There
have been some changes made to my trip, most of them I consider great
improvements and I think in the long run I will think they all are wonderful
improvements. At the moment I’m still uneasy with some of them and I want to be real with all of you about where I am.
·
Training camp (in the US) has
changed to an earlier date – August 6-11th. We were set to go to Atlanta on the
8th of September and then after 5 days leave for South Africa. The new dates
work fine for me. And they also pushed back when we are leaving to September
23rd, which I love because it means I get to spend my birthday here. I was
slightly bummed that I would be celebrating that with people who didn’t really
know me yet. No offense to any team mates that are reading this – I just didn’t
want to start off with being homesick by missing people on my birthday.
·
The mission base that we were
planning to go to in Jeffery’s Bay, SA was feeling very overwhelmed and didn’t
know how they were going to take on and disciple 15-30 college-aged kids. We
would have gone here for the first three months of training in the life of a
missionary (used to be called the awakening). So they have now moved that
portion back to Matamoros, Mexico. So for the first two months of the trip I
would be ten minutes from the Texas border. While I realize that being even ten
minutes into Mexico is not the same as being in Brownsville, its a difficult
change for me. First, I’m really really close to home as compared to anywhere
in Africa. Second, I’m much more familiar with the culture then I would be in
South Africa. Third, its not Africa, its not what I have thought the Lord was
calling me to for the past two years.
·
Also with Matamoros comes a lot
apprehension from my parents about my being anywhere near the border especially
on the Mexico side for two months. They are scared and have every right to be,
I’m not sure I like being so close those borders either…well as they stand
right now. AIM however has posted a video online showing where they cross and
that its safe. They even included interviews with youth pastors. (http://updates.adventures.org/?filename=summer-mission-trips-to-matamoros-mexico
look about halfway down that page for the video I’m talking about)
·
Also from what I understand most of
the dangerous things that are happening right now are happening around Laredo
not Matamoros. And as Joe pointed out to me, AIM obviously doesn’t mind
switching their plans if things become too dangerous around the base where we
will be staying.
·
We would be leaving for our Global
Outreach sites around Thanksgiving. Originally this was set for January. It
might still say on the website the first half will be spent in Mexico but we
have been assured that we will be moving to Africa around Thanksgiving. They
are trying to get us to the African continent sooner b/c that’s where we
thought we would be when we signed up for this trip. I really do like the
changes better because it means the teams would get to our outreach sites
sooner and be able to establish and do more ministry there. It might create a
problem if I am able to raise enough money to go back home at Christmas but
I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
·
They have also changed the size of
the outreach teams (from 10-12 down to 5-6) and that has allowed more places to
be added to the list of possibilities. Sticking to Africa these include:
Mozambique, Swaziland, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and South Africa. They are still
working on securing some of these ministry locations. Some are well established
AIM sites others would be newly established. Some of you I have shared this
with, others I haven’t but I still feel called to Mozambique for no particular
reason other than that’s what I feel from the Lord. And what I have considered
a random place to go was confirmed by a friend who had been praying for me
throughout the week. She too feels I’m supposed to go to Mozambique for the
outreach portion of this 8 month mission trip.
·
Because I will be in Mexico it means
that I have a better chance of taking a few days off and getting to come home
for a wedding in late October. I was pretty bummed when I found out what the
date for the wedding is because at the time I thought I wouldn’t be able to go,
now I’m pretty sure I can.
·
Not nearly as important to me but if
you are looking it up or something the name has changed. Right now they are in
the process of changing it on the website from First Year Ministry to Real Life
the Novas Project. http://www.adventures.org/a/trips/trips.asp?locationID=221
