Author: Adventures

my orphan

  Dear Maria Clara, In a few weeks you probably won't remember me anymore, but I'll never forget you. I still remember the first time I saw you. Pastor Rony said they had babies in a nursery and I snuck off quickly to find me one. From the first time I laid eyes on you, I knew you were "My One." The one person I wanted to love on each week, to pour into and pray for, to cuddle with and snuggle and let you know you are loved. Granted, you were six months old when I met you, and now you're eight months. You still don't really walk or...

Continue reading

Learning to Remember

God does such good work.  With only one more week in Cambodia, I am reflecting a lot on all the things that God has done and I am amazed.  I have seen healing, seen friendships develop and grow, lives have been restored, the word of God proclaimed, I have experienced personal growth, and I have seen love lived out in the most beautiful ways—life in Cambodia has been incredible.  And there is still more life to bring—but, God was faithful through all of this and I know He will be until it is finished.    It’s challenging to concisely put into words...

Continue reading

The missing piece

Welp, this is a post that seems surreal to write.  This is my last blog post!  So in the spirit of lasts…here are the some things that I will have my 'last' of this week that I will miss: – Having the time to have extremely lengthy times in the Word – Wandring through streets exploring – Fresh, sweet pineapple and mango – Eating lunch and dinner at one long table with my team – The kids I built relationships with at the orphanage – That I can afford things in Cambodia – Conversations with my friend who works at a...

Continue reading

Finally, I See You Crystal Clear

I remember getting ready to leave for this trip thinking, "Wow… three and a half months is practically an eternity away from home and everything familiar." I mean, sure, there was everybody telling me how it would be over before I knew it or telling me I would be having way too much fun to miss everybody back home. And, sure, I said some of those kinds of things to other people as well, but who really believes all that when they're getting ready to go live in Cambodia for the next three and a half months? I know I didn't. I remember thinking that was just...

Continue reading

Goodbye Sista….

Sista… Sista is a word I have heard a lot being in Cambodia and in the last three weeks the word sister has been redefined for me. When asked if I have any siblings, I usually say, “Yes, I have three older sisters”, but now I may have to alter my answer just a little bit. God has shown me that not only do I have three amazing blood sisters but now I found myself having a lot more sisters than I thought.  One in particular's name is Seak liv. Seak liv is the girl who has completely changed my outlook on what a sister is. Seak liv is fourteen years...

Continue reading

HOME & Final Blog!

Hello All! First off, due to illness (mainly mono) I had to come home from Cambodia two weeks early. It was really hard to leave ministry and my AMAZING team early, but I am also very thankful to be able to rest and get well in the comforts of home. I’m also thankful to have made it as far as I did in my journey in Cambodia! Cambodia was really hard for me in a lot of different ways, but man, I wouldn’t change a thing! I’m serious! The “trials” by FAR outweigh all of the lessons I learned and all of the love I got to give and receive. In Cambodia I learned that...

Continue reading

I’m Glad

You know, this trip was really hard for me. I think it was difficult for everyone for a variety of reasons, but man, it definitely stretched me. However, looking back at the past three months, I have to say that I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity I had to come to Cambodia. I got to do things here that I didn’t imagine myself doing a year ago. Things like learning a tiny bit of a language I honestly didn’t know existed and watching the sunrise above one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Or sharing the gospel with people who had never heard it before, including several...

Continue reading

Happy Birthday Mom!

This Sunday is my mom’s birthday, and I want to share a story for her. A few weeks into the trip, our team went to an elderly lady’s house and talked and prayed with her. I told my mom about her and every couple of weeks, my mom for some reason asked about her. I didn’t really know what to tell her because since that day, I hadn’t seen or talked to the lady. A few weeks ago during ATL (ask the Lord what He wants you to do), Joel, Taylor, Emily and I went to the elderly lady’s house to visit her. She was very happy to see us and welcomed us into her house. She...

Continue reading

Passport: More Than an Adventure [Video]

We took the opportunity to check in with our Passport missionaries to catch a glimpse of life on the field.  We could tell you that the Passport is more than just a 1-9 month missions trip for 18-22 year olds (which you can apply for here).  We could tell you that the Passport is an experience that will expose you life in the developing world.  We could tell you that you’ll confront human trafficking, the plight of orphans, and poverty.  We could say that you’ll probably experience community and growth at a deeper level than you have...

Continue reading

With Love, Tienda Marlita

I know what you’re thinking: “What is a ‘tienda’?” Tiendas are a dime-a-dozen around Guatemala (Our joke is that there is a tienda every three doors). They are little convenience stores that sell sodas, chips, laundry soap, and other odds-and-ends. Now, you are probably asking: “Who is Marlita?” Yeah…We still have no idea either. Specifically, Tienda Marlita is the tienda that is directly across the street from our house. We have become regulars there and have become friends with the Guzman Morales family whom owns it (none of which are named...

Continue reading

Sweet Love

  “A changed life convinces people of Christ’s power.”    “When you face challenges in life, seek to know what God wants you to do, and then do it, confident that he will do his part. You don’t know ahead of time how he will accomplish his will. Trust God and prepare to be surprised by the ways he demonstrates his trustworthiness.”  (study notes in the book of Esther)    Today is day 90 on the mission field. We only have 5 days left of ministry. Then heading back to Antigua for debrief and back to the States on...

Continue reading

Crisis of Honor

We have a crisis in our country. (The US, not Guatemala, though I’m sure it’s a problem here too). I am not referring to the budget crisis or the economic crisis or the crisis of Demi and Ashton no longer being together. It’s not the war on drugs or the war on poverty or the war for better education. No, it’s something deeper, arguably at the root of all of these. It’s a crisis of honor. I recently read Culture of Honor by Danny Silk. It revolutionized the way I look at leadership, particularly in the Christian setting. Every person is made in the image of...

Continue reading