Merry Chritmas from Pesca, Colombia

We rumble over streets and stop in front of a white stucco building.

A woman with grey hair and tanned skin steps from the entry way to

welcome us to our new home.

Our team arrives in Pesca, after a four hour bus ride from Bogota . . .

In Colombia!

I'm in Colombia!

We leave today for 6 day outreach in a rural area outside Bogota.

Please pray for the JOY of the Lord and for great work in the hearts and lives of people we meet.

We will spend Christmas together.

I'm so excited to be part of this team.

Wow.

Check facebook for pics and info.

Reunion in Colombia

Sweet reunion with team Colombia today! We're all together in Bogota. Yipppeee!!! Tomorrow we leave for rural place and work with kids. I'm so excited. Tonight God provided a spectacular sky-show: Rainbow, blazing sunset, swirls of color, twinkling city lights, and O'Ryan warrior-constellation in the sky . . .

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?

I don't want to be the world's top model, but I do want to be beautiful.

A little while ago, I stopped in front of the mirror to check how I looked, a thought came to mind, 

"Why do you look in the mirror so much?" . . .

Invitation to Join YWAM Kona

Here is a Kona promo video. 

No, I'm not YWAM's new spokeswoman . . .

1st Day of Notes

Notes from 1st day of Lecture:

All of my life should be an expression from my experienced knowledge of God's immense love for me.

Starting DTS Tomorrow

Tomorrow my D.T.S. begins.

AKA (also known as): Discipleship Training School; a six-month program, at the University of Nations, in Kona, Hawaii.

YWAM (Youth With A Mission) is the Christian missions organization with which I'm training.

Three months will be here in Kona. Then at Christmas time, our team will travel

to S.E. Asia and beyond to bring the aroma of Christ and offer his freedom to

his precious creation.

The focus of our school is Compassion and helping children affected by child-trafficking

and AIDS orphans.

God is so big and loving and good. I'm so glad I get to go with him to meet and care for these children.

I pray I am trained well. Thank you so much for your prayers, love, support, and for sending me. God provided beyond what I could imagine for me to attend this school.

Love and joy and blessings to each of you.

Palm Trees

What is one thing you see & know you're in Hawaii? 

Welcome, Logan!

Logan arrived in Kona today, God's provision of a sister & friend. She's in the same DTS training as me. I met her in 2006 when I lived w/ my sis-in-law, Janelle, in Gunnison, CO. I liked Logan the first time we met. We spoke competitively to one another on the volleyball court. (aka, 'trash talked' - "Oh yeah? Bring it? Let's see what you got.") Since then, we've been buds for life. And we fight for the same team.

Place to Stay

Does God ever run out of resources?

In 2007, I traveled around the world and saw his hand provide every where I went. 

Now, two years later, I want to see him do it again.

I've never been to Hawaii before, and I would love to come out a week early before classes start. 

I had no idea where I could stay, but remembered my world trip, and figured God would take care of me.

The two weekends before leaving, 8-year-old Drew came running up to me in church . . .

Day at the Beach

Collage from Beach Day
(Click on pic to see larger view)

Beach View

Lava Rocks

Sunset

Aloha, Welcome. The Gift of a Lei

Journey to Hawaii: Part 2, Over the Ocean

Flying over Islands of Hawaii

Sapphire Blue Sky & Ocean

The same color as the LORD's foundations.

And the foundations he makes for his people.

(Exodus 24:10 & Isaiah 54:11)

Rainbow Card from Becky, Full of God's Promises

Look closely. Miracle double circle rainbow I saw from the window. The shadow of our plane was right in the middle. Message to me: God encircles, holds, guards, & guides me.

I had a thought as we took off from Seattle:

A crowd of angels cheering as the plane lifted from the ground. She's going!! 30 years of preparation & finally I'm flying into this dream!

Flying over the Hawaiian Islands

Landing: Reefs & Rugged Lava in Kona

Double Circle Rainbow Story

Journey to Hawaii: Part 1, Seattle

My cousin, Rachelle, and her family welcomed me to their beautiful home in Seattle,

for my overnight layover en route to Hawaii. Baby Zoe just learned how to walk!

Great to be with them.

Mt. Ranier, airplane level!

(My bro, Mark, guided on this mountain.)

Sunset at Seattle Airport

Getting Ready To Fly!

My sweet sis-in-law, Sabrina, drops me off at Denver Airport.

God took care of all the details: packing, last-min errands, driving to airport on time,

and wonderful time w/ Sabrina on the way.

Details Coming Together: Child + God = Provision!

Hawaiian Luau

Sept 5, one week before leaving for Kona, the Lord and my community helped me throw a Hawaiian Luau. The purpose was to share my dream and to raise the support in the Vail Valley of Colorado.

The support and love received were more than I imagined.

The Vail Daily ran an article in the local paper, my parents flew out, brother Ryan transported chairs, sister-in-law Sabrina prayed, Lacey Gerard & family provided two pigs for the feast, Scott Green gave a whole day + to cook authentic Hawaiian pork, Becky Peterson & Abbie ran around buying supplies, Jennifer Downs loaned her catering equipment, the Eagle Methodist church & Gypsum Creek Middle School shared their tables and chairs, Ivan & Linda Stultzfus loaned their truck & help to transport the chairs, Barbara & her husband helped sponsor the event, Chris Emmer donated the use of his Glissade tent, and so many families brought delicious food and loving hearts.

That evening, God also brought in finances for my trip.

By the time I left a week later, He provided everything.

It was just like He showed me in Ezra.

He provided every detail for the house of the Lord to be built. (verse 6)

Sweet Family Time

Before leaving Indiana this summer, God provided our family a week on Lake Lemon through the gracious lives of the East's and Mr. Terry.

We experienced a wonderful retreat and saw God move in significant ways to bring his unity and love to dad, mom, three brothers & two sis-in-laws.

What a precious God we serve. And what an amazing family he gave me.

Welcome

Welcome to the new adventure.

Traveling to Kona, Hawaii.

September 24 begins my six month Compassion DTS (discipleship training school) with YWAM (Youth With a Mission).

Three months in Hawaii and three months in South East Asia (Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines).

Focus: Working with orphanages and safe houses rescuing children

from trafficking.

I'm excited to fly with the Lord into this new adventure.

He provides for each moment.

I left teaching again to pursue fully the dream that is in my heart: to have a house for kids that need a home and family, especially kids rescued from human trafficking.