wherever i go: 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. : )