Hello! 

I wanted to give a little update on my past couple of weeks, and talk about what I will be doing in the weeks ahead!

Training Camp (Gainesville, Georgia)

I have completed my 5-week training in Georgia!! This training focused in on physical, mental, and emotional preparation for the missions field. Over the past weeks, I have learned how to interact in community living, and what it looks like to intentionally pursue the Lord. A couple of specific things that have stuck out to me is the correct ways to do life with others.

So often when people get upset in day to day interactions, their first instinct is to become frustrated or angry. Living in this community, we have been given the beautiful opportunity to have our first reaction to be with love and gentleness. I have never been in a more loving community that genuinely and outwardly shows their desire to become more like Christ and encourage others to do the same. I am learning more and more everyday what it looks like to honor others intentionally, which is a value that is often countercultural to what the world would do.

The Lord has also shown up in so many beautiful ways over the course of the training! I will posting another blog soon to go more in depth on the specifics, but I am learning the importance of being deeply rooted in the word and who God is. Altogether, the last five weeks have been extremely fruitful and foundational in my relationships with Christ and others!!

Samaritans Purse (New Orleans, Louisiana)

I am now currently in Louisiana serving alongside Samaritan’s Purse for Hurricane relief! A daily overview of what that means and looks like is yard work, gutting out houses for any water damage, tarping roofs, and spraying mold inside houses. This work can sometimes be hard or tiresome, but the fruit that has come out of it is so amazing! From little, intentional conversations with the homeowners, to seeing a house ready to be restored after the hurricanes, and watching a team from my squad work hard and with encouragement, it is clear that God is in it all! I am learning the importance of intentionality with others, and how valuable it is to work alongside a team of like-minded people!

We currently have one more week here in Louisiana, and then we will head back to Georgia for a couple days of debrief and rest. I am so excited to see all that God will do with us serving and through us interacting with others over this next week!

What’s Next?

After we finish our debrief in Georgia, we will be heading international!! My squad will be going to Costa Rica for about 2 months to work with a ministry in Jaco and Puerto Viejo! We will be doing anything from children’s ministry, to manual labor, and surfing ministry. There will be many opportunities to connect with others in new ways, and I am so excited to see all that God has in store for my squad!