knowing that you may or may not ever see them again. Cradle these children in your arms, smile and laugh until you can't breathe anymore, wipe tears from their eyes, sing at the top of your lungs along with them and sing quietly as they sit snugly in your lap, hold their rough hands in yours for hours on end, hug them tightly as if you're afraid to let go, and then...go hop on a plane and fly 19 hours away from them.

Again, love hurts.

Yet despite this hurt, I have reason to be joyful. After all, James 1:2, this blog's namesake, says to count it all joy.

I am joyful because when love hurts, it has reached a different dimension. It has surpassed the days when it came at no cost, the days when it was easy and fun. Love that hurts, that has been dragged through the muddy trenches, that has suffered from separation anxiety of the worst kind, that has bridged cultural boundaries, that has endured the criticism of others, love that has survived, that's the kind of love that I want; that's the love that counts.

Now, it's all well and good to love a boyfriend and African orphans til it hurts, but to piggy-back off of last weeks post, aren't we supposed to love everyone til it hurts? Doesn't God call us to love all fallen humans with the same intensity as we would those close to us?

Jesus loved til it hurt. His love came at the cost of being beat within inches of His life, at the price of a cross and three nails. That love endured atrocious physical pain and still greater emotional pain. His love brought rejection, both earthly and heavenly, and ultimately death. But unlike my meager love in comparison, Jesus' love didn't just survive; it conquered.

So can we wallow in our self-proclaimed heartsickness? Can we dwell in the pain of love that hurts?

No.

We say, "Bring on the pain" because more people need to feel the love that counts, the one that's not afraid of pain and isn't quick to run away when things get hard. Jesus could have climbed right off of that cross, but He saw joy in the pain, the salvation of His precious children.

Abba Father,

Give us the strength and courage to love until it hurts. Bring us people to love by the hundreds, thousands, millions. Thank you for giving us the one true example of perfect, fearless, and matchless love through Jesus' death on the cross.

The Goody-two Shoes Plank Builder

They called me goody-two shoes, teacher's pet, and on one occasion, Ellie the nun. I was "that" kid, the one who eagerly submits complaints in the tattle-tale jar, who is always the first to inform mommy of siblings' misbehavior, who follows the rules to a "t" for fear of getting in trouble.

I used to consider my goody-two shoes title a badge of honor; I was more concerned with accolades from teachers, coaches, and parents than I was with my peers' criticism. When the kids on my swim team said bad words or talked about naughty things, I would proudly declare that I didn't know what they were talking about because I was sheltered; inside, I felt proud that I wasn't bad like those other "sinners". Even now, when I talk to people here at school who drink and party, I continually tell myself that I must be superior to these people who have obviously lost control. I fein pity for those who get wasted on the weekends, but in reality, I like to talk about people who party behind their backs with my friends because it makes me feel better about myself.

Until recently, I didn't really see a problem with this attitude; in fact, I actually thought God would honor me for being more moral that those who have "fallen off the straight and narrow." But then God nailed me smack in the face with the truth; first with a sermon at church, then in a conversation with AJ, THEN again in my devotions the next day. Through these three circumstances, God has really given me a heart check, summarized in the following questions:

How can effectively share my faith, when all I do I stand up on a self-made pulpit, condemning and gossipping about the very people I'm supposed to be showing compassion to? Am I really speaking the truth in love? Do I really care about the lost, or do I just like meeting people who make me feel better about myself? Have I forgotten that I'm just as much a fallen sinner as everyone else in this world? How could I think that my sin is less than that of my partying classmates?

The truth is, I've been focusing on all the specks in my classmate's eyes, while stubbornly ignoring the giant plank in my eye. I've been a Pharisee, concerned only about the "law," forgetting that Jesus actually scorned the Pharisees more than the sinners. To effectively share the gospel, Jesus showed love and compassion to people from all walks of life. For me, that translates to loving partiers, homosexuals, liars, thiefs, murders, etc. not because of some noble compassion I've mustered out of my own strength, but because we're all the same. I am among the chief of sinners.

Here's effective evangelism for ya: I'm just a fellow sinner that has some great news...all the ucky, rebellious sin in my heart and yours has been paid for by Jesus on the cross.

So, if you struggle with judgmental attitudes like me, check out passages like:

Matthew 7:1-5

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

or

Galatians 6:1-6

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. ² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load.

Goody-two shoes plank builders are not so good gospel sharers. So get rid of those planks, and start lovin' some fellow sinners, goodness knows this country needs it!

Afflicted by Affluence: Is there a cure?

Privileged, gifted, blessed...that's what they call kids like me, but is what I have really a blessing? What if it leads to a false sense of entitlement; does that make my "privilege" worth it? If my "blessings" incite arrogance and selfishness; are they really blessings?

I am without want. Literally, everything I have ever wanted, splat, has been laid down right in front of me. My needs have always been met, and virtually every one of my wants, too. I didn't have to pay for my car, nor the gas that goes in it. My parents sent me to a private Christian school for much of my primary and secondary education. Now I'm at a private liberal arts college, studying at no cost to myself. Sure, I've had a few jobs, but guess where all that moolah goes? Straight to my pocket to supply the "Things Ellie has worked hard to buy" fund. The funny thing is that compared to the vast majority of the world, I didn't really work that hard. Just look at my friend Juan from the ESL program; he works two jobs, often terrible hours, and what does he do with the majority of his money? He sends it right on over to El Salvador to support his wife, kids, and mother. What do I do with my 40 hr. a week paycheck? I spend it on a new North Face jacket even though I already own a perfectly good one.

The worst part about this affluence is that I did absolutely nothing to deserve it, and yet I think that I'm entitled to nice things. It wasn't by my own effort that I was born into this family, nor were the nice house, car, or clothes purchased with my own hard-earned money. I could just have easily been born in E. Africa, wondering not if I would be able to get a Starbuck's Skinny Vanilla Latte this morning, but whether or not I was going to die due to lack of nourishment.

I'm not only richly "blessed" financially. I've had minimal struggles in this life. God's blessed me with good health. I've never had to deal with the death of anyone close to me. I grew up in a home where my parents always told us they loved us, that they were proud of us. I could have been born into an abusive family, one that never told me they loved me. I could have been born in a third-world country or in the inner-city. I could have been an orphan.

Sometimes I'm disgusted at myself. The petty things I complain about; the pity-parties I throw for myself; how ridiculously angry I get when I have to spend my own money on something I think my parents should buy me; the jealousy I have towards people with more J. Crew clothes than me or a cooler pair of Toms.

It's true: I'm afflicted by affluence. It seeps into my heart and drives out Jesus. When I read Matthew 19:21 "Jesus answered, 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." I rationalize it, saying that surely Jesus didn't literally mean for me to sell all I have and give it to the poor. Surely Jesus was only talking about a certain few of super-Christians, but me? No, definitely not me.

But then I look at my life, the arrogance, selfishness, and entitlement this affluence has brought to my heart, and I begin to wonder, what if Jesus really did mean me? I mean, I have so much, and there are so many that have so little...maybe God blessed me with so much, so that I could give it away to so many. Maybe He gave me so much, so that I could join a counter-culture of American affluence, to exemplify to a falsely-entitled generation what a life captivated by Jesus looks like, to take serious God's command to take care of the poor.

I think Jesus offers the perfect cure to my sick heart. I don't think that Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had as some sort of super-Christian action that would get the rich man to Heaven. I think Jesus was merely offering the rich man a cure for his heart-sickness; after all, giving up everything to the poor would surely eliminate affluence. What's more, a heart that can freely give things up to the poor is a heart that reflects a Jesus-transformation.

It makes sense...if affluence makes you greedy, arrogant, selfish, and falsely entitled, what better thing to do than get rid of it? and what better way to get rid of it that to give it to people who actually need it, the one's who will die without it?

Jesus really did mean us; I'm thoroughly convinced. Will I continue to live in sickness, or will I have the courage to take what Jesus said seriously, knowing full well that my "privilege" and "blessings" can really be quite the opposite?

Ants in my Pants

"Everybody has stuff."

During one of the older-sisterly sermons that I frequently give on car rides with my siblings, I mentioned the above phrase to my sister. I am definitely a sermon-givin' kind of girl; though I'm not sure if my siblings think my advice is useful, I usually offer it anyways (oldest child syndrome at its finest). The irony of my "sermons" is that I rarely heed my own advice. It's a lot easier to tell people how they should live their lives, than it is to change my own behavior. All this to say, when I told my sister that "Everybody has stuff," I didn't include myself in the "everybody." What a hypocrite; I know! However, recently, I've been reflecting on that phrase and have realized that I don't just have stuff, I have LOTS and LOTS of stuff.

I could probably type and type and type and type (ok, you get the idea) about all the ways that my character flaws, insecurities, circumstances, attitudes, and relationships keep me from living a life like Jesus. Maybe I will touch on a lot of those as I continue to write this blog, for now, though, I thought I'd share a little bit about the prevailing "stuff" that I keep having to lay before the Lord. Who knows, maybe it'll be of some encouragement to those of you who are struggling with the same thing?

When you read the title of the post, a perplexed frown may have crept across your face. Ants? In her pants? Has she officially lost it? Or maybe you're more a member of the group who readily recognizes metaphoric language? Indeed, I do not have literal ants crawling in my britches, rather the metaphoric kind which are as equally distracting; let me just tell you.

If you follow this blog, then you already know one reason why I'm antsy. In short, I have a broken heart for orphans and the oppressed, and the desire to up and leave right now to help them. For the long version, just check out the previous posts on the blog. While certainly my desire to go to the mission field right now causes me to doubt God's timing and to not trust Him, there's still more "stuff" that causes the same exact thing.

For my entire life, I feel like I've just been rushing, rushing on to the next thing. When I was in middle school, all I wanted was to be in high school. When I was in high school, all I wanted to do was be in college. Now that I'm in college, all I want is to be done, "grown up" and on the mission field. Even in small things, I'm hopelessly impatient. I want things done in MY time (which I'm sure God laughs about considering I have not even the most meager ownership over time). My mom used to tell me I was like an elderly person (no offense if you read this and consider yourself elderly); that I couldn't handle changing plans and never wanted to wait.

Ok, so recognizing I have a problem trusting in the Lord is all well and good, but the flaw isn't going to fix itself. I can't just admit to being hopelessly impatient, and then do nothing about it. Taking action to fix it on my own isn't going to do much good, though. Thank goodness God has offered and continues to offer plenty of resources to combat those nasty little ants crawling in my pants. Right in the heart of wishing my college days away, God planned my devotional to be about waiting on the Lord. He gave me verse after verse after verse about waiting on Him. He reminded me of the NUMEROUS opportunities this college stage of life has to offer.

I'm so thankful that God doesn't leave us to fix our "stuff" on our own. When we refuse to ignore our problems and call out to our Abba Father for help, He will never leave us hanging, not ever. Yep, God's pretty awesome like that :)

So if you have ants in your pants too, check out these verses. Remember that by focusing your attention on God and being willing to let Him change your impatience into gratitude, those pesky ants will surely be exterminated.

Psalm 27:14

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord."

Psalm 37:7

"Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him; do not be agitated by one who prospers in his way, by the man who carries out evil plans."

Philippians 4:19

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

Not Even Jesus-super Heroes Get Extra Points

Heartache doesn't fix itself in hours; after days, it still quietly burns, a dull ache that flares up when the pictures on the desk catch your eye. So, if it's going to be there, then I have a couple options.

#1: I can wallow in pity. I can lament to God that He broke my heart in the wrong season of life. I can pray and wish that these next four years go by lightning fast.

OR

#2: I can recognize this time of my life for what it is--a time of preparation.

Maybe God needs me to mature a little more, maybe He needs to grow my leadership skills, or to teach me how to better handle adversity. I'm not going to pretend that I know all of the lessons God needs to teach me still, but, then again, would it be a time of growing if I did? I have to let Him prepare me. I have to be willing to submit to His sovereign plans, not be so easily bent by my fickle human whims and impatience.

What's more, God hasn't placed me in an empty desert with no one to share His love with. A.J. has mentioned to me, "There are people in America who need help too; even America has orphans." He always gives me a good perspective check :)

Pridefully and wrongfully, I had gotten the idea in my head that sharing Jesus' love gives "extra-points" if it's done overseas. As difficult for this is for me to admit, I think a part of me just wanted to be a "Jesus-super hero" like Katie. I thought that my calling was to overseas medical missions with orphans (which I still think is, just not in this season of life). For this moment, my job is to love the people God puts around me, right here. I can be a Jesus-super hero here, for God's glory, not mine.

All this doesn't necessarily mean that the waiting has gotten way easier; like I said earlier, heartache doesn't go away in hours, days, or months. Trust me, I'm living it, but I can get rid of my pitiful lament of the last blog post, and swap it for a new prayer:

"Abba Father, thank you for this time of waiting. I know You have placed a heavy burden on my heart for orphans and the oppressed, but I also know You've given me a time to pour into some lives right where I am. I'm ready and willing for You to grow me in this season of life. I pray that I'll willingly accept this growth."

Profile of the Heartsick

I don't want to wait anymore. I feel like I can't wait anymore, not when there are millions of orphans who feel lost, abandoned, and worthless; when millions of God's precious children have never heard the words "I love you" or felt the warm embrace of a parent.

I'm so overwhelmed. Jesus, comfort my soul; give me strength to wait patiently for yourdirection. I'm heart sick for your children, and I don't know how to help. I don't want to helplessly cry anymore. The faces just keep popping up in my head: Joseph, Rose, Mary, Lillian, countless others. Send me anywhere. I'll do it, something, anything. Just, please, no more waiting.

A "Woah-God" moment

Today was a woah-God day; in case you're not aware of what a woah-God day is, let me enlighten you. It's a day when God does something so incredibly amazing that all you can stop and do is say "woah, God!" A very complex definition, I know.

Well, since you are all on your toes wondering what on earth my woah-God moment was, I'll tell you. First, a little explanation. A.J. (that's mah boyfriend in case you didn't know) and I had decided that we wanted to jointly sponsor an orphan (which pays for a child's basic needs including school supplies). This past weekend, we sat down and figured out from what country, which child, etc, etc. We decided to sponsor one of the kids that lives at Fiwagoh, one of the orphanages I visited in July. After deciding which orphanage, we then had to decide which child. It was weird having to "choose" a child; I felt bad that someone would get a sponsor, but another wouldn't, just based on our rudimentary decision. Nonetheless, we read a few of the kids bios, and eventually came upon Joseph's. When we read his story, we just looked at each other and knew that he was the one.

Here's where the woah-God moment came in, well, not exactly when we chose Joseph, but days later when the woman who organizes the sponsorship program for Fiwagoh sent us an email, confirming we could sponsor Joseph. Unbeknownst to A.J. and I, Lena, the woman who runs the program, was actually at Fiwagoh when she received our email. In an email that we received today, she said:

"Thank you so much for your interest in Joseph. I read your email Sunday morning before leaving the Orphanage. I went straight to Joseph and told him that he had got a sponsor. He was the most happy boy. You should have seen him. Praise God. That boy already told me that he is looking for a sponsor with a great and wide love. I could hardly comprehend how good God was to him to let him get a sponsor even before I left the orphanage. May God really bless you for your care for him."

Did you just say "Woah, God?" in your head? 'cause I did, again, and I've already read the email about ten times! No one could ever say to me that God does not have sovereign plans; He KNEW we would choose Joseph. I'm so thrilled for the opportunity to get to know him via letter correspondence, and for the chance to bless someone else's life with the great abundance of wealth I've been given.

Day 13/14: Empty Lacrimal Glands

Pardon my extensive delay in posting about the last day of our trip...I've been trying to get this whole "college-thing" figured out (don't you worry I'll post about that later)...

Our last day in Africa was a day of many emotions and a general physical weariness. We woke up quite early, ate breakfast, and then assembled for one last short worship session. We had already packed up our bags the night before, so all that was left to do was so goodbye. Having already had one experience saying goodbye, we realized some "flaws" in our system. The first time, we spent a long, and I mean long, time giving hugs and talking to the kids we had spent a lot of time with; the problem with that was that some of the more shy kids didn't get any hugs goodbye. They just kind of hung around the edges of our group. So, when we went to say goodbye for "real," we lined all 180 of our precious friends up in a single file line, and all 22 of us give each child a hug. No one was left out.

As many times as you've seen the words, "my heart was broken" in this blog; I'm going to say it again, because my heart got its final blow as we said goodbye to our brothers and sisters at Fiwagoh.

Because I'm a smarty-pants college student now (haha, yeah right!), I can use fancy-dancy words like lacrimal glands (note the title of this post if you're confused) when I could have just as easily said "Empty Tear Ducts." My new anatomical knowledge aside, getting on that bus was so hard. My lacrimal glands released tear after tear, until I didn't have anything left. I didn't want to leave those sweet children. not ever. Nonetheless, on to the bus our team went, saying goodbye to our beloved Fiwagoh.

After we left, we began the drive back to Nairobi, stopping along the way to shop a couple of times. As much as I wanted to bring home some more "African memories," I found shopping really difficult that last day. As I mentioned earlier, I was so emotionally and physically drained. Everyone had been passing around a terrible cold, and I was privileged enough to be one of the inflicted. When shopping was over, we went to the airport, said goodbye to Daniel the Driver, and checked in to our flight.

Remember that story about running through the airport in Uganda...yeah, well, not only did I fulfill my dream of running through an airport in Uganda, but I also got to do it in Kenya. You see, our flight to Kenya was delayed by about 2.5 hours. We had to make a connecting flight to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, which would ultimately bring us back to the U.S. The problem was that this delay was going to make us miss our flight in Addis. We sat in a hot, crowded Kenyan boarding zone for hours, praying fervently that we would make our flight.

Well, we actually didn't make our flight, technically; they attendants in Addis held the flight for about 30 min. for us! God is so good, all the time. We made the flight, and after 17 hrs and a stop in Rome, we were back in the USofA.

Day 12: Pity for the "Self-sufficient"

Since we came somewhat unannounced, on day 12 the kids at Fiwagoh still had to go to school, but only until one o'clock. Although I was kind of sad that we weren't going to be able to interact with them as much, we got to serve the workers at Fiwagoh by helping them with their Sabbath preparations. Pastor Benson leads his family in honoring the Sabbath by doing NO work on Saturdays at all; therefore, the kids and workers do all the prep work for Saturdays on Friday. There were many, many things that needed to be done that day, so instead of just moping around because we couldn't spend time with the kids, we helped the workers prepare for Sabbath. I was able to help wash windows in the dining hall and the girls' dorm, as well as make the younger girls' beds.

After finishing those two projects, one of the workers asked me to help her shine the kids' shoes; all of the Kenyan dirt wears the shoes out faster, so they shine them once a day in order to make the shoes last longer.

The Shoe-shining Brigade

180 pairs of shoes...I'm changing my major to shoe-shining.

As we were shining shoes, I got to talking with a couple members of the staff. One woman was describing her dreams to come to America. She said, "Help me find an American man!" We chuckled. She continued to explain how she would work very hard if she had the opportunity to come to America. Everything she said about our country was full of admiration. Jenny thoughtfully mentioned that not everyone in America works hard, in fact, there are many lazy people in our country. Furthermore, people in America feel that they can be self-sufficient, with no need for the mighty hand of the Father. This women looked up at us and said in a firm voice, "Oh, well then I pity them."

Indeed, this pity is well-deserved; we so often say, "God, I got this. I don't need You. I have everything I need. Let me do it by myself." We so ignorantly ignore the God of the universe, thinking that our feeble human efforts are enough to fix our brokenness. We turn to everything else to fill the God-sized holes in our hearts saying things like, "Well, if I get in to that college, then I'll be happy. If I can marry that guy, I will surely feel valuable. If I make this much money, all my problems will go away. If I lose just a little more weight, then I'll feel better about myself." Take my own life as an example...we cannot fix ourselves. I have tried filling myself with the approval of others, with a relationship, and with my weight, none of it worked, not even a little bit. Instead, these things of the world left me more empty then I was to begin with. Slowly but surely, I'm beginning to agree with my Kenyan friend. I pity America, not in a self-righteous way, because I too have succumbed to its pressures and the message of self-sufficiency that it preaches. Since God has begun such a transforming work in my life, showing me that He is the only thing that can fill me up, I want to stand on a rooftop and tell the whole world about God's heart-filling Presence. I want everyone to find peace in God's all-sufficient grace, because it will always be enough.

I'm so thankful that God gave us the opportunity to help these ladies with their work; they were even able to get a half day off because of the amount of helping hands God gave them. Since the kids didn't have school in the afternoon, and since most of the chores were already done, we had time to do one more lesson with them. We broke into small groups and taught the story of Joseph, and yet another time God pushed me out of my comfort zone, because I ended up teaching the lesson! Generally, when I get up to speak in front of a group without having extensively prepared, my words get all jumbled up and things don't necessarily come out clearly. God totally equipped me to give the Joseph lesson, though! We even had a time when the kids shared parts of their testimonies with us.

After the lesson, we had worship, which was a tad different than it had been the other times. We had gotten so close to many of the kids, that it didn't really seem right to sit in our own little "section" of the dining hall, completely set apart from the kids, so we went and sat amongst them for the message. With little Mary (not the Mary who wants to be a nurse) on my lap and Lillian right by my side, holding my hand, I listened to a 14 yr. old preach the Word of God like a seasoned pastor. How could I not marvel at God's glory with two of His precious daughters in my lap and one of His sons preaching His Word so emphatically??

Day 11's goodnight to the kids was quite difficult, knowing that we had to say the "real" goodbye in the morning :( I could seriously just move back to Fiwagoh and live there forever!

As our departure quickly approached, the kids began writing and hand delivering little notes to us. They would secretly sneak up, place the note in your hand, and then quickly scurry off. Though reading each note left me a weeping mess, I'll cherish these little memories of my Fiwagoh loves.

Day 11: Shrinking Comfort Zone Day

Remember in kindergarten, when you just walked up to the first kid you saw and decided to be friends with them. There wasn't any need to "get to know them," you just simply became friends, no rigamarole necessary. Well, with the kids at Fiwagoh I felt like I was in kindergarten again. As soon as we met, I felt like we had been friends forever! We laughed, shared stories, and learned about one another's lives with not even the slightest hesitance. Isn't it so awesome to watch how God's great power dissolves any man-made boundaries we can create??

Keeping in mind the deep relationships we formed with the kids (even after only being with them for a day), you may be able to understand the heart-breaking nature of saying goodbye to them. We woke up fairly early on day 11, had worship with the kids one "last" time (yes, the last is in quotation marks because I'm putting into practice that fun English lesson about foreshadowing), and then began to say goodbye. It was a LONG process, not because of the 180 kids, but because we just couldn't bear to let go without numerous, numerous bear hugs distributed to our Fiwagoh kiddos. Finally, we were able to get our sobbing selves on the bus, and we pulled away for the "last" time [there goes that fancy foreshadowing again ;) ]

I still don't think my heart has recovered from the final goodbye...It's not something I can adequately describe in words; words like sad don't really seem to do it justice, more like gut-wrenching heartache. I miss them; desperately, desperately miss them. I'm confused because I feel like my time there was so short, but I don't know how/when/if I need to go back. The whole "waiting on the Lord" thing is definitely not easy for me to do.

After crying my eyes out on the bus for awhile, I finally pulled it together, somewhat. I cried out a silent prayer that God would restore my physical and emotional energy so that I would have enough left to show His love to the kids that we were going to visit. I had expected that we would just pull up to the church, run a VBS program, and then head to the hotel for some shut-eye, but God had some quite different plans; He answered, yet another time, my prayer that I would be taken out of my comfort zone.

Here is a little compare and contrast for you...just a small aside before you read it...I do, in fact, realize that some of the things I was uncomfortable with pale in comparison to reality many face on a day to day basis; I know that I'm spoiled rotten, and that many would kill to live the life that I have...all that said, I just wanted to give the honest truth about how God took me out of my comfort zone, and in order to do that I feel like you should see where I am coming from...

Ellie's Comfort Zone vs. Ellie's not-so-comfortable Zone

-The cushy padded toilet seat in my bathroom at home vs. a hole in the ground in a Kenyan outhouse

[Another side note, I actually had a legitimate fear of public restrooms when I was younger, so the whole slanted hole in the ground was not my particular favorite thing, but God totally showed me how spoiled rotten I am through this experience, so I'm thankful for it!]

-GPS(s) vs. Getting lost in the Kenyan mountains

-Driving on paved roads vs. Driving in a mud slide

-Unquestioned safety vs. Potentially dangerous situations

[22 women + 48 bags on the top of a bus + interested city dwellers= not the best situation]

If you have specific questions about the "going-ons" about our day 11 Kenyan adventure, I'd be happy to answer them via another avenue besides blog. Needless to say, we drove 6 hours to a church, stayed for 15 minutes because the rain was creating the "fun" mudslide I mentioned earlier, turned around after seeing our hotel, and drove another 6 hours back to Fiwagoh, because Pastor Benson graciously allowed us to stay another two nights there.

I learned on day 11 that God truly is our Divine Protector. His promises to never leave us or forsake us hold true ALL the time. Day 11 definitely further developed my trust in God and His sovereign control. I like to think that God allowed us to go back to Fiwagoh because He wasn't finished in using us there yet. Pastor Benson told us later that when he told the kids that we were coming back, they all began to cry tears of joy. In some of the letters the kids gave us they said that when they heard we were coming back, they felt as though Jesus had come back. We were soo lucky to have two more days to pour into these sweet children's lives. Also, Pastor Benson refused to allow us to pay for our lodging, so we saved a lot of money that we were supposed to spend on our hotel in a different city. With the money we saved, we were able to buy Fiwagoh some extra supplies they needed, as well as some fruit, which they rarely get. Day 11, as in any other day of our lives, God was good; so, so good!

The End of Day 9/Day 10: He's more than enough for me.

After delaying this post for far too long, here's an account of our time at Fiwagoh Mission Orphanage, the place where several pieces of my heart currently reside.

We arrived at Fiwagoh on the evening of day 9, as I said in my previous post. Even before we parked the bus and began to get off, the kids were screaming and running toward us. For the past week and a half, we had been used to unloading the bus immediately when we pulled up to a location, but at Fiwagoh, there was no such chance. The kids came right up to us, wanting to talk and to hold on to our hands. As soon as I got off the bus, a little girl in a pink shirt seemed to pick me out of the crowd; this girl, Lillian, was at my side literally every time I stepped out the door during our entire stay at Fiwagoh. In addition to Lillian, a group of about five older girls came up to me right away, asking my name, and graciously repeating their own names when I couldn't understand them. One of my dear friends, with whom I spent many hours during our stay, Mary, came up to me about five minutes after she had introduced herself. She asked, "Do you remember who I am?" Uh-oh; my heart sank. I have never been that great with names, and I had just heard about six names in the span of 30 seconds, not to mention the noise from the roaring crowd of children intermingling with our team at that moment. A small panic leapt up inside me, how would this poor girl feel, knowing that I had forgotten her name? Wouldn't she feel unimportant, maybe un-valued? How could I show anyone Jesus' love, if I didn't even pay enough attention to remember His precious children's names?

With all of these thoughts muddling about in my head, I fumbled through an answer about not remembering her name, and, finally, I simply offered a sheepish smile and asked her torepeat her name for me once more. "Mary," she said, with a bright grin across her beautiful face. She was glad to introduce herself once more, to initiate the beginning of a lasting friendship with a strange girl from America.

As I'm reading over what I just wrote, I'm kind of asking myself why I felt the need to share this anecdote with the blog world. I would say that the "moral of my story" basically boils down to my inadequacy, my inability to do anything meaningful apart from God's mighty hand, myutter ineptitude to make an impact on the world without His power. Before I went on the trip, I thought that God was going to equip me in all these grand and mighty ways with impressive new talents that He could use on the mission field. I wanted to come back and tell everyone impressive stories about how I was able to do something amazing for God with some awesome character quality or skill I have. Well, guess what? I do have an impressive storyto tell, but it's not about anything I did. It's about what God did and continues to do. God didn't build me up with a bunch of new talents, instead, He broke me down. He showed me that without Him, I am absolutely nothing. I am a feeble fallen human, who can't even remember four-letter names. He is the God of the universe who knows EACH AND EVERY ONE of His children by name, not to mention the number of hairs on each of their heads.

I came across this in a devotional the other day...

"Anticipate coming face to face with impossibilities: situations totally beyond your ability to handle. This awareness of your inadequacy is not something you should try to evade. It is precisely where God wants you--the best place to encounter Him in His Glory and Power."

I'm so thankful that God graciously opened my eyes to my inadequacy, even in things seemingly small. I've found it so freeing to know that God's great power covers my inabilities on a unconditional basis!

I'm so thankful God led this sweetheart to me!

Anyways, back to our first day at Fiwagoh...we went to worship the evening of day 9 and encountered a compelling sermon from a 14 yr. old...yep...14! As Nahashon (Nash, our nickname for him) preached, I sat in my chair with my mouth gaping. I could not believe that the words coming out of his mouth were from a 14 yr. old!

Nash in action

After worship, we grabbed a delicious dinner from the pastor's wife, Florence, and then grabbed a bunk, deciding that sleep was far more important than cleanliness. We awoke the next morning and attended another worship session where the kids at Fiwagoh began their day by thanking God that they had been privileged enough to see the daylight come. Part of our team went to refresh our dwindling supply of water, while the rest of us geared up for a day full of the VBS activities. We started with the usual songs and also taught the 7 days of creation, complete with hand motions. The kids at Fiwagoh L-O-V-E to sing!! After songs, we made bracelets as our craft, then broke into groups for games. I was part of the team that was supposed to teach the kids how to play kickball. I don't know if you've ever had to explain kickball to anyone who doesn't know how to play baseball, but let me just tell you, it isn't easy! We ended up having to switch to a few Ugandan games the kids at Pillars had shown us because the Fiwagoh kids weren't having fun with kickball. The Ugandan games were a huge hit though!

We were quite in need of a break after playing the the hot sun for a few hours, so we took a 30 min. rest, and then went right back at it with a "walking safari." The 180 Fiwagoh kids marched out of the complex's gates and took us to see some "local wildlife." Lillian was, of course, by my side the entire time. We walked and talked, sang songs, and promised each other that we would definitely find a monkey before the walk was over. Besides a bunch of cows, we saw flamingos, and also, as Lillian and I had promised, we saw monkeys! I'll never forget running down the dirt trail with her hand in mine, as we chased a whole group of monkeys in the Kenyan forest! We ended up hiking for about 5 miles on our safari walk.

We had our second worship time of the day after the walk, and then we got to spend a couple hours after dinner with the kids, just visiting, talking, and taking pictures. I got to talk to Mary for a long while; she asked me about my life in American, and I asked about her goals and dreams. Mary wants to become a nurse, which is so fitting because I want to become a nurse too! Also, we passed out silly bands to the kids, and they thought they were supposed to stick them on their HEADS! I watched Lillian lick her hand, spread the spit on her forehead, and proceed to squash a then-soaked rubber giraffe to her head. It was stinking hilarious!

All in all, day 10 at Fiwagoh was AMAZING! I love all of the precious kids there!

Some Miscellaneous Pics from Day 10 at Fiwagoh Home...

Singing with the kids

"Yahweh, Yahweh, is His name!"

Lillian and I on our "safari walk"

Pretending to be flamingos...I love how Lill joined in :)

Silly American kids, you're supposed to wear silly bands on your head!

Day 9: Rest for the Weary

In Kenya, we definitely slowed down the pace from what our schedule had been in Uganda. We were able to stay at Hope for two nights, and so on day 9 we had another VBS-type lesson, complete with songs, a small group lesson on Joseph, a "Bracelet of Many Colors" craft, and more game time.

Throughout our time in Africa, we pretty much sang the same songs, but I absolutelyLOVED them, especially because the words. "I Know my God is Real" says…

I know my God is real,

And nothing will change how I feel.

I'll give Him my worship, and I always will

Because I know my God is real.

Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh is His name.

Yahweh, Yahweh is His name.

and "I Will Pray"…

I will pray in Jesus' name

And believe, things will change.

For I know, Jesus hears me

When I pray

So I won't worry or be afraid.

I will pray.

As I stood in a room full of children shouting the name of God, Yahweh, over and over again, my heart was so overwhelmed with joy. There were many, many instances during the trip that I felt the presence of God in the room with us, and worshipping with the kids at Hope is definitely on the top of the list. I also loved that I could walk out of the door and hear all of the kids singing the songs we had just taught them! I pray that theyreallyremember that Jesus hears them when they pray, that the real, all-powerful, infinitely wise, God of the universe hears each and every request submitted before Him.

Our time at Hope passed rather slowly, partially because our interaction with the kids seemed sparse. We had great fun with the kids playing games like Simon Says and Red Light Green Light, teaching them God's Word, and doing crafts with them, but the extent of our interaction was limited to only about 4 hours of the VBS-type program. Much of the time we were there, the kids had to go to school and prepare for meals. In retrospect, I think the more limited interaction was definitely God giving our team some much needed rest, physically, emotionally, and mentally. While we were able to pour into the kids through teaching God's Word and sharing laughter with activities, God refreshed our spirits bygiving us quality fellowship time with our team members, as well as more frequent periods of rest.

Despite Momma Lucy's insistence that we could stay for a little while longer, we packed up the bus yet another time and headed to our next destination.

On our way to Fiwagoh mission in Nakuru, we saw…GIRAFFES! They were just chillin' on the side of the road, so Daniel pulled the bus right over, and we got out to take pictures. Though my purpose in going to Africa was not to see animals, I was definitely excited to see some African wildlife.

Notice, I am coincidently wearing my giraffe shirt on the day we saw giraffes!

After the giraffe adventure, we drove about 2 hours and arrived at Fiwagoh Mission Orphanage. Looking back, I definitely know why God gave us rest at Hope; in the next 4 days at Fiwagoh, we would end up pouring ourselves out in every way imaginable, all in a good way though. God broke our hearts for the kids that lived at Fiwagoh, and we became really close to many of them.

Day 8: God's Little Gardeners

Jambo; it's Kenya-time! After making our flight to Addis, we boarded one more flight in the middle of the night to Nairobi. After a slightly stressful visa extravaganza (the price had doubled), we made it through customs and met our driver Daniel, who turned out to be God's saving grace quite a few times during our trip. We drove about 3.5 hours to a city called Kinangop. Since it was the middle of the night, we pretty much slept the whole bus ride, but awoke to somegargantuan pot holes and a slightly colder Kenya than we had expected. Nonetheless, our gracious hosts helped us get all of our bags off of the top of the bus, and some of the boys carried our bags all the way up to our rooms on the third floor,even though it was like 5 in the morning! Everyone always talks about Southern hospitality, but Kenyan hospitality is where it's at! Since we had had quite a long night, ourhostsatHope Community Center let us sleep through themorning, and we got to meet the kids in the afternoon.

Here are some pics of Hope CC:

A view from our 3rd floor room

Behold, the squatty-potty and all its glory!

Part of the Primary School

Before we had any interaction with the kids, though, Lucy the director of the orphanage showed us a video they had made about the history of Hope CC. Lucy has anincredible story! Having grown up with next to nothing, Lucy worked really hard and got to a place where she was living in a house. She took in one boy that she found onthestreet, and this step began her life as "Momma Lucy" to many orphaned Kenyan children.God continually provided (and still provides) for Lucy and her family, always giving them more space when they needed it, though at one point this meant living in tents. If youvisited Hope CC today, you might find it hard to believe that the acres of land once held only tents. Now, they have multiple buildings, a self-sufficient farm, a dining hall, and kitchen. Lucy's story is truly an example of God's provision. She has been wise with the resources He has given her; every monetary donation she receives, she requires the donator tell her exactly which project he would like the money to contribute to. Our team, having heard Lucy explain her plansto expand Hope's Nursery to accommodate many of the babies who are abandoned and die in Kenyan hospitals, decided to use some extra money to contribute to this project. When we told Lucy the project we had decided, she immediately (and I mean IMMEDIATELY) pulledout her phone and called a man to have grave delivered as soon as possible. Wealso contributed some money toward a greenhouse, and Lucy had part of our team working on the greenhouse the next morning! Lucy also told us that she wanted to be able to tell the kids who "planted the seeds" for the nursery and greenhouse.

The gravel that began a life-saving nursery project

The beginnings of the greenhouse

What an interesting thought…serving God is definitely all about planting the seeds He's given us. When we think about the diversity of the body of Christ, it makes sense that each of us would have different "seeds" we can plant in others' lives, and we just have to plant the seeds, but it's God who grows them. How cool would it be if every church inAmerica planted all different kinds of seeds across the landscape of the world? God could easily grow the beginnings of a flourishing garden!

So with our nursery and greenhouse seeds planted, we had worship, or as the kids at Hope call it, devotion time. In addition to singing and introducing ourselves, Lucy wanted someone from our team to share a word of encouragement during each devotion time (there are 3 per day, one at each meal). At the conclusion of devotion, we started one of our VBS type programs with the kids. We taught them songs and also an interactive lesson on creation. I absolutely loved what we got to teach them about day 6, the dayGod made man. One of our leaders, Diana, explained that when God made man and woman, He said it was very, VERY good, as opposed to the "regular good" of the other created things. We talked for a while about how we have a special identity in Christ. Think about whata lesson like this means to an orphan, someone who probably hasn't felt valuable or worthy for much of his or her life.

We then proceeded to make a craft with the kids, tissue paper crosses. In order to also explain the salvation message, Diana tied in the concept of mankind being highly valued by God into His great love in sending Jesus to die for our sins. It was encouraging to know that the kids would have a reminder of God's great and special love for them because of the tissue paper crosses.

After crafts, we split up into groups to play games. I was part of the team that valiantly attempted to teach them how to play kickball. For someone who has a concept for baseball, kickball is fairly simple, but Kenyan children don't know what baseball is, so explaining kickball was quite difficult. I think they finally got the general hang of it, but for a while we had kids just piling up on the bases, or all standing in one line in the outfield. They seemed to be having fun, though, so we considered it a success!

At dinner devotion, I really felt God stirring my heart to get up and share a part of my testimony with the kids. I had actually been praying about it for a while that day, so when Lucy asked who would be speaking that night, God gave me the courage to do it. Before I got up to start talking, I whispered a quiet prayer for God's words to come out of mouth, that the kids what hear what He wanted them to hear. I was afraid that I wasn't going to be relatable enough, because my life is fundamentally different from the life of a Kenyan child, but I truly believe God worked through that culture gap. I shared about my life in high school (though it had only just recently ended), how moving away from my friends and living in a completely new place was really difficult for me. I told them about how I had a hard time making good friends in the new place I lived, that I was so sad, and that I ranaway from God and forgot about Him because I concentrated too much on my worries. For much of high school, I forgot that I was a daughter of the King Most High. I also said that the awesome thing about our God is that even when we turn our backs on Him, He will never turn His back on us. God kept pursuing me, even when I ignored Him. He finally gave me good friendships, and people to encourage me. I encouraged them to never forget their identity in Christ like I had and to continually remember His great pursuit of our hearts.

I hope that God was able to plant some more seeds with the short encouragement spiel I gave that night. I hope that the kids at Hope Community Center never ever forget that their God loves them, and He will help them through any worry and fear that they have.