My Upcoming Adventure

    Hey y'all!

            I can't believe I have 6 days left in the States! My mission trip has come up so quickly and the reality of it hasn't sunk in yet. My whole world is about to change and I'll be different after this experience. Over the last couple of days, I have felt pretty normal. It's been a wonderful winter break with fun times with family and friends and long periods of relaxation. It's hard to imagine that I'll be living in a foreign country for the next 5 1/2 months. I am so grateful for the opportunity God has given to me and I am so excited to grow in Him and watch Him have complete control over my life. 

    The day after Christmas I packed up all my decorations and put all my breakables away so that little hands won't be tempted :) It feels weird to de-personalize my room. I never thought all my little knick-knacks changed the room so much. I've also been doing a lot of packing. I have a lovely pile of stuff that I somehow need to fit into my backpack. 

my whole life for 6 months... 

... has to fit in here

I am ready for this wonderful adventure God has for me. Thank you all for your support!! I was able to raise over $5,000 for my trip with generous donations from all of you. Please keep me in your prayers these next couple of months. I want to be a useful tool for Him. 

Trip to California

     Hey, y'all I just wanted to hop back on here and tell you about something really amazing I was able to do last weekend. My mom and I, along with the friends were able to go to the Processing Center in Fullerton, California. There are 8 processing centers in the United States and the boxes are from Northern Arizona to the one in Fullerton. This is a part of Operation Christmas Child that many people don't know about. Once the boxes are dropped off at a collection center, it is shipped to a processing center to be examined and prepared for international shipping. At the processing center, volunteers look through EACH box to make sure that there are no inappropriate items, like liquids, food, money, and war items, in the boxes. We then tape the boxes and put them in cartons. It was such a wonderful experience! I can't wait to go again! 

    Also, while we were in California, our friends, my mom, and I, spent a morning walking around Downtown Disney. It was fun to see the architecture and fun food. Overall, it was a fun weekend and I made some new memories. 

Operation Christmas Child

 Hey, y'all! 

This has been the fifth year of me doing Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for my birthday and I just wanted to take you along for the process. For those of you who don't know, or need a little reminder, OCC is a nonprofit organization that has been partnering with local churches around the world to gift needy children with a shoebox of gifts. Volunteers and regular people like you, pack shoeboxes filled with school supplies, hygiene items, and fun toys that are used as a key to sharing the Gospel in other countries. If you want more information here is the link to their website. 

https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

While I'm asking for donations, I'm also looking around for good deals, especially for school supplies. This year I was able to get notebooks for 20¢ each, sharpeners for 25¢ each, and colored pencils for $1. Once I receive money, I figure what I can buy in bulk, usually from Amazon or the dollar store. As the year progresses, my closet fills up with supplies. 

It is so much fun being able to fill up my cart with fun things that I know will put a smile on these girls' faces. I can imagine them squeezing the stuffed animal, wrapping the scarf around their neck, and learning how to sew. Sometimes, I feel obligated to find things throughout the year and get stressed trying to do Operation Christmas Child, work, and all my school stuff as well. But, when I start buying fun items, I am filled with joy. This is why I do this. I can't wait to see these girls in heaven. 

    Once I'm ready to pack the boxes, I lay everything out around my room and it takes up most of my space. 

Thank you for all of your support! Because of your generous donations, I was able to pack 30 AMAZING boxes, cover the shipping costs, and have extra money to provide the Greatest Gift booklets. Thank you! Thank you!