Finally! I have my site up and running! This is an incredible feeling for me. I inherited the gift of always creating never ending to-do lists (thanks Mom!), but I’m so all over the place, I never know which to tackle first! I like to keep busy and always like to try new projects, so I made it a priority to keep track of my list from now on. I had the creation of this site on my mind for awhile, along with 100 other projects and random things I keep adding to my list. (hey, always something to look forward to, right?!) I love adding new goals to my list, those are so much MORE exciting to cross off and keep adding more!
One thing I’ve had on my mind for a while is traveling. I just had no clue where I wanted to go, with whom, or what I wanted to do. Then, one Sunday at church, God opened my eyes. A video from a recent missionary trip to Guatemala was playing. The video displayed all the wonderful memories and accomplishments shared during the trip, but one specific part of the video spoke to me. Two of the team members saw locals who were walking for miles on end with no shoes. These missionaries took the shoes off of their feet and gave them to these locals.
All I could do was picture my closet with the bogus amount of shoes I have in there. A million thoughts raced through my mind. How can people have no shoes?! How can I afford 25 pairs of shoes?! Why on earth do I have 25 pairs of shoes?! How can I give these people my shoes?! And that’s when I knew, God was calling me.
At the end of the service, the Pastor announced there was a meeting for an upcoming missionary trip to Peru. I knew this was my chance. I thought it was crazy that I was jumping on board right then and there, but I knew I was supposed to go on this trip. After attending the meeting, I was eager to raise the necessary $2,000 and get the time off of work. While getting the time off of work was difficult (I have to leave Peru a few days earlier to get back to work), I have raised $1500 and have $500 left to go! Some have tried to talk me out of going, and few thought I was crazy, but it was so clear to me that this was the only way. Not only am I changing others’ lives, but I can’t wait to serve God and change my own.
Every time I thought it wasn’t possible for me to go on this trip, whether it was money or getting my vacation from work approved, God reminded me to stay on track and look at how many lives I’d be helping. He showed me that it all makes sense. One specific time was back in May, my husband Anthony and I went to the zoo, and we decided to hop on the Sky Ride (similar to a ski lift) around the zoo. In order to get on this ride, you had to leave your shoes at the entrance. After 15 minutes of the ride, I got off and went searching for my flip flops. They were nowhere to be found. My green $5 Old Navy flip flops mysteriously disappeared! I was left barefoot in the zoo with no idea where my shoes were! Instead of sitting there angry and upset at the fact someone possibly may have taken my shoes, all I could imagine was all the other people in this world who can’t even afford a pair of shoes. I was surprised at myself for being so calm. Instead of being pissed off, I realized it was minimal compared to what others have to go through on a daily basis. At that moment, I felt part of their pain and thought that nobody should ever feel that way.
In order to change the world, we have to start being the change! I cannot wait to go to Peru and help as many people as I can. In partnership with Corazon de Esperanza, our team plans to do projects with the students in the Youth Transitional Home, minister in a nearby village of Trujillo, provide food and medical supplies, conduct a few Vacation Bible Schools for the children, have Bible studies, do some work projects, and bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I leave July 27th .. it’s coming up sooo soon!
Please check out my GoFundMe page here and consider donating to my trip! I can’t wait to share my experiences and everything when we return! I’ll be returning around August 3rd! I’m really looking forward to more posts in the near future, thanks for reading!
Stay Kookoo~
