Three weeks of training in snowy Colorado

Hi friends!  I hope you have had a lovely January.  I just returned from three weeks of training in snowy Colorado!  Colorado in the winter is absolutely breathtaking--the mountains, the snow, the wide open spaces.  It was the perfect backdrop to three weeks of intense cross-cultural and new staff training.  During the first week in Colorado Springs, I had the chance to meet about 20 other amazing people who will be doing Young Life all over the world (Africa, Singapore, Europe, Latin America, etc.)  I was inspired by each person's story--how they got involved with Young Life and their passion to serve kids who desperately need love and guidance.  We met at the Young Life Service Center (YL headquarters) every day for sessions on culture shock/cultural integration, adapting the Young Life model in an international context, and hearing from the experiences of several long-term international staff.  It was a challenging, hard, encouraging and uplifting week!

The next two weeks we joined about 160 more U.S. Young Life staff who are all in their first year on staff.  While the first week was emotionally challenging, these next two weeks were physically and mentally challenging.  We met every day for 10-12 hours of intense training, including taking two seminary classes on adolescent culture and development and the Gospels.  We learned a lot about the history of Young Life, the principles behind the Young Life model and how to effectively run Young Life programming in our areas.  The highlight of the week was hearing from Bob Mitchell, who was one of the first kids to become involved in Young Life.  He shared so many stories about the early days of Young Life and Jim Rayburn, YL's founder.  It was such a treat to hear from this man who has been involved with Young Life since the 1940s and to know I am going to be part of an organization that has been impacting the lives of kids for 50 years!

I want to thank all of you for your prayers and financial support that helped me to receive this awesome training.  I feel more equipped than ever to join the Young Life work in Costa Rica....which I hope to be doing in the next few months!  Stay tuned for more updates...

Pura Vida Newsletter: December 2009

Hi friends!  It's that time again--newsletter time!  Please see my December newsletter below where I'm happy to announce that I've reached 65% of my budget.  I'm currently at the first week of Young Life training (Cross Cultural Orientation) in Colorado Springs, CO (which explains the delay in this post.)  I'm thoroughly enjoying this opportunity to meet and build relationships with other future Young Life international staff, learn how to deal with the transition to another culture and spend some much needed time reflecting on the exciting journey that lays before me in Costa Rica.

Would you please pray that I would be able to soak up as much knowledge and wisdom as possible over the next two weeks, that I would form friendships that will help keep me going when the going gets tough overseas, and for good health (I've been dealing with some stomach issues :( ?  Thanks for your prayers!

Enjoy the newsletter!

Exciting news!

I want to share with you all some very exciting news from last week. Well, actually two pieces of exciting news :)

(1) I finally booked my flight for my Young Life staff training in January. I will be in January for three weeks doing two different types of training: 1-Cross Cultural Orientation (CCO)...this is when we learn how hard it is going to be to live in another culture for three years and how to deal with it :) and, 2-New Staff Training...this is for all new Young Life staff and helps us learn how to do our jobs! I have already been in contact with some new friends who will be going to training and I can't wait to meet them and learn more about how to effectively be a Young Life staff person!

(2) I spoke with Jamie, the Field Development Director for International Young Life, otherwise knows as "my fundraising guy," on Thursday and he told me that after conversations with some Costa Rica YL peeps they have reduced my budget by $2,500 annually! This may not sound like a lot, but it is HUGE to me! I'm so excited! This moves me from 56% of my budget raised to 61%!! (See the thermometer to the right going up, up, up....) Jamie tells me the time from 50%-75% are the hardest days, weeks, months and once I hit 75% it's all downhill from there. I CAN'T WAIT!

Thanks so much for all of you who are out there praying for me, praying for Young Life in Costa Rica, and praying for kids. And thanks to those who are giving sacrificially to impact kids. I appreciate you more than you know!!

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming

Have you ever felt like this fish from Finding Nemo? I certainly have! I'm at 54% of my budget and praying that I will be fully funded by December so that I can leave in January for Costa Rica. I was recently reading the blog of another girl fundraising to go on staff with Young Life in Portugal. I'm inspired by her passion for this ministry and hope for being fully funded in January as well. She has a lot farther to go than me and I'm thankful that I'm already half-way there!

Would you please continue to pray for me and for her and for all of the other Young Life staff fundraising right now? This is an integral part of the ministry and I feel so blessed to be seeing God at work in preparing the hearts and pocketbooks of those who feel called to help kids around the world hear the Good News that they have a Creator who loves them and has a big plan for their lives.

Thanks once again for all of your support! I so appreciate it! Want to help me get even closer to my goal?

-Consider making your one-time gift an annual gift! If everyone who has made a one-time gift can make an annual pledge in the same amount, I could go from 54% to 65%!

-Consider hosting a get-together with some of your friends, relatives, co-workers and introduce them to me and Young Life in Costa Rica. All you have to do is invite people--I take care of the rest!

-Consider talking to your Pastor or missions committee to see if they might be interested in supporting me and Young Life in Costa Rica. I have lots of materials I can give you to help them become more familiar with the ministry and my financial needs.

Be assured that your gifts, prayers, etc. are having an impact on kids in Costa Rica!

PURA VIDA (Pure Life)...Second YL Costa Rica Newsletter

The latest newsletter update...key highlight: I've reached 50% of my budget!

Be My Eyes God, Everyday, Always

I don't know about you, but I love a good old hymn.  There is something about old hymns that just seems magical and reverent.  I was flipping through radio stations tonite and stopped on a Christian station that usually is more talk than music.  I don't often listen to this station because I like more music than talk :) but I stopped because the woman was talking about the history of the song that was about to play.  And I love history!  

The song was "Be Thou My Vision" and a woman named Ginny Owens sings my favorite version of this song, but I never knew the history before.  Many scholars believe that the song was written by or about St. Patrick who lived in Ireland during the 4th century.  Though brought to Ireland in slavery, he met God there and came to be known as the most influential Christian missionary during that time.  The legend goes that the King decreed that no one could light a fire before the beginning of a popular pagan festival, but St. Patrick lit candles on the eve of Easter breaking this command.  The King was so impressed by St. Patrick's devotion that he pardoned him and allowed him to continue to spread the good news about God.  

Point being?  I love how the person who wrote these lyrics recognized God as the provider of all things and longed for Him to be the central focus in his life, not worrying about the cost or consequence.  As I continue to seek financial support and prepare for my time in Costa Rica, I've been overwhelmed by God's provision.  It reminds me of when Jesus talks about the birds and how God provides for them and states, "And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are?"  The admonition not to worry has not been lost on me and yet so often I find myself wondering if I'll ever get to Costa Rica!  This song reminds me that only when my vision is set on God and I'm reminded of His provision can I cast all of my cares on Him--because He is faithful!  I hope you enjoy this song as much as I have tonite:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

PURA VIDA (Pure Life)...First YL Costa Rica Newsletter

This is my first official newsletter!  Enjoy!