None of these categories stand by themselves because they are all dependent
on one another in my head, but it is the easiest way to make sense of what my
expectations are. Here they are in no particular order:
Growth with the Lord
I do expect to go with and through the Lord. I know that there are many things
I have yet to experience that will shape this time with Him. Lately a thought
that has been running through my head is “Break my heart for what breaks yours”
– yes it’s a line from Hosanna (written by Brooke Fraser and performed
by Hillsong United) but at the time that it began to be a constant thought and
prayer, I didn’t realize that. I think it’s the best description of how the
Lord is going to move in my life over the next year. Not only has this become
my cry for the FYM trip it has also become my prayer for the mission trip that
I’m going on over Spring Break called Beach Reach.
Serving others
Like I said in a previous
blog, from a young age I’ve loved to help others. I’ve known since I was little
that anything I did in life for an extended period of time would have to
involve this. So I expect to serve others. South Africans, Swazis, Mozambicans,
Batswana, my team mates alike. I don’t know what it will look like but as long
as I am helping people and being God’s hands and feet, its fine by me.
HIV/AIDS
I’ve been warned HIV/AIDS
probably isn’t as big of our ministry as I would like it be, but I also would
like it to be all that we do besides spending time with the Lord. I don’t
remember the first time I heard about AIDS, maybe it was when Ryan White died,
or when I first saw Philadelphia, or
when I saw something on the news and asked my parents what it was. My
generation really hasn’t known a world in which the disease didn’t exist; I
mean Rock Hudson died a few weeks after I was born (for my mom she said that his
death was the first time it became real to her). Slowly over the years I have
gained knowledge about the disease and empathy for those suffering with its
horrible effects. All I can really offer is prayer, my limited knowledge, awareness
through this blog, and another pair of hands to help hold and show love to
others.
Friendships
I expect to make some
life-long friendships with not only my fellow team members but with South
Africans and the people of Swaziland or Mozambique as well. I’m excited to get
to know the rest of my team members and discover my role in our lives together.
I’ve seen the way that God brings
together people when they are serving him even for a short amount of time. I can
only imagine what will happen when serving together for nine months. Also I’m a
realist; I realize that living in such close proximity to other people for a
long amount of time can sometimes bring out the worst in people. But at the
same time I believe that if the Lord is in a community as strongly as I pray He
will be in ours then there is nothing we can’t get through.
Vision for the future (after Africa)
been saying I really don’t know what I’m going to do when I get back. And I
really mean it. There are many options running through my head at the moment
but I know I won’t be happy unless I am doing what He wants me to do, trust me
I’ve tried it the other way and it’s not worth it. I honestly expect the Lord
to show me what he wants from me for my life while I’m on this trip…or at least
the next step. I will have a college degree before I leave but for me to really
do anything with it (besides missions for life) I need further schooling, like
an internship to become a registered dietitian. Or to go back to school to get
another degree…please don’t cringe too much at that Mom and Dad.
Joethan halfway through my being gone we will hit the two year mark. Now it might
seem weird that Joe is part of my expectations for a trip that he will not be
on. The thought that keeps coming with him is, if we can make it through Africa
and possibly nine months away from each other, then we can make through just about
anything. I do plan to go “see the world” and fully expect that it
will change me, how could it not? But I’m praying that the ways in which it
changes me only bring us closer together not further apart.
them and I expect to see some amazing sunsets/rises! The one below is a
sunrise from Enchanted Rock State Park near Austin, TX.
