Im safe!!!

Good evening. I'm breaking my initial desire to spend the next 3 weeks away from the Internet, email and blogging. But, extenuating circumstances change things a bit. I thank the many of you who have emailed me with concern and have been keeping Colorado Springs in your prayers through this devastating wild fire. I am in fact safe. The past 4 days have been a bit of a blur but filled with incredible blessing.

When I blogged on Monday, never would I have imagined that I would be so close to such a catastrophic disaster. Missionary Training International headquarters and accommodations are located in Palmer Lake which is very close to the Air Force Academy. On Tues they were evacuated and on Wednesday we were. At MTI we learn a lot about being flexible and adapting to various situations, well we got the best possible real life training!! I am so incredibly overwhelmed by the kindness and love shown to us by the surrounding communities, and we are just visitors!!

 Almost 60 of us were welcomed with open arms to stay at a beautiful Baptist church and continue training there. We were incredibly blessed with enough showers, blankets, towels and air mattresses for all of us! This community that had lost over 250 houses and is mourning the loss of thousands of acres by a fire that is still burning, was serving us. I saw Christ over and over and over again the past days. What a blessing.

So, to answer many of your concerns, we are safe! Today we were given the clearance to head back to Palmer Lake and I am writing to you from our shared community room. I will be sure to keep you informed if anything changes. Please keep this wonderful community in your prayers as they are just so sad over the damage, and countless firefighters and emergency responders are working tirelessly.

7:20 am Airports.  Either you love em or you hate em.  I happen to love them.  Especially Detroit Airport.  No I'm not in Detroit.  Im sitting in Laguardia.  I don't know if it's just the adventure, people watching (which we know can get pretty darn interesting) or feeling like the world is at your finger tips.  But, I'm fairly certain I feel a bit more like myself when I'm about ready to get on an airplane.


My two weeks of traveling the northeast and spending time with family and friends have commenced.  Since stopping work I have attended a bachelorette party, had a massage (bday present I was saving for when I was no longer on call, would have been great if the masseuse didn't talk so much!), traveled to Delaware and Ocean City, Maryland to spend time with my Philly roommate, dinner with my aunt (a fellow PA!), spoke at Odyssey, went to Hunter mountain for a few days with a college friend, took Jamie to the city, packed for Colorado and DR, helped throw a rehearsal dinner and was a bridesmaid in a wedding.  And who could forget the awesome prayer warriors who met at my house Thurs evening? 


The past two weeks were perfect.  I'm so thankful for whoever convinced me to take them.  They were badly needed to transition from work life to this next phase.  And now I speak to you as I am waiting to board my flight to mission training international in Colorado Springs, CO.  I've had many people ask me what the next 3 weeks entail.  Truthfully, I'm not quite sure.  I've heard MTI helps train you as a cross cultural missionary.  Teaches you how to take care of yourself while out in the field.  And prepares you for spiritual warfare.  But, this is all speculation.  We shall wait and see. 


Prior to leaving for Colorado, I had a wonderful correspondence with my site director in the DR who for all intensive purposes will be my leader/boss/mentor.  All SI missionaries are required to attend MTI before arriving in the field.  His suggestion was that I really limit my communication with the "outside" world for the next 3 wks.  To really be able to focus on Christ and what I am experiencing at this time emotionally and spiritually.  I tend to agree with him.  Respit with Christ is exactly what I need after an amazing but exhausting year of fundraising, work and traveling.  I need to refresh.  To be reminded of why I'm moving.  To serve Him.  And to commune with other missionaries who understand. So this is the last blog entry I will do until I am back in NY July 13th.  Hope everyone has a wonderful fourth of July.  Roast some s'mores for me!! Xoxo

I never thought of myself as materialistic.  Why is it then that I'm not sleeping well at night?  With thoughts of how much I love my car, XM radio (alt nation to be exact), Netflix (a Madmen guilty pleasure) and Pandora.  Each of these I will be leaving behind.  Specifically this week.  Sigh.  So stupid.  I wish I could say I hurtle forward without sadness.  Without analyzing all I'm "giving up."

I've spent the last couple days in Delaware visiting my PA school roommate.  What an incredible blessing to have this time to spend with so many people I love.  I can't believe in one week I leave for missionary training in Colorado!!

Today I gave my favorite missionary speech thus far.  I believe I have shared that my family and I worship at a church service started by Hopewell Reformed Church for people with disabilities.  This is my home.  This is where we worship and see faith at its purest and most tangible form.  And this is where I chose to give my final talk as I leave for the field.  It was awesome.  How incredible to teach of the extreme poverty in the DR.  And how genuine was my audience's reaction.  This population is not immune to the ads in magazines and on tv that we so easily ignore.  They ached for my future patients.  "How can they not even have band-aids?"

Speaking at Odyssey

Had to show off "the beginning," our family's first church
photo that also featured some awesome hair do's

People seemed interested!

Prayer Circle!!

Amazing!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day!!

I sit before you in tears.  I've been waiting for them to arrive.  I thought they would come as I was saying goodbye to my college roommates.  Or goodbye to my patients.  Or goodbye to my doctor.  But, they didn't.  I wouldn't let them.  But, now as I sit alone on a Tuesday morning in my childhood bedroom completely overwhelmed by His mercy, grace and provision they come.

Matt Redman plays on my ipad.  His words resonate so clearly within my heart.  "The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning.  It's time to sing Your song again.  Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me.  Let me be singing when the evening comes."

I shamefully admit that I have forgotten.  My eyes have lost the focus.  The vision of what this is all about.  I got caught up once again in what I am doing, instead of what He is doing.  As I continue speaking about all the patients I hope to help, I become entirely overwhelmed.  What difference can I truly make?  But, then a gentle reminder that when I said Yes Lord, I will follow you to the Dominican He didn't ask me to do it alone.  He will be with me.  As I continue the goodbyes.  As I travel the northeast visiting friends.  As I go to Mission Training with other missionaries who I'm sure are much farther in their walk than I.  As I depart for the DR.  He will be there.  He will not abandon me.  Not now, not ever.  It is Him that will work, I just have to let Him.

Last Tuesday was the hardest day so far.  I said goodbye to my Tuesday patients.  The patients that for some reason all fall on the same day whom I have seen every week for two years.  The patients that break my heart to be leaving.  And they humbled me with their tears, their love and their support.  I ended the day angry.  Doubting this journey.  Feeling as though my patients here desperately need me!

And then, I step outside to this

Look closely, do you see it??  The most vibrant rainbow I have ever seen.  I felt as if it was placed just for me.  And God reminded me

"When the rainbow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth." Genesis 9:16

We serve such a faithful God.  One who cares about us and our feelings.  Even sadness when following His will.  That is what I am grasping.  His rainbow.  His promise.  Our Father.

Last night I was once again reminded how many wonderful people are taking this journey with me and believe in the work Christ is/will be doing in the DR.  There is an incredible girls youth Christ Care group at our church led by a faithful teenager (Shannon Herrmann) who as their mission project decided to make a quilt.  With the help of two incredible women (Beth Lazarro and Colette Varanouskas) a beautiful quilt was made.  This wonderful  group decided to sell raffle tickets and give all proceeds to my patients.  They raised $1050!!  Funds I can use to buy medications and supplies for patients that may otherwise be unable to afford them.  I am so profoundly overwhelmed by their hard work and love for people they have never met.  This is Christ working.

Isn't it beautiful???

Friends, we serve such a glorious God.  Don't forget.  I won't.

"Bless the Lord oh my soul, worship His Holy Name, Sing like never before, oh my soul.  Lord I worship your Holy name." Matt Redman