this is all i got so far

Hi guys!! So I have only been able to get these two but give me some more time and I will put some more up here!
These two pictures are not even where I live, they are at a place called Worchester (pronounced vooster) where I was all last week attending a conference.
Love you all

friends and family TIA!

TIA (this is africa) happens to be one of my most favorite sayings while working here.
So far:
-I have attended a protocal/rapid response meeting where the first line of the meeting was what happens when we get a phone call that people suspect human trafficking (that's how you spell human tafficking :)) .....call the ngo? (non goverment organization) or do you call the saps? (south african police).....my suggestion was "why don't we call both?" they stared at me.....(white american 21 year old girl) and then stared at eachother....then were like "good idea". haha! i love my job!!
-attended a conference with lots of YWAM leaders
-met a lot of the street children around and get to continually love on them with smiles and high fives
-attempted surfing
-visited an amazing women named Angline, she is fighting HIV/AIDS and loosing with a small two year old daughter
-getting a passion to create deep community and trying how to figure out how
-meeting incredible people with a passion to do anything that serves God
-looking for a flat with my new (potential) flat mate, hopefully a place were we can entertain and bring about many successful parties!
-trying to find either a scooter or a car I can buy for transport (please pray)
-realizing I should have packed more coats (I moved to africa, who knew I would be freezing?!)
-trying really hard to avoid being proposed to


I love it here so much you guys! It is beautiful. I have a camera but I only have a few minutes I will try and put up more pictures later tonight. The internet here sucks...like bad so I am just going to write a few notes of here to people so I don't have to sit for an hour trying to open AOL.
Love

Patricia- I would love for you and Jack to come!! I think it would be so much fun and I think you would really enjoy it. There is so much beauty and hard things to see that you absolutely have to come! Give me more details whenever possible. I love you cousin!

Katie B- I love texting you! That whole conversation made my week and I can not stop talking about how my amazing sister is getting to come and see all that we do. Lydia (my flatmate) and I are already planning a sister party for you!! And I found daddy a perfect room because of course you will be staying with me. Oh! and I had a prophecy spoke over me that totally was about you!! We will skype about it! love you sissy~!

Mama- I love you and miss you!! So I was at this prayer meeting last night and Myriam stopped it and was like I feel like we should pray you in more to the S-cape house (the restoration house) and so they did and lots of scriptures were given to me, and then one of the ladies told me "I just feel like God is telling me to be a mother to you, so I will be your south african mum" haha i told her i think that would make my mama very happy to hear that you offered that :)

Michelle- you are so amazing. I can't even begin. I don't think you would want me to make public all the reasons...or maybe you would ;) but just to let you know you and my dear brother have almost completely coverd my need for transport. Such such such a blessing! oh my goodness thank you sister! p.s. tell my brother i love him? and kiss my baby please.

everyone else,
you support is incredible and it has been crazy busy but as soon as i get a second to breathe i will write out a proper letter.
please keep sending the family and friend updates i love getting them!
love

new stuff!!

The time has almost come! In 24 hours I will be sitting in a hotel room getting ready to fly out (yikes!).
But before I left God had to make sure and give me a few more surprises.
#1. A new ipod
well Nicole gave me her old one
#2 a new camera
a friend gave me money to buy something nice for myself
so....fun and exciting blogs to come!!
love you all

Goodbye portland and a quick stop in phx

So i am sitting here with my sissy in the sunny computer room and it does not even seem possible that I am leaving for two years.
The last few days have been a hectic and sad goodbyes (except my brother luke who is hoping to visit real quick!!). I love portland so much and especially the people in it.
God has given me this amazing oppurtunity to pour out and serve in my most favorite way. He has blessed me countless times over the last few months and has constantly reassured me this is what His heart desires. I am going knowing the I am going to miss a lot. I am going to miss memories, babies, weddings, and parties, and most of all I am going miss just sitting and having life with my friends and families.
Oh and really good news!! my passport and visa will be sent to kates house via express mail tomorrow!! Hallulujah!
Thank you all for everything. I have the most amazing family in all the world, and the best friends anyone could ask for.

I love you all! Kate and I are going today to get a new camera so I can get pictures!

17 days!!!

So there are 17 days till I leave for Africa!!
I am so so excited. There has been a lot to do but luckily God gave me a pretty incredible sister that has calmed me down at anytime I start to loose my calm. Katie B you have been incredible! I don't know how many times I can say it but I would have no idea what to do without you!
Cousin party in three days!! Totally excited for that, cresent lake after that.
On the 22 (a sat) I am having a last night bbq at my parents house to say goodbye for real.

Love you all!!

Best Phx friends ever!

So I have some pretty amazing friends down south in the desert of Phx, but two girls especially are just my absolute favorites! Nicole and Michelle. They are both smart, beautiful, loving and a blast and a half to hang out with! So imagine my excitement when Nicole calls me and askes if she can come up for my birthday...umm yeah alright that works!! I was talking non stop about how excited I was to see her at the same time still talking to michelle just about normal life stuff, trying hard not to rub it in to hard that she can't come to. I never even asked, just assumed if she could have come she would have and I did not want to be the naggy friend, because she always talks about how busy and stressful life is.
well....on the night of my 21 (which was quite a party!!!) I realized oh no! I am late to go pick up nicole! so i run and grab my friend andrews hand while grabbing the keys off my brother, dogging my cousins who were confused where I was running and sprinted to the car yelling direction to andrew the whole way.
we get to the airport 20 minutes late (impressive driving andrew :) ) and there she is bags ready for some adventure (and cold of course, she is from the desert) so I rush out scream loudly like the girl I am, jump around a little, big hugs, but then i know the party is waiting so I rush grab her bag and tell her to hop in we gotta role. she stops me and was like wait (at this point I was like "what nicole there is a party just waiting for us!!") but then she said some of my favorite words i love to hear from other people about me ...I have a surprise for you!...awesome she had my attention in full.

As I then turn away from the car to look at what she is talking about I see michelle!!! I don't think say "freaking out" was words enough to describe the feeling of absolute shock, excitment, and overall devestation of all senses! I was one loudly happy girl!!
We partied all night, hung out and showed them portland all friday, camping on sat, and I just dropped them off at the airport..a girl could not ask for better friends. :)

Golden Birthday!!

Hey everyone so I just wanted to remind you about all the plans!! There is a slight change in that we are meeting at Claim Jumpers at 5:30 instead of 5. Just makes it easier for people to get there without stress. So CJ is just the family part and then afterwards we are all meeting at Henery's at 8-8:30. That is the part were a few more family members (people who can't make it to the dinner (patty anne) and such) and probably a few close friends. I don't know who all is going to show up because it is a thursday night. so excited to see everyone!
oh and i don't think my mom has sent out an email yet but nays birthday is on the sixteenth (sat) and she is having a bbq deal. alright love you all :)

and if you are worried about a present for her she likes anything pink, teenage, and girly.

love