**WARNING: there will be MANY exclamation points in here!!!!**
I am so excited to announce that I will be returning to Africa this summer!! I never could have imagined the adventures God in store for me when I went last year. I was stretched in ways I wasn't sure I was flexible in anymore. The living conditions, restrooms, lack of creature comforts, and not having things sanitizingly clean were things I always imagined would bother me. In the states I won't even go camping in a cozy sleeping bag after eating yummy smores over the crackling fire, but in Africa it seemed just fine to sleep with cockroaches, take ice cold showers, and use squatty potties.
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| Korah |
After having my eyes open to how many others live, the old me would have said "this was a nice experience but I'm not going back again." The new me says, "can I go back now?!" After meeting the wonderful people I spent time with in Africa, none of those details mattered. I'm excited to spend time in both Ethiopia and Uganda again with the majority of the time being in Ethiopia in my favorite place... Korah. I will be going with Visiting Orphans again and we will be serving with Project 61 and Mission Ethiopia while we are there. I am ecstatic to be able to spend a week with my sponsor son, Teshome!!! Absolutely a dream come true!
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| The first day with Teshome |
The other dream come true is that I get to take this journey with my best friend, Kendra! Last year, as I was spending time with kids, I would literally be thinking "Kendra should be here." This year she will be!! Some girl friends take trips to Napa valley, spa weekends, or maybe a cruise. We are choosing a girls crazy adventure week to a leper/trash dump community in Africa and could not be happier about it!
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| Can't wait to walk these streets in Korah again |
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| Vanessa |
After Ethiopia, Kendra and I will part from our group and head to Uganda to visit with Return Ministry for a few days. This could be challenging for two gals who get lost going to places we go to all the time :) It will be neat to see Africa outside of a big group. Can't wait to spend time with Pastor Samuel and his family, visit the little girl we sponsor, spend time with the women making the beautiful jewelry I have been selling and have time with the children we have been feeding.
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| Village of Busega |
If you want any information on the organizations I am serving with or ways you could get involved, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm sure you will hear from me over the next few months as I prepare for this next great adventure.
