One Week!

Friends: 

My departure date is officially ONE WEEK AWAY!  It is hard to believe that after so many months of planning, preparation, and fundraising (we started in February), the time is finally here.  I am thrilled about the opportunities that lie ahead, and I am so excited to discover what life is like in China. 

Although the fear of the unknown is intimidating, I find confidence and peace in the one thing that will never change – the Alpha and Omega.  I found this quote a few weeks ago that really struck a cord:  “We cannot discover new oceans unless we have the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

Please think of me and ask that He would give me courage as I leave Missouri and discover “A Whole New World,” as quoted on Aladdin.  : )

Here is a brief outline of my travel plans:

Wednesday, August 19^th

4 pm – Depart KCI to Chicago

7 pm – Chicago to San Francisco

 

Thursday, August 20^th

1am – San Francisco to Hong Kong  (14 hour flight, and I gain 13 hours with the time change)

 

Friday, August 21^st

12pm – Hong Kong to Kunming

2:30pm – ARRIVE in KUNMING!!

Add it to the List

I’ve always loved lists.  To Do Lists, grocery lists, and shopping lists clutter my desk and planner.  As much as I previously loved lists though, my opinion has drastically changed as I have been preparing for China.  No list can compare to the China To Do List I’ve had for the summer.  Seriously, I think at one point it was longer than Santa’s naughty or nice list. 

Luckily, with the help of my darling sisters, we have crossed things off the list – one by one.  Applying for my Chinese Visa – check! …. Creating my newsletter - check! …. Spending quality time with family and friends – check!  One key component is not checked off the China To Do List however --- packing.  (yes, just saying that dreaded word makes my heart race!)

Let’s just say that p-a-c-k-ing for two years has brought about more challenges than I ever could have imagined!  My friends can attest, I am the world’s WORST over packer.  In my past life, I would pack two suitcases for a weekend trip.  Perhaps it is because I don’t like making pressure-filled decisions about what to wear, or maybe it is because I would always rather be “safe than sorry” when deciding what shoes to bring.  Regardless, every time I pack, a dark cloud seems to take over my life…. Yes, this may be a bit dramatic.  But people, I really dislike packing!

Interestingly enough, my China packing is not difficult in terms of what clothes to take.  A few shirts, jeans, a pair of khakis, etc are all I will really need.  And as far as shoes, I have limited myself to 5 pair (tennis shoes, hiking boots, hiking sandals, loafers, and a pair of black pumps for good measure).  My China experience is about downsizing and helping others that are less fortunate, not about being fashionable.

The problem with packing is that I want to take every holiday decoration I can find!  I want to take my Christmas nativity scene, my favorite fake Halloween jack-o-lantern, and my Easter basket.  Not to mention how badly I want to bring all of my Christmas ornaments and Mizzou decorations!  And as much as I want it to, my Christmas tree will NOT fit in to my suitcase.   (See picture).

As you can imagine, the next few weeks are sure to be interesting as I finalize my China To Do List and continue to pack.  Hopefully, I will be able to discern what I will really need in China, and I will be able to part from all of my decorations.  If not, I am excited to receive your care packages containing everything that won’t fit in my two 50-lb suitcases!  Wish me luck as I finish packing!

 

One Year Down, One To Go!

Thank you! It is impossible to express how grateful I am for everyone who has supported my work in China. Because of your partnership, my first year of service is fully funded! How incredible!!! Whether you listened to a presentation, played in the golf tournament, visited the water gardens, or are just reading my blog because you are bored at work, you have contributed to CWEF’s efforts in China. Your words of encouragement and the overwhelming generosity you have shown me are true blessings, and I give thanks daily!

At the beginning of this journey, I never thought it would be possible to meet the first year mark so quickly. With every week that passes, I continue to watch in amazement at the outpouring of support. I am so thankful for each of you!

As we celebrate this exciting time, please remember that we have just met the half-way mark. We have completed the first year’s funding, and have moved on to the second year. You can still get involved, and your financial support is still needed. Please consider how you can partner with me to bring fresh water to the villages in Yunnan Province. Your thoughts, your encouragement, and your donations are still needed and are so appreciated. THANK YOU!

28 people. 15 countries. 1 goal.

Training was an awesome experience! I spent the past two weeks learning specifics about my position and the avenues in which I will serve. Not only did I learn more about the work I will be doing, but I also met twenty-eight incredible people that are going to be serving in fifteen different countries.

It was refreshing and inspiring to hear how each person arrived at this place. Everyone at training had a different story. Some of us (like me) are fresh out of college and have just begun our career paths; others have been working for years. Some people have always planned to serve in this capacity; while others (like myself) were surprised to realize this was His plan for our lives.

Regardless of how different our paths have been up to this point though, we are all now united in our passion and in our purpose. We all want to make a difference.

Please continue to think of us as we disperse throughout the world.

One word

Ni hao! or "Hello!" in Chinese, (Well friends, there you have it... the extent of my Mandarin vocabulary. Needless to say, I have a lot to learn).

Now, as I stare at a blank piece of paper with the only Chinese word I know, I simultaneously feel incredibly excited and completely overwhelmed. My blank piece of paper symbolizes the unknown, as my story has yet to be created. A new language, a new culture, and an entirely different way of life await me in August.

And so, I begin here with the blank page of my first blog entry. My empty sheet of paper represents my completion of college and the beginning of a new adventure. The next chapter of my life will soon fill these pages with stories of success, challenges and everything in between. The goal for my blog is best described by Henri Nouwen in Seeds of Hope. He explains,

“Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust."

I trust that this blog will encourage further introspection into my experience. By reflecting on the people I meet, the lessons I learn, and the food I taste (food is a key part of everything I do), we will have the opportunity to share in this incredible experience. I hope you are as excited as I am to see how this blank page quickly turns into a novel filled with countless stories of love and hope.

Happy Reading!