Back in the U.S.A.!

Yup! I arrived in Salem Wednesday afternoon! But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me tell you how the rest of my trip was...

The week after leaving Barranquilla, our team spent some time doing some programs for the local schools, doing prayer walks around the city, free day at the beach, and having team time. It wasn't a super busy crazy week, but it was nice to be able to reflect on all God had done up til that point and encourage each other.

The next week, the other half of the team left for Bogota. It was really sad to see them go, but they had an awesome time there.

The other half of the team (the half I was on) stayed in Cartagena. We spent the week in a village in Cartagena helping a Christian elementary school set up through YWAM Cartagena. We did kid's programs, picked up trash, peeled paint, cleaned bathrooms, and helped serve lunch to the kids at the school. This week was a little hard for me. I got a little homesick for my family, friends, and just plain America. But God, being always faithful, gave me the strength to get through the week strong and with a good attitude.

The week after, we worked on the construction site. YWAM Cartagena is working on building another house for more DTS students to stay in, since they have a very limited space. It was really fun digging holes and sweating all day. I didn't think I'd enjoy it very much, but it nice to have a change and do some physical work.

The following week (this past week), we stayed in Santa Marta, a city located along the coast. There, we worked with a church. Unfortuneatly, the pastor in charge of our ministry time didn't plan much for us to do. But we were able to go out into the local neighborhoods and invite people to the church, as well as pray for them. The several programs we did went really well.

Our debrief time was AWESOME! The leaders didn't tell us anything; just that we needed to bring our bathing suits. We ended up driving an hour and being dropped off in the middle of the jungle. We were told we were going to the beach, but the only way to get there was by horseback! That's right- we travelled by horseback through the Colombian jungle to a beautiful, tropical beach. It was gorgeous! : )

Then we left Santa Marta for Cartagena (a 5 hour bus ride), then we stayed in Cartagena for a few hours, and we took off for Bogota around 8 and arrived in Bogota around 10, where we reunited with the rest of our team. Then we left Bogota for Houston at midnight. Arrived in Houston at 5am, then left Houston around 8, and arrived in Portland at 11am. Then another hour drive to Salem. It was a LOOOONG day of travelling, but we are very glad and thankful to be back in beautiful Salem.

So, that's pretty much the rest of my Colombian experience, in a very small nutshell. : )

Tonight, we graduate! These last 5 months have flown by. But they have been most awesome and life changing. I will never forget the things I've seen and the work God has done.

I leave the base tomorrow with my friend. I'll be camping at her house for the next week. She lives on alot of land in Oregon with lots of camping areas and hikikng trails. Should be fun!

So I'll be arriving home on Saturday, June 13th. I'm very excited to finally be home!

Thanks for praying for me through my whole DTS journey. I love you all. : )

Love, Jessie

update on the last three weeks...

Hey everyone!

Here's an update on the last three weeks (since I haven't been able to update you guys):

Week #2: Bocachica (island)

Here we stayed at the YWAM Cartagena ministry base, which is right on the beach. The island is mainly Afro-Colombians (as they're called here in Colombia). The island is covered in trash and almost all the houses are poorly made. Wild pigs and dogs roam the streets everywhere. While we were here, we got work at schools, serve at the base's feeding center, build a latrine (an outdoor toilet thing), hang out with the local kids and do programs for them, and have church meetings at the base. The kids were awesome here. On the island, kids are almost equaled to dogs. Parents just let them roam the streets all day til whenever they want. But because of this, all the kids would come to the base and hang out with us. I loved them all and miss them terribly. I hope to go back someday.

Also, the base didn't have running water. We took showers with a bucket and had to pour salt water down the toilets for them to flush. It was kinda hard to adjust at first, but after a while I got the hang of it.

At the end of the week on our free day, we got a tour of the city by one of the locals. Bocachica used to be used a long time ago for pirates or the British or something cool like that. I can't remember. But anyways, the island is full of tunnels that connect all over. We got to go in one and it was pitch black with bats flying around. It was awesome and very claustrophobic. Haha. We also got to see two of the islands fortresses. One of them reminded me alot of the one in Pirates of the Caribbean. It was so cool! : )

Week #3: Santa Ana (island)

Here, we got to stay at a church. It was one of three churches on the island and it was only built 3 years ago. We slept in tents inside the church (which was an open concrete building), and I got a TON of misquito bites. Hopefully, I don't have malaria.

The church was located in the middle of two villages (it was about a 20 minute walk in either direction on the main road). We worked on building a roof for part of the church, doing school programs, open air outeaches, and services at the church. It was hard being so far away from the villages because we couldn't create relationships. But our main goal was to bring people into the church, since the church is where Christ's body gathers. We did a church service Sunday morning too. The service was supposed to start at 9, but people didn't even show up til 10:30. Haha, just another example of how being on time and schedule totally doesn't apply here in Colombia. : )

Week #4: Cartagena

We went back to the YWAM Cartagena base. It was awesome to see all the DTS students again. This week, we went to a few churches and did programs for the local Compassion sponser kids. It was alot of fun. The kids here in Colombia always love seeing us because we are white and crazy people. : )

Thursday night (of last week), it POURED rain!!! The streets were flooding like crazy and it was coming down hard. Me and a few other girls went dancing and singing in the rain. It was awesome and we got DRENCHED! Hehe.

Friday morning we left for Barranquilla (which is where I am now; we leave this morning). The drive there was gorgeous! We were able to stay in host homes here. The house we're staying in is basically like an American house- running water, showers, toilets, internet, phones, TV, washing machine, dryers, even a maid. To say the least, Barranquilla is a very nice, clean, and rich part of Colombia. God has blessed us SO much by being here. It's been a nice little piece of home in a way.

Here in Barranquilla, we've worked with a local church. The first night here we invited people to the open-air we were putting on. We ending up doing it at a HUGE park and a lot of people showed up. And thirty people came to know Christ! It was AWESOME! : D

The next two days we planned to do more open-airs, but the rain here is CRAZY! Barranquilla doesn't have any drainage systems on the streets so mostly all the streets were flooded (I got on awesome video on my camera!).

We had the option of coming back to Barranquilla (we were originally going to stay here a month, but then it got changed to 4 days, but then we were going to see if we could come back next week), but we asked God about it and felt He wanted us to be back in Cartagena. I personally felt like if we were to stay here in Barranquilla we would grow so used to living the comfortable life, when God has so much more planned for us and for this outreach. So in an a hour or so we will be going back to Cartagena. It will be nice to see our translater, Yeison (we all love him- he's awesome!), and the rest of our team.

Well, that's all for now! Time for breakfast. : )

Love you all and thanks for reading! : *

¡hola!

Hey everyone!

Just a quick update:

I´m doing awesome. Our second week we went to the island of Bocachica, where we stayed at the YWAM base. It was awesome there and I got attatched to alot of the kids. I`d really like to go back someday. And the following week (last week), we went to the island of Santa Ana where we stayed at a church. It was a really mellow week and I got a ton of misquito bites.

Now I´m back in the city of Cartagena for this week. But tomorrow, part of our team leaves for Barranquilla where we stay til Monday. And then we stay in Cartagena another two weeks. And then we stay in Santa Marta for the last week and a half. Just a little update on where I´ll be.

Please keep us in your prayers! One girl has to be sent home due to a foot infection/injury, so be praying for her. The rest of us are doing fine.

I love and miss you all SO MUCH! Thanks for readin`.

Love, Jess : )

Buenos Dias!

Hello on this beautiful Colombian Easter morning!!! : )

First of all, I made it to Colombia safely! It was a loooong journey here (left at 8am, plane took off at 12, landed in Houston at 6, took off at midnight, landed in Bogota at 7am, got to Cartagena at 11am), but so worth the wait!

Colombia is amazing! The streets are filled with CRAZY drivers- I´ve never seen anything like it before! I will try and take a video some time and then show you all when I get home. Unfortuneately, the computers at the internet cafe I´m at won´t let me upload pictures. : (

The city I am in right now, Cartagena, is located on the northern coast of Colombia, so we´re right by the Caribbean Sea. The city has tons of people. Our team is staying at the YWAM Cartagena base (along with another DTS that´s going on here) and it´s located on Manga (an island connected to the city by small bridges). The house that I´m staying at is actually located a few blocks away from the base, so we do ALOT of walking. The weather is pretty hot, but mostly humid. And even when it´s not hot at all, you sweat. I´m getting used to it. : ) Laundry we do outside with a bar of soap and a scrub brush. It´s really fun.

So now on to what I´m doing...
Each day this week, our team has done open-air outreaches. Basically, we go into neighborhoods and tell people about the program that we´re putting on and invite them to come (Our translater tells us what to say in Spanish and we invited the people- I´m learning ALOT!). Our outreaches consist of dramas, teachings, testimonies, kid´s songs, kid´s skits- it´s a blast and the people love it! We´ve got to see alot of cool stuff here happen in people´s lives and it´s only the beginning! (If you´d like to see one of the musical dramas we do, got to youtube.com and type in ¨Lifehouse everything skit.¨ This is the true meaning of why we celebrate today- Jesus´ love for us; it makes me cry everytime.)

On Friday, our team went to a church located in the slums of Cartagena- the poorest part. The things I saw were devastating. The people who lived there had been forced from their towns by the FARCs. The FARCs usually targets small, vulnerable towns, wiping out any form of police and forcing the people to surrender all their land and possessions. The government sometimes provides small areas of land for these people to start over from scratch. I saw houses made of wood, tarps, straw, and sticks. We were able to go the local church in this village and invite people from the surrounding area to come to the Good Friday service. One lady, who was pregnant, asked us to come into her house and pray for her baby. And she accepted the Lord! : )

The people of Colombia are so friendly! Most of the people here have never seen white people (the parts of Colombia we go to aren´t exactly hot tourist spots), but they are always so happy and interested to see us. Yesterday, we had to perform in the street. We had to block off the traffic with big sticks and bricks. Alot of cars, buses, and motorbikes (there´s ALOT of them here!) kept honking to pass through, but the people watching us perform went and sat in front of the cars so they couldn´t pass! It was hilarous! One girl, Mayra, invited us into her house during an ourteach invitation time. She gave us some Colombian sweet food (dolce comida). There, we prayed for her, and she rededicated her life to the Lord! She was the sweetest girl and I gave her my e-mail address, so I hope I am able to keep contact with her. : )

Tomorrow, our team will be leaving for Bocachica and Santa Ana- two island located off the coast of Cartagena. We will be staying there for two weeks, and we won´t have internet, so this will be my last post for a while. I just wanted to let you know I am safe and I´m having an awesome time! Love you all! : )

adios mi amigos!

Well folks,

My DTS experience is drawing quickly to a close. How fast it's gone by! In a way it feels like I've lived here with everybody for sooo long, but it still feels like I just got here.

So, for those of you who hadn't heard yet, I have all of my lecture and outreach fees paid off- so I'm officially going to Colombia!!!!!!! It has been amazing seeing God meet all my needs through people like you guys, willing to support me in what I do. So a HUGE thank you to you all! : )

About 9 people on my team are still trying to raise support. About $18,000 to go! If they are unable to get the money in, they can't join the rest of the team for outreach until they have everything paid for. So please keep them in your prayers. I want everyone on my team to be able to go on this outreach. I really want to see God do a miracle in meeting everyone's financial needs in the next few days before we leave. I have total faith that He can!

I want to let you all know about some different stats and issues going on in Colombia that I researched yesterday (just so you know what you can be praying for while I'm in this country):

-90-95% of the country is Roman Catholic, and 60% say they don't even practice their faith actively. There are also many who practice animism, the worship of animal spirits.

-Over 80% of the world's cocaine is produced in Colombia, with illegal growth of coca plants spreading all over the coutry. When the government tried destroying these crops, illegal armed forces just planted more in response.

-The most common cause of death, after cancer, is drug related crime.

-The FARC (a revolutionary army in Colombia) has been active in the country for many years. Children under the age of 18 make up about 30% of the army. Many are kidnapped or tricked and forced into the army, but many still join voluntarily, to escape poverty or family problems. Of these children many see the FARC as a way to obtain power. Rather than living a lowly life of a farmer with a machete, they want to be free to do with they want with all the gunpower they want.

-Over half the country is below the poverty line. And most Colombians live on only $2 a day.

-Although Colombia is considered well-educated compared to most Latin American coutries, it still suffers from poorly qualified teachers. Many children don't receive the higher education they need.

So there you have it. Just a few things to be thinking about.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post one last time before I leave. My flight leaves at 12 noon on Monday, so keep us in your prayers! Thank you and LOVE YOU ALL! : )

invisible children

So this morning in class, we spent some time praying for the children who are being trafficked as child soldiers. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this issue, let me explain...

Basically, 23 years ago, a man in Uganda named Joseph Kony created what is called the Lord's Resistance Army. Kony's reason for creating this army was to fight in the name of the Lord for the restoration of peace and unity in Uganda. Sadly, the complete oppostite is true. He uses a mixture of his own witchcraft, spreading horror throughout Uganda (and other countries of Africa) by taking children from their homes, brainwashing them by injecting them with a mixture of gun powder and drugs, and forcing them to take up arms and kill. Also, many women and girls are used as sex slaves for the army. These brainwashed, desensitized children now make up more than 90% of the army.

In 2003, three young film makers from California decided to go to Africa to create a documentary when they discovered this atrocity, and made the movie "The Invisible Children." Since making the film they have petitioned the US government, the UN, and the Ugandan government to get involved. On April 25th, these forces will go into Uganda and capture Joseph Kony and his officials. Tomorrow, March 25th, the official unveiling of the Rescue Plan can be viewed on www.invisiblechildren.com, and will give more details towards Kony's capture.

Also, our team has learned that child soldiering is a big issue in Colombia and Myanmar (where our teams will be going). The government has no laws against it in Colombia, and Myanmar's government is overthrown by guerrilla forces. Child soldiering is taking place all over the world.

So I just encourage you to research this and pray about it during this next month. And especially be praying on April 25th. Please continue to educate yourself on the Rescue Plan also.

What amazes me most is that it all started with three guys. They saw what was going on in Uganda, they made a film, got people informed, got people involved, petitioned, and now action is being taken! Praise God! With Him, NOTHING is impossible! SO much change and justice can be brought to this world if God's people would just get out there and DO SOMETHING!

Whew, don't get me started...

Anywho, on a lighter, happier note, here are some pictures of my team that's going to Colombia:

We're a pretty good-looking team : )

and we're goofballs too. : )

back in salem

Ok, first of all, it was SO good to be home and see most of you! Thank you SOOOO much for coming out to visit me and support me and love me. I was able to raise $750 when I was home!!!! Such a HUGE blessing and I couldn't have done it without your help!!! I'm so near my $6,000 goal, it's crazy. God provides in the most awesome ways, most of which has been through all of you back at home. So, thank you truly from my heart. I wouldn't be here without you. : *

Sunday night, going back to Salem, my flight actually got cancelled, so I got to go back home that night, and I flew out early Monday morning. It was a loooong night/morning/day. But it was so good to be home with my family. I didn't realize how much I missed them!

So at the beginning of this week, the realization of what I'm about to do really began to sink in. I'll be going to a country far away, living in situations and conditions I'm not accustomed to, seeing alot of spiritual darkness, I don't speak the language, I could be trafficked, I could die of disease, I could get lost (ok, I'm probably freaking my parents out!). But the point is I just got kinda fearful. All my old insecurities came back- not smart enough, not good enough, not strong enough, you're weak, you can't do this (all lies).

But then a few of us got together Monday night to pray for our team and outreach, and I remembered a verse that my friend gave me: Isaiah 41:13, which says,"For I hold you by your right hand- I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, 'Don't be afraid. I am here to help you.' " I also noticed verse 10: "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with My victorious right hand." And from reading those verses, I realized, ok, yeah, Colombia is going to be hard and not all fun and games; we're going to be dealing with a country that the devil definitely has footholds in. But you know who's stronger that the devil? Who can outsmart all his schemes? Who can crush all his plans? Who can defeat him with one word? GOD ALMIGHTY! And guess what?!?! He's on MY SIDE! I have nothing to fear! I will be victorious in all I do, because of HIM! : )

Keep me in your prayers with this guys. : )

Another awesome thing this week: we're learning about world views. Basically, in a nutshell, we're learing about the world around us and where we, as Christians, fit in. The different issues, what the Bible says about those issues, and what we can do about it. It all starts with the church. If we can't be the example to the world of how people ought to live, then how are they supposed to know? How are we supposed to relate and understand the world when we don't know anything about it? We, as Americans, hardly know the reality of what other people around the world face everyday. It's mind-boggling how much the we don't know, and yet the Bible is full of answers to every problem ever! How to stop AIDs, how to clean water, how to educate your children, how to have a good marriage, how to save money and keep a budget, how to have a stable government and economy, how to elect good government leaders, how to work, - it's all in there! It's crazy how relavant and needed the Bible is in today's world!!! We just gotta bring it! : )

Anywho, to say the least, my head is in a whirlwind. But a good one. There's so many options out there- so much to do! So many places where people are needed. Keep praying that God will guide me in what to do after DTS. I really want to continue in this, but I want to know how and where and when, so I can be used to the fullest.

Thanks for reading!

LESS THAN THREE WEEKS!!! : )

Here's some pics for your enjoyment!







For St. Patrick's day, our DTS went out to downtown Salem to let people know the real meaning of the holiday. St. Patrick (aka Maewyn Succat) was actually kidnapped by Welsch pirates and sold into slavery to Ireland. He eventually escaped and was later kicked out of the country. But instead of acting out of hatred and spite towards the people who treated him so harshly, he returned to Ireland to be a Christian missionary, to show the people love and forgiveness. And now you know. : )


Beautiful downtown Salem
Flying into Portland (on my flight back)

So pretty! : )

I got to see my baby girl when I got home! Isn't she precious?!?!?!? : )

California was so green when I got home! Gorgeous! Thank you Jesus for the desperately needed rain in California!


Mt. Hood, near the Portland airport. Breathtaking, huh?

California Dreamin'

Hey everyone!

I'm home for the weekend! Well, I'm gonna go enjoy my free time with my family; we're watching American Idol. Haha! Just wanted to let y'all know I'm home. I go back to Salem Sunday afternoon. : )

P.S. Please be praying for me as I only have three weeks left til I leave for Colombia! I'M SO EXCITED! But I still don't have all of my finances in yet. I need about $1,140. So I'm almost there! : )

like a child

Hey everyone!

First of all, I just wanted to thank those of you who have been sending in support the last few days. I appreciate it SOO MUCH! There's still alot of people who said that they would help me out, but still haven't sent any support in yet. I'll be getting to you later. You know who you are! BEWARE! : )

Anyways, this week was awesome! Our speaker was so cool! He would just break out in song and worship and dance and tell stories. He was just like a child, yet he was 64 years old. His joy and love for Jesus just spilled out of him and was so contagious! He made us all feel like kids again, jumping and dancing and singing. Haha. It was a nice change after the emotional week of Plumbline. I learned alot about not caring what others around me think, and just praising God from my heart- with freedom and childlike faith!

We went to the beach this week! We tried to make it in time for the sunset but didn't. It was pitch black, freezing, windy, and pouring rain. But it was A BLAST! Hopefully we get to go again, during the day. Here are some pictures I took on the way there. Isn't Oregon GORGEOUS?!?!?!

at last...

These are all the girls! We dressed up for the Valentine's dinner.















Me and my roomie, Nicole.

Me and Arielle!

This is what happens when the internet doesn't work!

Say cheese! : D

Me and Nicole!




My girls!

Me, Rochelle, Hali, Kristi : )

Cara, Rochelle, Me, and Angelana

Kristi burnt the brownies!

Me and Arielle!

It snowed!

Out on the town!

We're pretty : )

Nicole, me, and Marina

the plumbline

Hello again!

So I survived Plumbline!!! It was actually not as scary as I thought it would be. It was very freeing, healing, and eye-opening. Each student had the option to stand in front of the class and tell the people who they need to forgive who had done certain things to them, and also ask for forgiveness for what they had done to others. It was really hard for alot of us, to share alot of things that we had hidden deep within ourselves. But we all got through it and it totally brought us together. : )

So that was my week in a nutshell. Now, I know promised to post pictures, but it's about 1:20 am, so I think I'll wait til next time. Sorry! (ok, I'll post one for ya)

: )

Just want to say thank you to all of you who are keeping me in your prayers and giving me your encouragement. : )

It was a tough beginning this week, but I'm doing alot better now. I was just dealing with alot of stress, exhaustion, and homesickness. I took it all to God and just cried out to Him to help me get through this week. God ceases to amaze me by His unending faithfulness! Yes, I was still tired and yes, it was still hard, but somehow God renewed my energy and gave me a new motivation to keep going. And it actually ended up being a great week. God totally turned something that seemed dark and cloudy into something I will never forget: God hears me and He is faithful. : )

Today we had "Faith Day." It was SO cool! The leaders took us to downtown Salem and dropped us off and gave us an envelope with ten dollars and a list of things to do around the city. We weren't allowed any other money or cell phones; just our IDs. And the money the gave us couldn't be spent on ourselves or each other; it had to be someone else. It was such an awesome experience! We just walked around Salem, waiting for God to lead us around every corner and to show us what He wanted us to do. We and my partner (we were split into groups of twos) walked with an old lady around the park, gave some food to a little kid, talked to a homeless guy, went into a Catholic church and prayed for all the people, prayed over a tattoo shop (we don't know why! We just felt led!), talked to and prayed for a man who was involved with a transitional home for teens who are socially inept, and gave money to a man who was in line to buy a hot dog and a mom with a little kid on her hip. It was one of the coolest things ever! At first I was totally nervous, because it was all totally new to me. But then, just the feeling of talking to someone, or giving something to someone and having it totally change and brighten their day- it's like the best feeling ever! : )

Yeah, it was pretty awesome, and I totally view people differently now. Salem is such a diverse and beautiful city. I loved taking it all in.

Also, my friend Arielle came home today! Well, came back to Salem anyways. : ) We're gonna try and hang out tomorrow, if I can get most of my homework done.

Next week is Plumbline week, aka "Forgiveness & Repentance Week." I keep hearing how emotional and intense it's going to be- SO PLEASE PRAY FOR US ALL! It's emotionally draining but also one of the best weeks of DTS because it brings everyone together on a whole new level.

I'm continuing to receive financial support- THANK YOU!

Sorry for the sporatic updates. I wish I had time to write more and post pictures, but time is SO limited here with my schedule. Thanks for reading though.

: )

running on empty

Hey guys,

I need some prayer. The past few days I've just been really, really worn out. Physically, mentally, spiritually. It is so good that I am here, and I enjoy every minute of it! But we hardly get a spare second to just sit, breathe, think, and digest all that's spinning around in our little heads! I feel like my mind is going at one hundred miles an hour. I almost fell asleep during class, yesterday and today! I was doing fine at first, but it's beginning to take it's toll on my fragile little self.

Pray for refreshment, and new energy and motivation, in everything. I don't want to just go through the motions and "do" all I'm supposed to "do." I want to get everything I can out of this experience! But I feel like a sponge that can't soak up anymore water, and it's frustrating.

On a lighter and happier note, my Valentine's Day was awesome! All the girls got dressed up for a candlelight dinner that all the guys from our DTS made us. It was so sweet! : ) (I'll try and post pictures. If I have time, so probably not. Haha.)

And my best friend, Arielle, is coming here to Salem on Friday! For those who don't know, she actually attended the Fall DTS and her team went to China and Thailand, and her team will be returning to the base for debriefing. So I get to see her all week and I'm so stoked because I haven't seen her in months! : )

Thank you all for your prayers and love. And keep Arielle in your prayers as well as she returns from her outreach!

intensity

Hello folks!

So it's been a while since I last posted a "real blog," so, since I have most of my homework done and I have some free time on my hands, I figured I'd write. : )

Alot has happened in two weeks! Last Friday, our team had the opportunity of "Experiencing Injustice." For those of you who haven't received my support letters, I'll give you a little run-down on human trafficking...

Millions of women and children are being kidnapped and sold into slavery throughout the world and even in the US. This is called human trafficking. People take these women and children and use them in horrible, inhumane ways. Over 27 million women, and even girls as young as eight years old, are used in the sex slave industry and being forced into prostitution. And over 300,000 children are taken from their homes and forced to take up arms and/or be sex slaves for soldiers in Africa. 218 million children between the ages of 5 and 17 work in sweatshops for up to 12 hours a day without pay and often being physically and sexually abused.

Yeah, it's pretty heart-breaking. During our "Experiencing Injustice" session, we were taken from room to room and shown a video or a skit (done by the staff) about the different types of human slaveries. But the last part of the session made the whole experience seem like a glimpse into reality...

(Everything I describe was done by staff members who were acting. No one was actually harmed) We were forced by men to get on our knees and put on blindfolds. Then they shoved us (about 7 of us girls) into a van. When the van parked, the men ordered us to get out, get on our knees in the cold mud and grass (it was about 8 at night and very cold & dark), and take off our blindfolds. Then we noticed there were several girls tied up screaming and crying. Some of the men grabbed another girl kneeling in the grass, forced a gun into her hand, and ordered her to shoot the girl who had been tied up. At this moment, for me, reality hit. As I said above, kids are taken from their homes, given a gun, and brain-washed into killing other people. It just breaks my heart to know that innocent children, as young as five, are forced into these kids of inhumane acts.

A few days after the session, we watched a movie, called "Human Trafficking." If any of you are interested in learning more about human trafficking, I encourage you to watch it. But I strongly recommend it for an older audience (15 and up) as it is very graphic and extremely real.

Then next morning after watching the movie, we had intercession for those affected by human trafficking. But before we started praying, we watched an NBC clip. It showed an American newsman going into a small village in the Philippines. As soon as he entered a young boy and his mother came up to him, offering him young girls at a cheap price. The newsman followed them into a room, where ten or so young girls were gathered. Then he was led to a room with just a bed in it. Then several girls entered the room and started naming off prices, as if it were completely normal; $30 a girl.

At this point of the clip, I was crying my eyes out, and continued to do so through the whole intercession. I think it was God's way of showing me how much it breaks His heart that little kids have to go through that.

This week we studied the countries of southern Africa, and had intercession for the issues plaguing Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, there is a severe cholera epidemic. The streets are flooded with human waste. And people dying from the disease are left in the hospitals to decompose, further breeding the disease.

Over 60,000 will contract cholera in the next month in Zimbabwe alone. Cholera is basically a disease contracted through the unintentional consumption of infected human waste that contaminate food and water. Its symptoms are severe vomiting, explosive diarrhea, and severe dehydration. Without immediate medical treatment, cholera may result in death within four to twelve hours after symptoms begin. Due to a large loss of body fluids, cholera is gruesome in the way that it leaves survivors in their physical appearance, as well as in the biological toll it takes on the body. And cholera is very contagious, but is easily treated with fluids and antibiotics.

All it takes is someone willing to do something. Someone to listen to God's voice, trust, and act in obediance. And change will come.

As I share this information with you, I realize not all of you can drop everything and go to Zimbabwe. But please be praying that God would lay it on people's hearts to act, and to bring hope to these hurting people.

Whew. So yeah, as you can see, it's been a couple of intense weeks.

And on top of everything, I'm sending out all of my support letters this weekend. Pray that people would be willing to give, and bring change into people's lives, through what I'm doing.

I really can't say it enough, but THANK YOU to all of you! For taking the time to read (sorry it was so long!) all that was on my heart. I love you all. : )

some frustrations...

Hey you guys!

The internet here hasn't been working. ALOT has been happening here and it's been crazy and I can't wait to tell you all. Hopefully, tomorrow the internet will be working and I can post more. But I have class pretty soon. Thanks for checking in!

Also, I have alot of work to do in sending out support letters. Please pray that I won't get stressed with that. God is good and I've been able to get alot of homework done during the week, so I won't have too too much for tomorrow, giving me more time to write the letters. Yes, each one will be hand-written because printing here cost money. I thank you all sincerely and love you all. : )

to whom it may interest...

You can get a tour of the base where I am staying, if the pictures aren't satisfying enough. Just go to www.ywamsalem.org and clike About Us, then Base Tour. Enjoy! : D

His dreams come true

the team!!!

this is a nutria. it looks like part beaver, part rat.

another nutria; they're so cute! : )

for ropes course team building, we had to jump into this little pond- but right before we jumped in our team would pull us up by a rope we were attatched to, rocketing us 50 feet in the air. Very fun! : D

we had to use these three boards to get our team across to the other side, using only the stumps. easier said then done!

This week has been exhausting! Waking at 6:45 each morning, going, going, going, then lights out at midnight, repeat times five- it can really take it out of you!

This week was really...convicting. I've never felt called to do this thing called "missions"; never felt bold enough, strong enough, or able. I always thought to myself,"Oh, somene else can do it. Someone who's good at doing that kind of stuff." But God is showing me that He calls each one of us. We are all a part of His body; we are His hands and feet. And if He's trying to direct His hands and feet to move and do something and they aren't responding- how frustrating that can be! And when there's a world out there, hurting, and Christ is right there-calling us to come and rescue people- and we don't come to answer the call, how heart breaking that must be for Him!

A question people often ask is,"Where is God in this broken and messed up world?" But the question should be "Where are we?" God has called and we need to be the ones who answer. Healthy people don't need a doctor- the sick do.

And getting back to the point of me not being able. Haha. Our speaker this week was saying how God created us specifically and exactly for what He planned for us to do. That really encouraged me- knowing that God designed me in such a way to do what He created me for! So simple, yet so mind-boggling.

Another point our speaker had was that when we go out into the world and bring His love to people who are in desparate need of it and hurting, we make God's dreams come true. That just made smile. : )

Oh my goodness! I forget to tell you all some very exciting news! For my outreach, we will be going to Columbia!!! We will actually be splitting up into two groups- Myanmar/Thialand and Columbia. I will be on the Columbia team and am SUPER excited! I honestly don't know too much about the country. I was just told that there is alot of kidnapping/child trafficking and the main religion there is Catholicism, so they are in deep need of truth and love. I will keep you posted as I learn more details about our trip and the Colmbian culture.

We went to Walmart and Burger King last night!!!! All of us students are here at the base alllllll the time, so any chance to get out is very exciting. We got a burger, fries, and shake at Burger King- SO GOOD!!!! Don't worry; they feed us good here. I got some essential needs at Walmart. The dryers here don't work so well, so all of our clothes comes out damp. Me and my roomie bought a rope and hung it around our room so we could hang the clothes up. It looks like we live in a circus tent now; or maybe Spiderman's lair, if he were to have one. Haha. Oh, the adventures. I enjoy every crazy minute of it all. : )

I'm pretty much finished with homework, so I'm gonna try and find a few minutes to play the piano and relax. : )

That's pretty much it for this week. I just wanted to thank you all again (I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH!) for ALL of your finicial support. I still have quite alot of money to raise, but God has been faithful in bringing bit by bit in.

* Pray for:

-Me. I need new energy for this week. : )

-Finicial Support.

Thank you!