I miss them.

First I want to apologize for not updating this after I got home. I have been home now well over a month.

It’s been a month of adjusting and getting my sleeping habits back on track, getting use to working again at a “normal” job (There’s really nothing normal about my job, I cook for about 4000 kids daily), trying to apply what I learned this summer to my life here in Omaha. Its been busy with work, working with our refugee kids, church, starting a lifegroup and finally getting settled into our house (We moved in in May).

I promise that I am writing a final newsletter to each of you who gave toward my trip.  Once I get it written I will get it out to you.

In the meantime...

This trip my team and community was from not Omaha (besides Jake and Anna who are from here) which means I don’t get to see them.

Community is a funny thing. When you are in it, it can seem hard. People are people and we do people things. 

This summer I love my team and it was also a point of frustration for me. Moments of not feeling seen or heard. Times of being alone with no one to walk with to laundry or the grocery or GG. But there were also moments of pure joy and laughter, of heart to heart talks late at night or just in the middle of the day. There were many prayers spoken for each other and a sense of family. We were three parts that found a way to become one.

Now that I'm reflecting and looking back on the trip those hard moments seem to disappear. (They usually do) And what I remember is the good moments and the moments where we fought for each other and held each other up when we couldn’t do it alone. Which results in me truly missing my team. I miss each of them. I miss my girls from California, those who walked thru life with me this summer. I miss each of my teammates who would walk up the hill to GG in the mornings. I miss my monday brunch buddies and my sweet sweet roommates. We were a team of such different people but all of us were connected by someone and something very important--Jesus and having him known everywhere, sharing his Hope and Love with everyone we meet.

Our beach fam

My roommates

My small group- Beautiful ladies who Love Jesus but He loves them more.

Three Weeks Left

There is about three weeks left.

In this last week we
said goodbye to our last teams.
Started our first last's
Flew out of the country on a visa run

So much has happened this summer. It's hard to summarize. It's even sometimes hard to put on paper. In these last two months we have come to love this city and it's people. Everyone always with a smile and a hello.

This summer I was/am able to help a growing nonprofit here expand and grow. As part of this we had a bazar to sell some of their products. Zach, Ashton and I (the three interns working with them this summer) set up a pop up shop for a weekend. Our intern team and our last short term team were able to by bags and scarves and table runners for friends and family and, themselves, back home. In the two days, we sold items we made enough to employ one lady for a third of the year. It was so cool to be able to take that money to their office and present it. They were blown away. We will continue to help them, till we leave and maybe even after we leave. It's been so cool to have a practical way to serve this city and it's people. Next week, we are going to the fabric store to see what they have available and it what prints to make suggestions. I will also be picking up some traditional fabric to bring home.

Each time we had teams come thru they brought an extra energy and power with them. It was cool to see them grow in confidence and know that J will use them to preform miracles here and now. As interns it was refreshing and a bit tiring for them to come thru but we have met new people because of them and decisions have been made that change lives because of their yeses.

As we look forward to the rest of our time here we are trying to remain present and not think too much about the end. There is so much the Father wants to do and we want to still be in a mind set to say yes and be willing. This next week most of us will be traveling to other parts of this island to have a little fun and to reach places that Ms can't go very easily

Please continue to PR for our team.

Many have been sick lately and with travel in our plans good health for all is wanted.

That we would continue to be present here and now each day

That I would hear and see all that J has for me in the coming weeks.

For all the relationships already built that we could build them strong and know how and who to pass them to when we leave.

30 Days.

Made it to the thirty day mark.

We are well into serving the community now. And have our first teams arriving this week.

I wanted to share with you one off my favorite days so far. A week ago Saturday three other teammates and I went to the train station in town and met a group of kids whos parents are working most of the day and night too. The kids have a rough life and a program was started awhile back to give the kids a safe place to be and learn. We met about 15 kids. Sweet kids with beautiful smiles and dreams of their future. Their lesson that day was a story, where we taught them English words every once in awhile. Like the four seasons because they have two here- wet and dry. Then we got to color with them and get to know them better. This Saturday we get to go back and teach the lesson ourselves. It was a sweet time that reminded me so much of my group of kids at Tuesday help back home.

I have been going to a CH for three weeks now. This week three of us went on our own with out translators. The message is translated for us in headphones. It's been so sweet to sing in their language to Father and see the passion in that place for Father and their city. Sometimes I stop singing and just listen to everyone around be and thank J for these people who love Him so much in a place where that's not popular. I am so happy to have found a CH that loves J and is passionate to live lives that look like Him.

We meet in small groups to debrief our time here and process things. This last week I shared my story with my girls and through that was able to see how Father has been with me and has been so so good to me all these years. I have gone through a lot (especially in my time spent in SA) but He has always been there. I have seen and experienced a lot but physically I'm okay. He has never allowed be to be touched. My heart and has been broken up a bit but with His help it's healing. It was a sweet realization while telling my story how much he loves and cares for me. Always has and always will.

How to PR.
Our team is interning into a 21 day Fst. We are PRing for breakthrough and for that which the Father promised us for the summer to come to be. I would appreciate any PRs in that direction for our team. For me personally I will be PRing that I hear His voice clearer and that my ears are tuned to the Father and not the lies and the snake who says them. There are also a few questions I came here with that I am looking for answers for too

Always for POP and chances to meet with locals to talk about J.
For health and energy as we enter our 2nd third of the trip
For our teams coming in to experience all that Father has for them here.

Proof that I am alive.

I made it. Team Time.

Hi all. So sorry that it has taken so long to post an update.

My team and I have been in country for just over two weeks.

We were in training for one week learning about the culture we were stepping into and those we would be sharing with and serving. It was also a week of getting to know our team. We are from three different states and three different communities within our movement. By the time we were lining up outside the closed airport early in the morning to move to our host City we were one team.

Stepping off the plane in our host city showed us how different this place is than where we trained. First of all it wasn't hot and the air full of moisture. There's a breeze. The temp is noticeably cooler. Everyone here has a smile on their face. After getting to our home for the next couple months we were sent out I explore the city, find where to do laundry, buy groceries and Pr over some of the locations we will be visiting over the summer.

Our first week has been filled with language lessons and getting to know this city and how to get around in it. We were able to check out a few places that we will be serving this summer. I am excited to be able to use some of my sewing and creative skills at one place. We also met most of our translators and went out Into the city to talk to people.

One more language lesson then our schedule will normalize for the summer with team time in the mornings and serving in the afternoons.

Ways to PR for my team and I.
-that our language lessons will stick an we will be able to communicate even at a basic level with locals
-that we will continue to be united as a team
-for those who the Father wants us to meet and share Him with
-for whole families to know Him
-continued health and energy throughout the summer.

Two WEEKS.

In two weeks I will be making sure I have everything in my bags and heading to the airport soon to leave for the summer. 

That went fast. It feels like I just signed up for this trip. And now its right around the corner.

People keep asking, "Are you ready?" "Are you getting excited?"

Ready. Physically, No.  Right now my life is 78% in boxes. I just moved this last weekend and am still trying to settle into the new house and find a spot for all my stuff (which I have way too much of anyways). Mentally, Yes. I am ready to leave the states and experience a new place, people and culture.

Excited, of course, wouldn't you be.  I don't get nervous before trips anymore. It feels right. This is what I am made for. My father already knows what is going to happen every day I am away. And I hold to the truth that he doesn't give me more than I can deal with. So besides a little bit of nerves going thru security (but that happens no matter where I fly) I am ready (all except packing and that one last shot I have to get) and excited to see what happens this summer.

Thank you for checking in. I will be updating through out the summer, probably with pictures and cryptic stories.

T-shirts that bring light.

My friend and I have designed a t-shirt to fund raise for our trips to SE Asia.  

We wanted to design a shirt around light. We have seen a theme of LIGHT in the last few months.

How we are to be a light to the world. 

How light beats darkness. 

Where there is light there is no darkness.

Adult shirts

Kid shirts

Even Tanks.

Click HERE to purchase a shirt and to support our trips. 

2 month, 2 days

I'm 2 month and 2 days from leaving for the summer. 

Its going quick and soon I will be boarding a plane and saying goodbye to America for a bit. There are many things that I will miss. Much much to look forward to.  

Last night we had dinner with someone who knows a bit more about our summer than we did. And all the new information we heard only confirms that this summer is going to be so special.  So much more is happening than what we know and can see. 

So far I have seen 28% of my funds come in.  I have started a few fundraisers and have faith that more will continue to come in.  Thank you to all who have given! If you have received my letter and have a few more questions before deciding to partnering with me, comment below and I will get a hold of you and try to answer any questions. 

The other side of the world.

This last week I have been working on sending out letters once again.

If you would like one please let me know in the comments. 

Yup! I'm going overseas this summer again.

I'm going to Southeast Asia.
(Due to security reasons I can't be more specific about this.)

I will be going with others from our church network. There were going to be many teams like ours there trying to share God and his love with those we meet. 

I'm excited about this. 

I'm lucky to work a job that would allow me to leave for the summer and return in the fall.

I will write more as time goes on.

I will use this place to post updates through the summer too.

Lets do this again.

I haven’t written on here lately because when I look at my life I think - There is nothing to share. Nothing exciting happens.   But, I have missed writing on here and sharing so I want to start again. So excuse the mess as I begin to blog again.

I am a lunch lady who wakes up at before the sun and with my coworkers we cook lunch for about 3000 students each day. 

I am a single almost thirty year old who can count the number of friends she has ( Here in this country. If the world was smaller it would be a different story.) on her hands.

I am a daughter who lives 10 hours away from her parents.

I am a sister who lives a block down the hill from her little sister.

I am in love with travel, the world and cultures but for now I live in the Middle of America.

I live in a little two bedroom house with one roommate and no dishwasher. but we do have a garage we don’t park in and a backyard I plan on using a lot this summer.


I am so many other things and non of them seem very exciting to me these days. There is so much before me and I am excited to see where life takes me. I try not to dwell on the fact that I sit on the couch more than I would like. Or that my calendar stays pretty empty each week. Or that when asked who I hang out with I only come up with two answers and one of which is my sister. Okay maybe I do.  Sometimes its hard to forget that being alone can be lonely. 

So I have recently decided I want to change that. Step one was to have friends over for Sunday dinner after church.  What they thought was a lot of work, making pulled pork in the crockpot, was easy and enjoyable because I got to share my life with others today. We sat around our little table and shared stores of our lives and laughed and learned.

COMMUNITY. That is what we are made for. That is what we all long for. That is what I want to be a part of.

So while my life doesn’t seem exciting and worthy of being written about. Maybe there is someone out there who is where I am at wondering how to be apart of this crazy world and not just watch it happen from our couch or our front porch but be a part of it.