Two days into being in beautiful Swaziland, we were able to get on wifi and I was definitely stoked for the moment when I finally would be able to tell my friends and family about how wonderful this land and its people are (possibly the most beautiful people I have ever met). When I got online I saw a message that had said that one of my dear friends had passed away Monday morning. It hit hard and fast.  What do you do when you lose someone and you are a world away from everyone you know? What do you say when you can’t come running home? What do you do when you feel like no one...

Sawubona! I sit writing you in a small internet cafe in the heart of Manzini. If I could say one thing, it would be that saying Swaziland is not what I was expecting would be the understatement of the century. Currently, I am living in a three bedroom house with 22 other people. I am sleeping in a room with 10 other girls. We have one source of running water in the house that comes from the bathtub(PRAISE for bucket showers). We use squatty potties like champs. We have electricity that isn’t what Americans would call “reliable”. We do our laundry by hand, and hang it out...

Hello friends and family! The past few days have been a whirlwind. We arrived at our homes for the summer and we are so excited to see what Jesus has in store for us! Today we explored Manzini on a super fun scavenger hunt and then camped out at a restaurant with wifi for the afternoon! Tomorrow, we begin ministry! The team will be split up into different ministries which include: teaching preschool, loving on orphans at care points, serving at a hospice center, agriculture, and administration work for the AIM base down here. Ashley, Jordan, and I are honored to be spending this summer...

Family. A simple six letter word, but the simple ones are the words that need the most attention. A single word can change the world! So, has this single word accomplished anything?   I am presently on my way to Africa; actually, I’m going to be in Paris for 12 hours before hand. As I look around this full plane, I see crying faces, never ending smiles, and anxious eyes. Moreover, I see the very resemblance of the most beautiful face of all–Jesus. We are all perfectly made in our Father’s image. And since we all are His sons and daughters, He loves us as any perfect...

I have spent roughly ten months preparing for this trip. Be that praying, fundraising, stressing, packing, or any other number of things I did to prepare, it has taken up a lot of my life.  Now, as I sit in the Atlanta airport just a few short hours away from boarding our first flight on our way to Swaziland, I’ve been able to reflect on all it took to get here, and honestly, I am awestruck at how much the Lord showed up in big ways without me even realizing it.  I was convinced I was not going to make my first deadline. I had approximately $250 just days before we had to...

Today would have to be one of the longest days of my life! I mean seriously!!! I woke up this morning exhausted. I just laid there in my sleeping bag thinking, I really do not want to get up.” But I am so glad that I did!! Right before lunch, there was this speaker named Clint. And he ran up on stage right after worship and right before he was introduced (so we all have no idea who he is) and started telling us how incredible God’s love for us is. He said, if we needed to, we could take a knee and let go of everything holding us back from His love. And I did. I took a knee and...