4 days until Guyana

Hey hey friends!

It's 12:26am on a Tuesday night, (Wednesday morning), so you all know what that means: prime time procrastination.  I've got so much going on this week but yet, I just can't focus on much.  Why is this?  Maybe it's because of the trip I will be taking this weekend.  I'm traveling to Guyana, South America with Pine Valley United Methodist Church from Wilmington, NC and I absolutely cannot wait!  This is my first major trip since Africa in the summer of 2012.  When we had our first meeting for the trip, we had to introduce ourselves and explain what we were looking forward to in the trip.  I was basically an outcast, with the exception of Lauren, Miles, and Pastor Tim Reeves.  Lauren was my suitemate last year in UT, Miles is her boyfriend who I met through her last year, and I actually met Pastor Tim at Catalyst when I traveled to ATL with Pastor David and Pastor Marty a few years ago!  (Such a small world sometimes.)  Anyways, we went around the table introducing ourselves and once it became my turn, the words started flowing out of me in pure excitement.  I explained how this trip is coming at a time when I need it the most.  It's been a long, hard road through college to be the Christian self that I've always been.  I hadn't been living on that Christian "high" all the time.  I haven't been walking down the devil's path, but I haven't been fully walking down God's path either.  It's easy to be blinded of God's work sometimes.

I'm ready to see the sweet, innocent faces of those children who are fully committed to our Lord and Savior.
I'm ready to breakdown on my knees in awe of his wonderful mercy and grace.
I'm ready to experience the new opportunities that will come with the orphans of Guyana, South America.
I'm simply ready to sing the joyful song that has been embedded in me thanks to my hometown - who has always supported me in my mission work and proved to me that I can help make a difference in this world.

There will be 10 of us traveling to Guyana on Saturday.  (If I can remember correctly.)  We will be flying out of Wilmington around 7:30am to Charlotte, arriving in ATL, then onward to Guyana.  We should arrive in Guyana around 11:30pm Saturday night.  We will be there a full week and we have an itinerary that will be keeping us busy from the first day to the last.  Our time will be spent painting wall murals at the orphanages, building a new playground for one of the orphanages who's previous playground wasn't safe enough for the kids to play on, we will be feeding the homeless, providing clothes to various orphanages, partaking in church services of the community, and visiting homes of families that the Butlers (Miles' wonderful parents who have been on this trip about 15+ times) have become very close friends with over all of the years.   Guyana is an English speaking country who shares the same power outlets as us here in the States, but yet lives in a poverty stricken world that makes it seem as if there is no hope.  This team will continue to bring that hope as they have through all of their past trips - and I can't wait to be a part of it.

Please keep our team in your prayers!  Pray for safety, clarity, and perspective.  We know that the Lord will be shining down upon us during our entire trip.  I'm hoping to continue blogging throughout next week so I can keep you updated on what's happening!  Keep checking for posts!

I'll get back to studying now...maybe.

Goodnight!