Faith Week!

Hey everyone! Last week I was not able to write an update for a couple of reasons: 1. Limited internet access and 2. It has taken me all week to try to find the words to tell you all that has been going on. Last week was faith week quite possibly my favorite week thus far. Faith week started with us answering a series of very challenging questions in small groups about, you guessed it, faith. After taking about a day and a half to hash through the scriptures and our minds in search of a deeper understanding to what faith is we were all sent out in our small groups to serve people, in faith, trusting that God would provide every step of the way. Our group was sent to San Ignacio, a town nestled in the Western mountains of Belize, right on the boarder of Guatemala. There we were introduced to some incredible people who were preparing to do relief work in the rural villages due to the overwhelming flood waters that have ravished Belize and beyond. The people of Calla Creek, the village we went to, had very little left but what they did have they were clinging on to for dear life. Our group, along with the amazing people at Maya Walk Tour Company, were able to give out packages full of food and basic necessities to help these people along for the time being. We were also able to provide clean water and some basic medical attention. Hannah, who is a nurse, was in our group and led the way in instructing us on how to provide care for the kids. We basically bathed their feet in hydrogen peroxide and handed out anti-fungal cream to everyone we could. Because there was no clean water in the town, the kids were left to bath in the germ infested flood waters, which gave most of them ‘jungle rot’ all over their feet. Most of the people were immigrants from Guatemala, so I was able to chat with them quite a bit. The kids were priceless and totally intrigued by us. There is so much more to say about faith week but that is a basic overview, feel free to ask any questions!
The structure of our school has truly been remarkable. Each speaker has come quite literally at the perfect time. This week we had our first female speaker, Bethann Kern! She is a fiery New Yorker who has been in the mission field for the past 15yrs, a worship leader and true inspiration to us all. She told stories of the work she did in Africa and her incredible testimony. She was encouraging, challenging, inspiring and really influenced me in some of the decisions I have been wrestling with. I am still working out many of the details for internship but feel like I am getting closer and closer every day. God has really opened my eyes to ministries of redemption, especially for young women trying to get out of the sex trade. I have come across a couple of organizations that provide holistic care to women and young girls that are either at risk for abduction in to the sex trade or simply have no other means for livelihood. The organizations take care of emergency needs first and then begin a process that helps these women receive job training, health care and education and any counseling or community they might need. I would greatly appreciate prayer while trying to decide and also prayer for outreach as we begin to plan the next phase of our DP journey. Thank you for your prayer support, I know it has made all the difference. Again, I would lOVE to hear from you guys, let me know how you are doing! Blessings and Hugs!