June 6, Final Day

I apologize for slacking off on writing for the past two days! On Monday, the 4th, we stuck pretty close to the Lake House. First we went to Valmirez, where we were supposed to be able to see the inside of an old church, shot through with canons! We could see the canons on display from the outside, but the church is closed on Mondays. :(

We got some final shopping in while we were there, and I got a pretty sweet witness ring that displays a cross, an anchor, and a heart. I'm pretty excited about that! We also picked up boxes of fruit for our final orphanage visit of our mission trip.

We went to Skongoli, which is supported by Mark and Suzanne Jagels of Davenport, Nebraska. We were able to tour the very up-to-date facilities, and I gave a Bible away to a young boy named Alexander.

The particular orphanage has a very special building, specifically for young mothers and their babies. When we were there, they were housing 3 mothers, one who was 22 and named Natalie, and the other two were only 15 and named Mairia (pronounced Myra) and Olga. Mairia was deaf, and she had a 10-day-old baby. She had to have a live-in assistant to help her because she couldn't hear her baby cry at night. This young girl was who I was able to give a Bible to! Although shy, she seemed very happy!

We went into Cesis and we toured an old castle from the 13th century! It was exactly what I pictured when thinking about an old European stone castle! It was absolutely amazing! I've always wanted to see a castle, and I even got to go in the dungeon of this one! That was the highlight of my "cultural experiences" on this trip!

Yesterday, our last day in Europe, was our day off. We stayed at the Lake House and some went row-boating, some watched movies, some napped, some did everything! It was good to take a breather and prepare ourselves for about 25 hours or so of traveling.

At dinner last night, our driver and his family made  up a bit of a celebration for us, with homemade cake and some champagne! As we went around the table, we individually talked about why we were on this trip, what our highlights were, and a few of us shared how this trip affects our futures.

It really got me thinking, back to how I got to where I am. It started nine or ten years ago, when I first move to the Deshler area in Nebraska. Pastor Reehl came to my church to share the mission and his experiences with my congregation. I knew, with no hesitation, that I wanted to join on one of his trips, wanted to share the same passion and joy that he had for these people in relatively poor conditions compared to our own in the United States. I would learn, in May of 2012, that this was God planting a seed in my heart, one that had and has the potential to grow into full-time mission work.

When I first had the ambition to go, I was about 10 years old and had no money to even consider trying to pay my way to Russia. The desire remained and grew for several years, however, and finally found a solution in 2011.

I had a friend at school named James, but hadn't really hung out with him much. There was one day when he was talking with me and some mutual friends, and began talking about his mission trip to Russia! I told him right away that had always been my dream, to visit the country and spread God's love and Gospel.

James told me all I needed to do was secure a spot, but at the time I had $10 to my name and no job, plus I was a freshmen in college. I laughed off the idea, sure that it wouldn't work.

James didn't give up on me, though, and praise God that he didn't! He even went so far as to call Reehl for me to see if there was still a spot open . From there, God made everything fall perfectly into place, in a way I feel I can only describe as miraculous.

Once my spot was secured, I called Reehl personally to find out details. (I was still skeptical that it would actually work at this point. I'm not really sure when I started to believe it would work!) Reehl suggested to me that I contact my own pastor so that I could get help with fundraising for my $3,500 trip. Pastor B.J. Fouts was very helpful, and I am so grateful to him for all the help and support he gave and helped find for me!

Right away, we had ideas in place the the congregation informed of the trip, and with everything in action, I never was in fear that I would not make my fundraising goals. God was simply amazing, and the funds poured in until I not only was able to pay for my trip, but was able to generously gift a total of $400 to organizations in need. I have no choice, and, more importantly, no other desire than to thank and praise God for all that He did for me! He provided the way and the means for me to be able to serve Him in a different culture, and I am honored.

I have to laugh at God's sense of humor... In my journal I have quotes and verses to top off each page. I read these two pages' inspirations, and this is what they say: "God will not send us out on any journey for which He does not equip us well." -- Alexander Maclaren; and "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." -- Philippians 4:19 NKJV

Our God HAS provided, in every area of need and want. I praise Him! What else can I do? "Praise the Lord, oh my soul! Praise His holy name!" Our God blows my mind away, really and truly.

And now that we're in an airport, headed back to our beloved family and friends, I can sit here and truthfully say that I feel like all the support I got, from money to prayers to good wishes, payed off! My highlight of my trip is this: It's walking into an orphanage, filled with children who have no family, and watching faces light up at the sheer sight of someone who is filled with hugs. It's walking into a room filled with handicapped, socially outcast children and watching loving caretakers pick up the kids and give hugs and kisses. It's feeling ten pairs of small hands tug on my shirt tail, and the ten corresponding faces all clamor for a shot with my camera. It's the simple joy of chasing soap bubbles and listening to small voices join together in laughter. It's handing a Bible to an old, worldly-broken man who bursts into tears after I hand him a Bible, and hoping that someday his body will be perfect and healthy in heaven.

It's knowing that places like Skongili are helping mommies like Mairia, Natalie, and Olga. It's holding little girls like Alona and Zhania in my lap and knowing that, even though they've been through trials that inhibit their natural, child-like laughter, I've made them smile and left them with what is hopefully a better idea of Jesus' love. It's all these things, but overall, its' the knowledge that none of those moments, none of those impacts, are me, are my work. They are the hand of the Lord, our precious and holy Father, who cares for all His children, from blessed (overly-so, in my opinion,) Americans to Russian, parentless children, to baby burn victims, to elderly, poorly cared-for beggars. He extends His arm to "the least of these", and sometimes, He uses people like me to reach out, to be the hand at the end of His arm.

All that being said, where do I go now? Only God knows with absolute certainty where I will be and what I will be doing in my future. The gateways for mission work have always been open, whether or not I've known it. I see this trip as the light shining in through the entryway.

"True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction." --Psalm 23:3 MSG

"Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow." -- Psalm 25:4 NLT

"Life begins each morning... EAch morning is the open door to a new world - new vistas, new aims, new tryings." -- Leigh Mitchell Hodges