Africa Called & I Answered

My desire to return to Africa has finally been made a reality!

I've applied and been selected to make a trip with One Child Campaign to travel to Ethiopia this fall. And I am once away blown away by the fact that things have "fallen" into place as I'm checking my inoculation records, searching for flights, and stocking up on sunscreen.

When the idea was still just a whisper in my head I decided that I would not ask for fundraising from any of my family or friends to cover the cost of the trip. I could not ask any of you to when it feels like every other weekend I'm hopping in a plane, car, or train for my next European adventure. So, for the past few months I've been scaling back (and saving my vacation days!) to make sure that when that balance is due I can write that check.

But, here's the deal...

We're traveling to Ethiopia to go into the orphanages filled with kids. Kids that have gone through more in their first years of life that most of us ever will in our entire lifetime.

It is my goal to be able to take clothing, shoes, medical supplies (bandages, etc), small toys, and educational supplies as donations for the ministries we're pairing up with on this mission to be distributed as need. (It will be another month or so until we get a more specific list.) I am more than willing to scale back my belongings to take as much stuff as I can.

If you feel led, and want to contribute to the items taken by the team you can assist in a few ways:

1. Place those Amazon orders and have supplies sent directly to me to hand carry over.
2. Send a box (flat rate boxes are awesome) my way with items.
3. Make a monetary donation (giftcards?) and I'll do the shopping.
4. Assist financially to defray the costs of excess baggage and/or overweight bags.

And yes, I'm always accepting prayers. God has once again showed just how faithful He is in allowing for all of this to come together.

And just because He is God...

Remember how while in Italy all I wanted to do was to head back to Kenya to visit my girls? That is finally becoming a reality as well! After the team disperses in Addis Abba, I'll be headed to Nairobi to see a different side of Kenya. Paired with Compassion International's office I'll be traveling to both of the villages where Caroline and Catherine live, meeting their families, seeing their centers. The sheer joy of seeing Caroline again overwhelms me to the point of no words. Meeting little Catherine for the first time after being her sponsor for only 2 years? Excites me when I think of the possibilities that she and I will have to foster our relationship in the years to come. And meeting their siblings and parents? Chills.

I'm still in awe that all my "let's run away to Kenya" comments, knowing exactly what time the flight left from Naples daily, and spending 3 years trying to make this work from Italy, it's happening within the first few months of being in Spain. Well played, well played.