I'm going to Europe! For a 10-week internship through Youth Missions International (YMI- missiondifferently.com) that doubles as my school internship to help me graduate! My tentative schedule has me in Seattle for training from May 27-29, in Europe from May 30- August 9, and then debriefing August 10-12 before heading back to Spokane for the Fall Semester around August 24. While in Europe I will be traveling to two places in France- Grenoble and Camp des Cimes, along with Portugal and possibly England! The most recent estimate that I have gotten for my financial need is $5445 if I end up going to Portugal and the two places in France, or $6845 if it works out for me to go to England. I have about 6 weeks to raise this money and finish the rest of the preparation for this trip.
{Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."}
The purpose of this trip is to make connections with churches, ministries, and missionaries already established. I will be staying at least two weeks at a time with various missionaries to support them and learn from them in any way that I can. Looking toward the long-term, I could start working with one of the ministries I meet along the way, or go to an unreached area and begin church-planting, or start an Awana club where there is none yet, or even continually travel and lead teen evangelism conferences across Europe– equipping students with the tools to share the gospel and what Christ has done in their lives.
{A big adventure takes some careful preparation- wool you please help?!}
This is my biggest adventure yet! I hope to dig roots in Europe so that I can move there after graduating. I have had a desire to go to Europe for as long as I have had a desire to share the gospel.
Proverbs 16:9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps."
My course has been for Europe. The Lord has guided my steps to many other places first. I spent a summer in Korea learning about teaching English, maneuvering through different cultures and language barriers, keeping up in a fast-paced ministry, and the two girls on my team became two of my closest friends. Then I went to the inner city of Florida last summer and learned about an entirely different culture when I was around predominantly African-Americans. In Florida I learned the importance of consistency and building relationships. People are more willing to open up to you when they know you care and will listen. In Korea I was an immediate celebrity because of my blonde hair and blue eyes; in Florida I was an immediate outsider because of my blonde hair and blue eyes and had to earn respect and trust over time; I expect my appearance will be a lot less noteworthy in Europe.
There have been a LOT more steps to get me on this course. Praise God! Because He is continually shaping me and growing me to be more like Him through every circumstance He puts me in. This next adventure to Europe is the biggest adventure yet, but there are still a few more steps to take before I get there...
{Elephant in French is "éléphant"... seems like a simple enough language!}
Okay, I already have my own suitcase that works splendidly, but I would greatly appreciate your help in other areas. First and foremost, please pray for this summer. Pray for the Lord's will to be done in every moment of the preparation and going of this trip. Pray for all of the missionaries and ministries right now as they gear up for summer programs and events. Pray for my preparation. I have a lot of paperwork to get done and assignments for both YMI and my college. Please pray for my diligence and my heart as the Lord continues to prepare me for His glory. Pray for my financial need to be fulfilled quickly so as not to delay the planning or the trip in any way. Pray for strong relationships to grow along the way. I will not be traveling with a team. Pray for safety in traveling from site to site and for strong friendships to be built with the people I meet.
{He's such a happy light! I bet all he's carrying is a sandwich...}
As I mentioned in the beginning of the post, I have a substantial financial need for this internship to become a reality. I know that God gives and takes away. I know that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights," (James 1:17).
If God truly wants me to go on this trip, then He will provide the means to get there- all $6845 of it.
If you feel the Lord leading you to give and wish to support me financially, then contact me on Facebook for my address, or give me your address so that I can send you my official support letter. (I'm cautious against putting my address on a blog...) Please make checks payable to Youth Missions International and mail it to me at my college address. I must keep track of my funds and send it to YMI regularly.
{I bet her name is Sara Lee}
Thank you for reading through this whole post! (Or at least skimming all the way to the bottom! I put in as many relevant puns as I could to add to the experience.) I am SUPER excited for this ministry tour and all of the opportunities that it presents. Please consider being a part of what God is doing here. The money, prayers, encouragement, and support you provide for this all goes towards reaching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ- the hope that we are no longer bound by the evil and futility of this world, but that we are given new life in Christ- filled with joy and peace in God's everlasting love.
I repeat to you Paul's instructions in Colossians 4:2-6,
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
