Lift off! it's 3:15 PM on May 22nd, and we're flying out of Omaha! I'm sitting next to Karen [our group leader] to Minneapolis. After a three-hour layover, we'll be out of the country to Amsterdam. So far, so smooth! We're above the clouds now! This is my favorite part! :) We have 11 people on this flight who are part of our group. Only three of them are adults, the rest of us are college kids or younger, which I'm pretty excited about! Our current flight doesn't have any "entertainment", but our big eight-and-a-half hour flight will have movies and such. A couple of us are pretty excited about that! ;)
5:05 PM - Well, this is the hard part, I think. I've called Mom, Dad, and my boyfriend, probably for the last time until I come back to the States. It's very comforting for me to know that the same God will be present in my life, as well as the lives of the ones I love. We have about an hour and a half until we board, and the other kids went to go eat while I called my family. I don't think I could eat right now any way, not after our fairly bumpy landing.
7:15 PM - My, how time flies! (Hehe... See what I did there?) We're boarded on our HUGE plane, on the way to Amsterdam, and they're giving us the "welcome speech". We get little TV's of our own! Oh, how easily entertained I am! Whoop, "the door is closed!"
8:10 PM - Alright, we are up! 7 hours and fifteen minutes away from Amsterdam! We are so high up, it looks like we're over ocean, but we have to fly over Canada before we go over water. I'm siting next to Karen again, and we have decided we're GREAT flying buddies! We have these handy little screens that allow us to listen to music (I've got the "Tangled" soundtrack going right now,) watch movies, shows, just about anything we want. Great mix of classic and modern choices, too. Our current flight information: 559 mph, 62 mph tailwind, -67 degrees F outside (no swimming at 34,802 feet...) 3,866 miles to Amsterdam, and already 301 miles from Minneapolis! I love this thing. :) A note of thanks: We had a random person on our flight donate a crisp, brand-new $100 bill to a group member, with the intent of helping our group on our trip. The generosity of the people around me continues to amaze me. All the glory to God! Well, I'm going to watch "The Shawshank Redemption" for a few hours. :) More later!
8:50 PM - The sun is going down, and the dinner is being served! We're so high above the clouds that they look like an ocean! The sun is beautiful, red, gold, and purple behind the indigo clouds. A nice reminder of how in-charge our all-powerful God is. Dinner doesn't smell too terrible. Doesn't smell like steak, but it's not prison food. Seat belt sign just got turned on, probably for turbulence.
10:30 PM - Dinner was great! The movie was good! Well, about as good as a prison-break movie can be. :) We're about to fly "out" of Canada and over the Atlantic Ocean! Five hours out of Amsterdam, 620 mph, 85 mph tailwind, -76 degrees F at 36,803 feet in the air. Now, for a short nap...
Friday, June 8, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Map!
Hello again, friends! I just finished up the map of where we've been, and it has a few details in it about each visit. I'll begin posting the actual journal entries very soon! :)
Travel Map
Travel Map
Back at Last!
Hello, friends! What an amazing, amazing experience! I can not wait to share everything with all of you, and to share everything that God did on my mission trip! I'm blown away when I sit here and think about everything that happened, and I sincerely hope that I'll be able to accurately convey to you the different emotions that I experienced, especially the love and passion that God gifted to me. I hope that I did a good job a journaling everything! God bless! I'm so excited to share everything!
Blessings on all that you do!
Blessings on all that you do!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
5/29
One week in! Thank you for all your prayers thus far! Please pray for continued strength and energy as we begin our second week overseas!! Pray that we continue to reach out to the people who we meet, that we continue to share smiles, laughter, and love, three things that cross any language barrier. Pray for safety as we continuously travel from orphanges to hospitals to prisons, as well as into Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia! I'll be coming home on the 6th!
Here's my flight information for the 6th:
Flight information from Riga to Omaha, for June 6th:
Flight Numbers:
SK Scandinavian Airlines
Riga to Stockholm: 9619
Delta Airlines
Stockholm to Amsterdam: 9277
Amsterdam to Detroit: 235
Detroit to Omaha: 3118
Blessings on all that you do!
Here's my flight information for the 6th:
Flight information from Riga to Omaha, for June 6th:
Flight Numbers:
SK Scandinavian Airlines
Riga to Stockholm: 9619
Delta Airlines
Stockholm to Amsterdam: 9277
Amsterdam to Detroit: 235
Detroit to Omaha: 3118
Blessings on all that you do!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
5/22
Today, I fly out! Pray for a safe journey, good company, God's love and word to shine through constantly in our lives, and for a quick adjustment to the nine hour time difference! If it is 8:30 AM in Nebraska, then it is currently 5:30 PM in Russia! (Which, by the way, is when we're supposed to land on the 23rd.) Thanks for your prayers!
For those of you interested in tracking my flights, both to Russia and on the way home, here are a few options you can use:
http://updates.orbitz.com/
http://www.flightview.com/traveltools/
Flight information from Omaha to St. Petersburg, for May 22nd:
Flight Numbers:
DL Delta Airlines
Omaha to Minneapolis: 5847
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Minneapolis to Amsterdam: 6064
Amsterdam to St. Petersburg: 1395
Flight information from Riga to Omaha, for June 6th:
Flight Numbers:
SK Scandinavian Airlines
Riga to Stockholm: 9619
Delta Airlines
Stockholm to Amsterdam: 9277
Amsterdam to Detroit: 235
Detroit to Omaha: 3118
Blessings on all that you do!
For those of you interested in tracking my flights, both to Russia and on the way home, here are a few options you can use:
http://updates.orbitz.com/
http://www.flightview.com/traveltools/
Flight information from Omaha to St. Petersburg, for May 22nd:
Flight Numbers:
DL Delta Airlines
Omaha to Minneapolis: 5847
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
Minneapolis to Amsterdam: 6064
Amsterdam to St. Petersburg: 1395
Flight information from Riga to Omaha, for June 6th:
Flight Numbers:
SK Scandinavian Airlines
Riga to Stockholm: 9619
Delta Airlines
Stockholm to Amsterdam: 9277
Amsterdam to Detroit: 235
Detroit to Omaha: 3118
Blessings on all that you do!
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Three Days Left!!
Here we are, finishing off my final full week in the States! I left home yesterday (Friday,) and I'm staying in Des Moines with my dad. This whole weekend, by the way, has been a huge blessing, as I have gotten to see my cousins and their two new babies, as well as attend my uncle's wedding, where I got to see most of my dad's side of the family. What a great way to start this great adventure!
Getting more and more anxious as the days go on, that's for sure! When I left the house yesterday, I was hoping and praying that I had everything, but, naturally, being me, something was, of course, forgotten. Thankfully, it was only my sweatpants that I planned on wearing to fly and sleep in, and they are easily replaced here in the city.
Tomorrow, I'm meeting up with a friend at the mall, and I'll be on the lookout for a Russian language book. I saw one in Barnes and Noble a couple months ago, but I didn't get it. I decided that it will be a useful tool on my new journey, so that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, as well as stocking up on flying snacks (airline food just doesn't always make the cut,) and bug spray!! Huzzah!
Had more generous people find me the day before I left. Two of my dear friends came to spend a few hours with me before I departed, and both of their moms sent generous monetary donations with them, so the thanks and praise continues, even as my trip draws closer and closer.
I may or may not have posts set up for automatic posting while I'm in Russia. I can promise they won't be live, but I can also promise that I will be journaling with great detail everything that is going on. When I return, that'll all get transfered here! Have a wonderful two weeks, dear friends, and I can't wait to share all of God's grace and glory that will be expereienced on this trip!!
Blessings on all that you do!
Getting more and more anxious as the days go on, that's for sure! When I left the house yesterday, I was hoping and praying that I had everything, but, naturally, being me, something was, of course, forgotten. Thankfully, it was only my sweatpants that I planned on wearing to fly and sleep in, and they are easily replaced here in the city.
Tomorrow, I'm meeting up with a friend at the mall, and I'll be on the lookout for a Russian language book. I saw one in Barnes and Noble a couple months ago, but I didn't get it. I decided that it will be a useful tool on my new journey, so that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, as well as stocking up on flying snacks (airline food just doesn't always make the cut,) and bug spray!! Huzzah!
Had more generous people find me the day before I left. Two of my dear friends came to spend a few hours with me before I departed, and both of their moms sent generous monetary donations with them, so the thanks and praise continues, even as my trip draws closer and closer.
I may or may not have posts set up for automatic posting while I'm in Russia. I can promise they won't be live, but I can also promise that I will be journaling with great detail everything that is going on. When I return, that'll all get transfered here! Have a wonderful two weeks, dear friends, and I can't wait to share all of God's grace and glory that will be expereienced on this trip!!
Blessings on all that you do!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Count Down Starts... NOW!!!
I can't believe that this is my final week in Nebraska before I leave for my trip! I'll be working (by the way, quick note of praise to God for my summer job,) up through Thursday, and then Friday I'll be leaving for my dad's! He'll be working on my car while its driver is across seas. :)
Tuesday, May 22nd, I fly out of Omaha airport! My group leader has been very kind and has sent me e-mails with reminders, as well as a nice little postcard to let me know how excited she is to go!
At this point, I'm getting kind of nervous! I've never flown overseas before!! The longest that I've ever flown was from Omaha, Nebraska to Orlando, Florida, and I think that took all of three to five hours. At any rate, my flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam is almost eight and half hours! Whoosta!! My flight duration on the way over is right around thirteen hours, and I believe it's the same coming back.
I have to continuously thank my church as I write these posts, because I have an amazing congregation, full of a wonderful collection of God's people. Today I was commissioned for my trip, and my sister and I were able to perform the song "You Are My King" (by the Newsboys) for my final service at home before I leave. On top of that, I am still receiving generous monetary donations, even in my final week at home. God's goodness, mercy, and generosity that is shown through his children has really left me speechless, and I will never be able to express the gratitude that I feel for all that has been given to me. This trip would not have been possible without the help of the people around me, and I thank them.
When I finish up this post, I think I'll start packing! Such a daunting task!!! I have to make sure that I don't have too much liquid, and that I have enough clothes, but that I stay under the weight limit, and that I have enough time-passers for my flight, and that I take the right notebooks to record my trips in, and that I don't forget my camera, etc., etc. So yeah, I'm starting to stress about it now! But all things into the hand of God, and everything will be fine. After all, I've gotten this far!! :D
I thank you all again for your support, your prayers, and all that you do for me, both in my overseas adventures and in my every day life. I can't wait to tell you all about my amazing opportunity! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!
Blessings in all that you do!
Tuesday, May 22nd, I fly out of Omaha airport! My group leader has been very kind and has sent me e-mails with reminders, as well as a nice little postcard to let me know how excited she is to go!
At this point, I'm getting kind of nervous! I've never flown overseas before!! The longest that I've ever flown was from Omaha, Nebraska to Orlando, Florida, and I think that took all of three to five hours. At any rate, my flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam is almost eight and half hours! Whoosta!! My flight duration on the way over is right around thirteen hours, and I believe it's the same coming back.
I have to continuously thank my church as I write these posts, because I have an amazing congregation, full of a wonderful collection of God's people. Today I was commissioned for my trip, and my sister and I were able to perform the song "You Are My King" (by the Newsboys) for my final service at home before I leave. On top of that, I am still receiving generous monetary donations, even in my final week at home. God's goodness, mercy, and generosity that is shown through his children has really left me speechless, and I will never be able to express the gratitude that I feel for all that has been given to me. This trip would not have been possible without the help of the people around me, and I thank them.
When I finish up this post, I think I'll start packing! Such a daunting task!!! I have to make sure that I don't have too much liquid, and that I have enough clothes, but that I stay under the weight limit, and that I have enough time-passers for my flight, and that I take the right notebooks to record my trips in, and that I don't forget my camera, etc., etc. So yeah, I'm starting to stress about it now! But all things into the hand of God, and everything will be fine. After all, I've gotten this far!! :D
I thank you all again for your support, your prayers, and all that you do for me, both in my overseas adventures and in my every day life. I can't wait to tell you all about my amazing opportunity! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!!!
Blessings in all that you do!
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