an eye opening experience

I awoke at 9:30 to the sun sneaking through my blinds, causing my eyes to open slowly and adjust to my room and a new day. I am often thankful these days for all the blessings, gifts, and comforts that God has and continues to give me. Not that I haven't always been thankful, but I see days, activities, friends, and family with a new set of eyes. Knowing that my days in Dallas are numbered, counting down to the biggest move I will have made so far, I want to soak up every moment and capture each hour as though I could play it back like the T.V. show 24. This is of course without any violence. As in this morning, I was taking in every feeling of the comfort of my bed while looking beyond my bedroom into the space I currently have in my 900 sq. ft. apt. that I live in alone. I will be sharing, for the second time in my life, a generous 300 sq. ft. apartment - this time in Africa. The first time being in NYC where my roommate and I had a medium sized fridge, a small stove, sink, cabinets, a well running toilet, and a tub/shower. It is humorous to look back on the first time I saw what little I had in the way of an apt. Now to look at what my new home in Africa will be like, I know there will be days that I long for what I had in NYC. Just this living situation shows me what a humorous God we have. How He constructs our life experiences to prepare us for the future comforts me and helps me to walk in faith for He does have complete control. (In a few weeks I will post a picture of my room in Africa to have as a comparison to the above picture which is part of my apt. in Dallas.)

A Turning Point

I’ve reached a pivotal point in my life, this one taking me where my dreams have been for six years. In 2001, while attending my brother’s wedding in India, I was offered a job at the Woodstock International School. Though excited about my first teaching offer, I declined, but I knew from that point that I wanted to be a missionary in a third world country. I wasn’t sure when the time would come, and I prayed I hadn’t missed my opportunity.

In June 2006 I participated in a mission trip to Yei, Sudan. How God led me to that trip instead of a return mission trip to Honduras is precious to my heart. Before I left for this short term trip, I had considered moving for a longer period but while there felt a lack of confidence in my teaching skills. I was not worried about the area, the living situation, or lack of American comforts. Instead I just felt a distance from God; the great desire I had had for moving there disappeared. Back home, friends asked the ever so burning question, “Are you moving to Sudan?” My answer varied from time to time. I was still missing that conviction I had had in India. My distance from God grew.

Around November 2006, four months after the Sudan trip, two friends and I began a Bible study by Priscilla Shirer, titled “He Speaks to Me.” Each of us was facing big decisions. This study brought me back little by little to those desires I had had prior to my Sudan trip. The excitement grew each day, but I wasn’t ready to mention it to anyone. I wanted to know for sure. That assurance came on Friday, January 7, when we were in the middle of our Bible study; it became very clear to me that I was to move to Sudan. The drive home was a blur as my thoughts settled on the Yei orphanage. I felt like Mexican jumping beans were bouncing through my body. Monday, I emailed Amy at Harvesters stateside, who promptly emailed Mama Lily and Dennis, head of the Yei orphanage. I could not have been more uplifted by their response. Within one hour, I received more positive emails from Harvester board members. Since then in many various ways God has encouraged me in my decision.