Brief Update

On Wednesday I finished a week of general orientation in Akron, PA and the past two days were spent in route to South Africa. Today is my first official day in SA and I will be spending the next 12 days here in Pietermaritzburg for an in-country orientation. The MCC offices and housing are all located in a compound that used to be a prison (primarily for political prisoners) up until the 1980's. In fact, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi both spent time in this prison. Pretty cool. You guys can read a little more about it here if you would like (http://www.projectgateway.co.za/History_of_the_Prison.html). Project Gateway now owns the property and uses it as a school campus along with job skills training initiatives.

The majority of orientation will involve intensive Zulu language lessons (a prominent language in the Kwazulu-Natal province). Other than that, this orientation time is to get a sense of the culture and to learn some of the ropes. Although I am aware the transitional process of adjusting to a new place can be mentally and emotionally exhausting, I currently feel lots of energy and excitement for what is to come. I'd appreciate prayers for a continual source of energy and optimism as I engage with this new place!

So it begins!

So I have created a blog. Not because I absolutely love to write or want more publicity surrounding my life experiences, but mostly because I think it will be essential for me to express my thoughts and feelings as I adapt to a place I've never been, a culture I've never experienced, and people I've never met. Also, this is a way for you all to get some glimpses into my life as I will most likely not see any of you for a year.

I am convinced that this next year will be one of the most difficult yet rewarding years of my life. Anticipating everything I will experience in South Africa is honestly pretty overwhelming and I have accepted the notion that I will not be able to survive emotionally and spiritually without God's provision in my life. The last couple months I had been worrying because I felt so unprepared, but then I came to the reality that there was nothing I could do to be "fully" prepared for what will happen. I started to just find contentment through the idea of being okay with the unknown.

I don't know what the children will be like who I'll be working with.
I don't know how my relationship with the children and staff will grow
I don't know how well I'll adapt to this brand new culture
I don't know all the details surrounding my role at Lily of the Valley

But that's alright. I trust the process and I trust that God has great things in store and I hope to keep that mentality through this entire next year of my life.

The abundance of support that I have been given from family and friends has been such a blessing! It has helped to give me the confidence to step out in faith. Having the awareness that you all are thinking and praying for me will fuel me in this next year. I hope to write on here somewhat consistently so that I won't be completely absent. There is no doubt in my mind that I will miss many aspects of home, but I also fully understand how this opportunity will change my life for the better and so I am ready to encounter this next step in my life!