I started writing an update a few days ago, but then I decided that I honestly have no idea what to say. Now that I have gathered some of my thoughts together though, I feel comfortable enough updating you all.
First things first, my month and a half of being in the kitchen is almost over. I had originally thought that I would be in the kitchen cooking for our Bible school for the whole summer, but my life was decided for me and I am only in here for a couple of more weeks. Yay. With the end of the kitchen comes the beginning of working with Mission Adventures. I'm super stoked (as I said before). I am not entirely certain what Mission Adventure holds, but I know it is going to be a good, challenging and, of course, growing experience. I am looking forward to working with the team that is set up. (There is a rumor that we may go camping for staff training. YES PLEASE.)
I received an email from YWAM Hopeland about my School of Biblical Studies (SBS) application. I had to snail mail the application, reference forms, etc to Jinja, Uganda. The email was informing me they had received my application. It came just in time too because I was beginning to worry about whether they had received it or not. Now, I am just waiting for my official acceptance.
I have been really stressing out about going to Uganda for 10.5 months. Nine (9) months of Bible school is a long time, but then another five (5) weeks of being in the country is another long bit. The crazy thing about it though, is that I have always wanted to live in another country for a decent amount of time (10.5 months is a good start) and I have co-led outreaches twice now. Okay, so outreach is only eight (8) weeks, but it is still awhile being out of the country. And I know from experience that the time just flies by. Before I know it, I will be in Uganda, then I will blink and I will be leaving Arua and heading to Jinja for Bible school. Then it will be Christmas and then I will, hopefully, see some fellow YWAM Madison people. I think, a lot of my nerves come for two reasons. 1) I have yet to raise a single dollar for this trip. I have asked people, but no one has responded. I am trying to figure out how much I can save before I go if I put aside some of my monthly amount to pay off SBS while I am in country. Rent at the GMC is a lot lower than I remember it being, which I am not going to complain about, which makes rent & food cost $100 lower than I was budgeting, yet I also need to start buying two purple inhalers (Advair. It's a twice a day.) each time I go in to the pharmacy... basically, it comes down to- I hate money. Yeah, the fact that no one is donating to the trip is a little stressful.
I spent a couple of days in prayer asking God if there was anything I had to get right with Him before I saw the money come in. I forgot that I had told a couple of people that I would send them in money, so I wrote a check for the rest of the money in my bank account (literally). But, still, I do not understand what the hold- up is.
2) Jackson. I, honestly, do not want to leave him for almost 11 months. I will miss both of our birthdays. His by only weeks, which is kinda heartbreaking since he will turn 21 and mine by a couple of months. I will miss Christmas, New Years, and our one year anniversary for being together.
It is just kinda hard to think about going and not hearing anything back from fundraising letters is really discouraging too. The crazy thing is that Jack is totally for me going to Uganda. Not that he is over-the-moon excited about me being gone for so long, but we both know it is what God is saying for right now. It just makes me nervous because the last time I left somewhere and thought I could do a long distance relationship, we ended up breaking up and I stayed. (That was three years ago!)
Please pray for my nerves. I'm going to end up with a crazy amount of white hair and maybe admission into the crazy house. ;)
With going to Uganda for 10.5 months. MONTHS. I have found, and am still finding, that I need things that I have not needed before. Or things that I need to replace because, well let's be honest, they are not going to make it through 10.5 months of "outreach". If you are wondering how to practically help (other than donating money), you can visit my Amazon WishList and purchase whatever you so choose. Anything on the list will really help. Especially the backpack. My current one is slightly falling apart.
What else is happening in May?
Lots of monthly fundraising. Which is actually going really well.
I'm painting again! It is my first time painting with oil paints and I am pretty certain that I would rather paint with acrylics any day, but the paints are some that Jack bought me for my birthday- not knowing that I do not really paint with oils. But I am painting something for his birthday and I am pretty excited about it. Although, I am pretty sure I messed it up.
I sent out prayer post cards- if you didn't get one and would like one email, text, whatever me your address.
Jack and I have found a couple to mentor us. It is kinda weird because before I never really cared to "do it right". Like the desire was kind of there, but not enough that we actually executed it. Basically, I have a really great, amazing, godly man and I'm super glad. :) We have yet to meet with them, but just be praying that it goes really really well. :)
God is good. Always.
First things first, my month and a half of being in the kitchen is almost over. I had originally thought that I would be in the kitchen cooking for our Bible school for the whole summer, but my life was decided for me and I am only in here for a couple of more weeks. Yay. With the end of the kitchen comes the beginning of working with Mission Adventures. I'm super stoked (as I said before). I am not entirely certain what Mission Adventure holds, but I know it is going to be a good, challenging and, of course, growing experience. I am looking forward to working with the team that is set up. (There is a rumor that we may go camping for staff training. YES PLEASE.)
I received an email from YWAM Hopeland about my School of Biblical Studies (SBS) application. I had to snail mail the application, reference forms, etc to Jinja, Uganda. The email was informing me they had received my application. It came just in time too because I was beginning to worry about whether they had received it or not. Now, I am just waiting for my official acceptance.
I have been really stressing out about going to Uganda for 10.5 months. Nine (9) months of Bible school is a long time, but then another five (5) weeks of being in the country is another long bit. The crazy thing about it though, is that I have always wanted to live in another country for a decent amount of time (10.5 months is a good start) and I have co-led outreaches twice now. Okay, so outreach is only eight (8) weeks, but it is still awhile being out of the country. And I know from experience that the time just flies by. Before I know it, I will be in Uganda, then I will blink and I will be leaving Arua and heading to Jinja for Bible school. Then it will be Christmas and then I will, hopefully, see some fellow YWAM Madison people. I think, a lot of my nerves come for two reasons. 1) I have yet to raise a single dollar for this trip. I have asked people, but no one has responded. I am trying to figure out how much I can save before I go if I put aside some of my monthly amount to pay off SBS while I am in country. Rent at the GMC is a lot lower than I remember it being, which I am not going to complain about, which makes rent & food cost $100 lower than I was budgeting, yet I also need to start buying two purple inhalers (Advair. It's a twice a day.) each time I go in to the pharmacy... basically, it comes down to- I hate money. Yeah, the fact that no one is donating to the trip is a little stressful.
I spent a couple of days in prayer asking God if there was anything I had to get right with Him before I saw the money come in. I forgot that I had told a couple of people that I would send them in money, so I wrote a check for the rest of the money in my bank account (literally). But, still, I do not understand what the hold- up is.
2) Jackson. I, honestly, do not want to leave him for almost 11 months. I will miss both of our birthdays. His by only weeks, which is kinda heartbreaking since he will turn 21 and mine by a couple of months. I will miss Christmas, New Years, and our one year anniversary for being together.
It is just kinda hard to think about going and not hearing anything back from fundraising letters is really discouraging too. The crazy thing is that Jack is totally for me going to Uganda. Not that he is over-the-moon excited about me being gone for so long, but we both know it is what God is saying for right now. It just makes me nervous because the last time I left somewhere and thought I could do a long distance relationship, we ended up breaking up and I stayed. (That was three years ago!)
Please pray for my nerves. I'm going to end up with a crazy amount of white hair and maybe admission into the crazy house. ;)
With going to Uganda for 10.5 months. MONTHS. I have found, and am still finding, that I need things that I have not needed before. Or things that I need to replace because, well let's be honest, they are not going to make it through 10.5 months of "outreach". If you are wondering how to practically help (other than donating money), you can visit my Amazon WishList and purchase whatever you so choose. Anything on the list will really help. Especially the backpack. My current one is slightly falling apart.
What else is happening in May?
Lots of monthly fundraising. Which is actually going really well.
I'm painting again! It is my first time painting with oil paints and I am pretty certain that I would rather paint with acrylics any day, but the paints are some that Jack bought me for my birthday- not knowing that I do not really paint with oils. But I am painting something for his birthday and I am pretty excited about it. Although, I am pretty sure I messed it up.
I sent out prayer post cards- if you didn't get one and would like one email, text, whatever me your address.
Jack and I have found a couple to mentor us. It is kinda weird because before I never really cared to "do it right". Like the desire was kind of there, but not enough that we actually executed it. Basically, I have a really great, amazing, godly man and I'm super glad. :) We have yet to meet with them, but just be praying that it goes really really well. :)
God is good. Always.
