It Is Finally Here

     Who knew that spending five days with a group of strangers could change one's outlook on life and refresh you in a way that you weren't expecting. Pre-departure orientation (PDO) has been one of the best experiences for me so far this year. Although where we are from spans from Maryland all the way to California, it does not separate us. Our love for Christ has truly united us. As we have been here we have been blessed to hear each others testimonies, get prepared for what will happen while on the field, get to know our teammates better through a ropes course and quality time together, play games, sing karaoke, and work on Spanish.
   Although a lot of this week has been filled with sitting still in one room as we listen to speakers discuss culture shock, spiritual warfare, logistics of traveling, intern etiquette, and spiritual disciplines, it has not been the only way in which I have learned. I think I have learned just as much if not more from the people around me. These people are so excited about spending their summer building relationships with people around the world and spreading God's love through service and time. Their excitement is so contagious and I know that they will be so effective in their countries. CMF is sending people to Spain, Thailand, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Indonesia, Burkina Faso, and England. I am so excited that God is sending all of my new friends around the world to use them for His good and to grow them into even better Christian women and men.
   Also through out this week I have been blessed to get to know the team I will be traveling with all summer. Andrew is going into his last semester at Purdue University in Marketing, Zach is going into his senior year at Georgia Tech for Marketing, and Katrina is going into her junior year at Illinios State University for Speech Pathology. I am so excited to get to spend the summer with these people. They are such a fun and encouraging group and I trust God to unite our team and keep us focused on our purpose this summer. Each of them have something different to offer this team and I know God has put us together for a purpose greater than we could even imagine. I think the theme for me this summer is to fully rely on God for every decision and become more passionate about Him and his people. Let the journey begin!