Author: Adventures

WE MADE IT TO HOPEthiopia! I’m gonna live here. So, after 5ish hours in a taxi van thing, we made it to HOPE and wow, I’m gonna live here. When we first got to Ethiopia, I loved it but, when we started working with BCDO (Blessing the Children), I felt as though maybe Ethiopia wasn’t for me and that it was just gonna be a check off the list of countries I wanted to serve in, in Africa. Working in Debre Zeyit was okay but hard, hard because I felt like I was called and brought to Ethiopia for more then just hanging out with some beautiful teenage kids who already have...

I arrived in Ethiopia with my heart ready for and expecting God to do a great work in me. Joyfully I prayed and pleaded to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Day and night I knocked on the Father’s door and begged for Him to show up in big ways. I was so thirsty for Him that soon I began to demand Him to show up on my terms. I prayed for many different specifics. I kept waiting but nothing came. Not long after I began to burn out and became extremely discouraged and even angry at God. I was unable to see why God would abandon me when I was so ready for Him-  when I felt like I...

Hey friends and family of the Ethiopia team! Thank you so much for being patient and understanding as wifi has been very limited and spotty this past month. Your girls have done amazing things and can not wait to share their stories with you all 🙂 We are currently waiting to board our last flight to head to Atlanta. Keep us in your prayers as we finish traveling, debrief this past month, and get ready to say some hard goodbyes. We, as a leadership team, thank you so much for allowing your girls to come to Africa with us and to experience what the Lord is doing there.   -Tina, Des,...

At the beginning of the trip, at training camp, our leaders asked us a basic question, “What’s something you’re excited for on this trip?” My answer was “I’m excited to do the things I’m afraid to.” What they didn’t know was that the list of things I’m afraid of is quite long: heights, weird-shaped bugs, crowds, talking to strangers, or loneliness. You name it, I just might be afraid of it. What I didn’t know was that God was going to challenge all of that this trip.    Heights: flying, driving in the mountains, and...

In San Jose, we went into the slums of the city to pick up kids to bring then to our VBS with MetroMinistries. When I saw the conditions in which they lived and noticed that they lived with nothing, it broke my heart. I immediately recognized that my life at home was really blessed. The faces of the kids lit up—like they won the lottery—when we played with them! They dance and jump with joy. We learned that many of the girls were possibly abused at home, and many of the boys had to leave their own dreams to take care of their families. Now, however, we are no longer in the city...

The people of Puerto Rico have taught me so much. My team and I came to serve them and to help them recover. These people find so much joy in serving others. They encourage me to give generously and to love fully. My life has truly been changed by the way they love and serve others. God’s love shines through in the way Puerto Ricans love people.    My identity is often found in many things other than God. These people remind me of God’s love for me. This pushes me to believe in my identity in Christ and to love people fully. I am going home a changed daughter of...