6 days and counting!

6 days till I leave for Uganda!!!

I am so excited about this trip words aren't even fathomable. I have wanted to go to Africa for the last 4 years, and God has finally shown me the right place and time. I'm going with a non profit organization some friends of ours started called Ten Eighteen. There is a team of 6 of us going over ..Mrs. Jennings (the founder of ten eighteen), her daughter Ryan and son Zeke (who both worked at camp with me this summer), one of my bestest friends Erica, and another college aged girl names Catie. It's a 10 day trip ...Thursday the 4th we leave!

While we are there, we will be doing a 4 day basketball camp with 40 kids from the slums of Kampala, distributing clothes and medical supplies, going on an over night safari, and just loving on the Ugandan people.

I know God has so much in store for these 10 days, I can only just pray I will be His hands and feet.

Summer at NLC

I have had one of the most amazing summers yet. A summer full of character building, new friendships, strengthening old friendships, discovering new things about my self, growing closer to God, humbling experiences, hilarious moments, quotable talks, and memories that I will never forget. I have spent my summer working at New Life Camp. I grew up going to NLC for a week every summer, starting when I was nine years old, along with my brothers and sister. I always loved the staff there..I looked up to them, and thought they were just great. Well this year, I had the opportunity to work on this Staff, and it blessed my socks off. Living there for 1 week of orientation, 6 weeks of overnight camp, and then working 2 weeks of day camp, I wouldn't re-do a single day. I wasn't a counselor but was on Service Staff for the 9 weeks. Though I would of rather been a counselor, God knew exactly what he was doing when he put me as a service staff member. I washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms, and took trash out..but you know what? It was all Awesome. not because those jobs are awesome, but because I got to serve others through those jobs. I was able to serve the counselors, while they poured into their kids. I was able live and work with my sister for 2 weeks before she moved to TN. I was able to work with one of my best friends for 2 weeks as we protected our cabin from killer beetles. I was able to get to know campers from all cabins, and spend time with them. I was able to create new friendships with other non counselor staff. But the best of all was that I was able to serve God through all of this.
I finish up working on Friday, and it's going to be really hard to say goodbye to people as they all head back to school. I am extremely thankful for the 9 weeks I was given at New Life Camp. I don't know what God has for me next summer, but all I know is that the 2011 NLC Staff will always have a special place in my heart.