Preparing to Return

The anticipation (and some nervousness) is beginning to build. I have received my letter of acceptance to the DTS at the Arusha YWAM and have purchased my ticket. This new journey is beginning to seem real. Please pray for God's direction and provision as I continue to prepare. I am leaving March 5th.

The Face of My Calling

This is one of my favorite photos from our trip. For me it symbolizes God's calling in my life. During our final week in Arusha, we visited an orphanage called Samaritan Village. It was filled with small children, many were left by their prostitute mothers. God was moving in me that day. I instantly felt drawn to this baby girl. Though she was about a year old, she was small. I held her most of the time we were there and cried a lot when we left her there. In fact, thoughts and photos of her still bring me to tears most of the time. You see I finally realized that God has been developing a heart for orphans in me for many years. I thought for a long time that God wanted me to adopt and make a difference that way. Though that is not a lost dream, I now see that God has a greater plan for me to make a difference in the lives of more than one orphaned child. Please pray for me as I seek to understand, where God is calling me to minister.

August Trip - Week 1

During that first week, I discovered that God was calling me to return for a longer term. Though I had no idea what He wanted me to do there, I knew that His plan was for me to return. God had been showing and confirming it all week but I really began to accept it near the end of the week when we visited a school in an area that felt like it was literally the middle of nowhere. We spent the day providing medical care for people from the local area in a clinic that was set up inside the school you see in the picture. We also took some time out to play 'Simba, Simba, Tweega' (or Duck, Duck, Goose) with the kids. I was so moved by all I saw around me. I had been stretched so many ways in a weeks time. This day was full of firsts, including figuring out how to pee in the bush, that was a stretch even for a farm girl.

The Journey Begins

I had no idea how much God was going to change me when I left for Africa in August. What I knew at that time was God has a plan for my life, that He had called me a year before to make a trip to Africa, and that some day I would like to adopt a child from Africa. When we landed at Kilimanjaro Airport I had a strange feeling like I had arrived home. I had this incredible anticipation. I felt that God wanted to show me something while I was there and others had told me in the weeks before leaving that they had the sense also. If I had to guess at that time, I would have told you that I thought God would show me how he was going to make my adoption dream possible.