It’s a new day…well, I guess that can be said of every morning but today feels especially different. Why is that? Perhaps…because…I officially have my ticket to Vietnam!!! Yep, yesterday after hours of research I secured my flights (because yes, it takes multiple) to eventually end up in Danang. Talk about a reality check! My mom was there with me as I booked the flight-in fact, I made her hit the “book” button with me :) I will head down to LAX on the 6th and then fly from there on the 7th. I will take four planes in total: first to LA, then to Taipei, then to Ho Chi Minh City and finally to Danang. After about 20 hours of flying time…I will end up at my destination. Lucky for me, I will not be flying alone. I will be with two guys from my group-Robin and Andrew, thank goodness!
People have been asking me how fundraising is going so I figured I would update everyone- I have about half of what I need pledged!!! Praise the Shepherd! I have mentioned this to a few of you in conversation, but it has been absolutely amazing for me to witness how God has provided in this regard. As I reflect on the past couple years, I can see how I have played it pretty safe. I mean, I have gone out on a few limbs here and there…but nothing too extreme. And now, in hindsight, I see playing it safe has provided God with a small space to show up in. That’s the amazing thing about the Creator-He gives us free will and never forces Himself upon us. However, that works against us when we don’t allow Him much room.
Now I can see how I provided God a very small and tidy space in my life. Well that has been blown out of the water to say the least by this decision to move to Vietnam! This decision is the equivalent of me going out on the furthest-out limb yet in my 22 years…and you know what? Going out there has provided a whole lot more space for God to show up in…and it has been truly amazing. Fundraising has just been one of the many ways that I have seen the Lord provide…which leads me to another point…
Fundraising, although great in seeing how God is working in big ways, has been really hard for me. To say that it has been a ginormous slice of humble pie would still be a huge understatement. You see, I am doer to a fault…and I do mean to a fault. All too often I place my value in what I can do and what I can achieve. Asking people for money- not doing anything necessarily in return, not working hourly, etc. is killing me! It is causing me to reassess where I find my worth and value-which is good, but hard.
So to those of you who are contributing (financially, emotionally, through prayer, etc)…thank you. Know that I am extremely humbled. Know that I stand in awe of your generosity. Know that I am uncomfortable and don’t quite know how to express my gratitude. Know that I am so encouraged. Know also, that God is using you to teach me a much needed lesson.
I appreciate all those that are praying for me! Here are some updated prayer requests!
- Please pray that I would be able to get all that needs to get done before I leave. I am finding that there are A LOT of small little details that need to get worked out…trying to get them all done and keep track of them all has proved quite stressful.
- Please pray that my time with my friends and family would be wonderful. I have been finding that my head is constantly swimming with all that I need to get done…which makes it hard to remain in the moment. Pray that my time would be rich, that I would be able to soak it up and practice remaining in the moment.
- Please pray for the 6 of us that will be living together. My hope is that we would be open and vulnerable with each other…able to be cultivated into a beautiful, inviting and tight-knit community.
On that note, I am going to go research international health insurance :)
Grace and peace,
Kaitlyn
