Guatemala 2014
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Look for a Window, Find a Door: Part II
The Middle:
I met with Karlie & Megan to discuss Love & Scissors, their vision and what they were going to be doing in Costa Rica. They told me all about LightForce International Ministries and Rahab. These are organizations they partnered with to bring their dream to life, which is to offer women and girls who are coming out of the sex-trade a new way of supporting themselves by learning to style hair. I talked with Megan & Karlie about possibly coming down for 3 weeks in the summer to do some documentary work that would not only be of benefit to my learning but would also be a wonderful testimony and support for their work and their mission.
Here is what I will say... the original idea that I had... changed.
It was thought to be best to contact the Director of LightForce and talk with her about the possibilites of coming down to San Jose, Costa Rica to get to know LightForce, Love & Scissors and document what they do. In communication through Karlie I was introduced to the possibility of an internship with LightForce that would not only place me as an intern to work with LightForce but would also provode opportunity for me to document. The only thing is that Karlie & Megan (who have now been gone for several months) come back to the US in 3/4 ish days. So... why the tugging from God? Why the quickly jotted notes?
It comes down to this. Opportunities and blessings abounded left and right in the past semester. #1 - I was hired as a Barista at a Cafe that paid more than the job I has previously worked. #2 - I was given an RA position for the 2012-2013 school year at Regent. #3 - I was then offered a Summer 2012 RA position (freeeeee housing, praise God).
I decided when some doors were shut with the original idea, I started to pursue other options. I was encouraged to at least think about taking the internship with LightForce just to be an intern. Karlie had my heart committed just 10 minutes into our conversation. I still prayed about it and decided it would be silly to just drop things if there was a door to unlock somewhere. I was given a key, why not try the lock? So I did. (sidenote: bet you like all my metaphors don't-cha. yeah. they're gold. haha)
I submitted an application for LightForce's internship program and was then contacted by the director who had a Skype interview with me. Then I waited. I prayed. & I waited. It was March when I was e-mailed that I had been accepted to the program as an intern and I could start looking for plane tickets and get my passport in order! I started to cry when I opened my e-mail. I couldn't believe all of this was happening! I was only able to take 2 weeks off from work and my RA position on campus, so for 2 weeks I will be in Costa Rica, as an intern, with LightForce.
Since being accepted I have been blessed with so much encouragement and confirmation. A Ladies Small Group from my mother's church raised the money for me to buy my first passport! I just got it in the mail today. Thank you so much to all the women who contributed.
I met with Karlie & Megan to discuss Love & Scissors, their vision and what they were going to be doing in Costa Rica. They told me all about LightForce International Ministries and Rahab. These are organizations they partnered with to bring their dream to life, which is to offer women and girls who are coming out of the sex-trade a new way of supporting themselves by learning to style hair. I talked with Megan & Karlie about possibly coming down for 3 weeks in the summer to do some documentary work that would not only be of benefit to my learning but would also be a wonderful testimony and support for their work and their mission.
Here is what I will say... the original idea that I had... changed.
It was thought to be best to contact the Director of LightForce and talk with her about the possibilites of coming down to San Jose, Costa Rica to get to know LightForce, Love & Scissors and document what they do. In communication through Karlie I was introduced to the possibility of an internship with LightForce that would not only place me as an intern to work with LightForce but would also provode opportunity for me to document. The only thing is that Karlie & Megan (who have now been gone for several months) come back to the US in 3/4 ish days. So... why the tugging from God? Why the quickly jotted notes?
It comes down to this. Opportunities and blessings abounded left and right in the past semester. #1 - I was hired as a Barista at a Cafe that paid more than the job I has previously worked. #2 - I was given an RA position for the 2012-2013 school year at Regent. #3 - I was then offered a Summer 2012 RA position (freeeeee housing, praise God).
I decided when some doors were shut with the original idea, I started to pursue other options. I was encouraged to at least think about taking the internship with LightForce just to be an intern. Karlie had my heart committed just 10 minutes into our conversation. I still prayed about it and decided it would be silly to just drop things if there was a door to unlock somewhere. I was given a key, why not try the lock? So I did. (sidenote: bet you like all my metaphors don't-cha. yeah. they're gold. haha)
I submitted an application for LightForce's internship program and was then contacted by the director who had a Skype interview with me. Then I waited. I prayed. & I waited. It was March when I was e-mailed that I had been accepted to the program as an intern and I could start looking for plane tickets and get my passport in order! I started to cry when I opened my e-mail. I couldn't believe all of this was happening! I was only able to take 2 weeks off from work and my RA position on campus, so for 2 weeks I will be in Costa Rica, as an intern, with LightForce.
Since being accepted I have been blessed with so much encouragement and confirmation. A Ladies Small Group from my mother's church raised the money for me to buy my first passport! I just got it in the mail today. Thank you so much to all the women who contributed.
So this is really happening. I finished writing a support letter to be sent out to family and friends. I just need to print them, stuff them, address them, stamp them, and send them off. I am still needing to raise a significant amount of funds for my trip... here goes prayer and faith.
IN OTHER NEWS: My old roommate and best friend Katie who is taking an internship/study abroad in Argentina was just filly funded over $6,000 for her trip! Praise God. He's so good. So excited for my Kit-Kat.
Look for a Window, Find a Door
I will have to explain a lot in one post to catch everyone up to speed since a lot has happened in the past semester.
The Beginning:
I'm sitting in church, taking notes during the message (at the time I was sketching a lion [God] in my journal) and I had this revelation. I have never experienced anything like it before. Thoughts were flowing so quickly I could hardly keep up with my self as I tried to jot things down on a new page of my journal. My heart was beating fast, my body felt out of place for a moment... kinda like when you spin around in circles and get dizzy and you are just settling in and finding your ground... it felt like that, but I didn't feel like throwing up. I felt as though the Lord laid His hand on my head and He instructed me to write things down. The moment came and then it went, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. My heart was still in awe of what had just happened.
Later on after the service I approached my friend Karlie and told her that I was going to be praying about something and I would talk with her later on about it. At the time she was being asked a million questions by people of the church. Funny thing is, later that evening she turned up at a bonfire I was at and then we got to talking. I walked with her as she was heading out and told her what had happened and that I felt like God was telling me that I needed to ask Megan about possibly going to Costa Rica and helping to make a support short film for Love & Scissors. I was so scared to even let that roll off my tongue because I did have things that I questioned. I felt like I was crazy #1 and #2 I had never done something like this before. Karlie without knowing it spoke so much peace over me and I started to cry, every one of my fears she knocked out. She told me to "shoot for the stars" as cliche as it may sound. But, she's right, why should I limit my God? Why should I limit the abilities that He has given me? Why should I limit the plans He has for me?
Thus, began a journey of doors and windows.
The Beginning:
I'm sitting in church, taking notes during the message (at the time I was sketching a lion [God] in my journal) and I had this revelation. I have never experienced anything like it before. Thoughts were flowing so quickly I could hardly keep up with my self as I tried to jot things down on a new page of my journal. My heart was beating fast, my body felt out of place for a moment... kinda like when you spin around in circles and get dizzy and you are just settling in and finding your ground... it felt like that, but I didn't feel like throwing up. I felt as though the Lord laid His hand on my head and He instructed me to write things down. The moment came and then it went, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. My heart was still in awe of what had just happened.
Later on after the service I approached my friend Karlie and told her that I was going to be praying about something and I would talk with her later on about it. At the time she was being asked a million questions by people of the church. Funny thing is, later that evening she turned up at a bonfire I was at and then we got to talking. I walked with her as she was heading out and told her what had happened and that I felt like God was telling me that I needed to ask Megan about possibly going to Costa Rica and helping to make a support short film for Love & Scissors. I was so scared to even let that roll off my tongue because I did have things that I questioned. I felt like I was crazy #1 and #2 I had never done something like this before. Karlie without knowing it spoke so much peace over me and I started to cry, every one of my fears she knocked out. She told me to "shoot for the stars" as cliche as it may sound. But, she's right, why should I limit my God? Why should I limit the abilities that He has given me? Why should I limit the plans He has for me?
Thus, began a journey of doors and windows.
{Purity's Treasure Response} & {Bean There Cafe - Love & Scissors Benefit}
Saturday was a very busy day. I woke up with an hour to get ready and instead I spent half that hour blogging. So Megan Hawkins met me at my apartment and we made our way to pick up Dan McCullum from his apartment. From there we drove to Hampton for the Purity's Treasure Girls conference. We had a little less than an hour to set up our table with flyers and other merch and then make our way to the sanctuary to prepare for my presentation on Human Trafficking and Following Your Dreams and God's callings.
It was wonderful to see Karlie & Megan blessed that night. Not too many days after they left for Costa Rica. They've been there for several months now. In the time they have been gone I decided that I would take a leap of faith and if God opened doors I would walk through them. Well... doors are open.
Megan & I at our Justice Table
(ALONE, Love & Scissors and Sex + Money)
I found it funny that I was a bit nervous to get up on stage and speak. I am an actress, this stuff should be easy. It's all about confidence, and when I found that, everything went swimmingly. Honestly I didn't plan everything that came out of my mouth. That was completely God. I prayed the night before that although I had planned things to say, that God would interrupt and ultimately take control over my tongue. I actually went over time but it was worth it. Afterwards Megan, Daniel and I got to talk to many adults and teens about Human Trafficking and our missions. It was so heartwarming to hear the interest and passions of those who were there. I think one of my favorite interactions was with a girl who was only about 11 years old. She came up to me with the ALONE dvd she had just bought and said "I really liked your movie. You were really good in it." My heart melted.
Later that afternoon Megan and I met up with Karlie. We gathered everything needed for the Bean There Cafe event and made our way to Norfolk. We set up and before we could blink the place was packed with family, friends and strangers all who came to support Love & Scissors and their incredible mission. They sold handmade jewelry (as seen below) and artwork from local artists. Proceeds went to helping Karlie & Megan reach their fundraising goal.
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| Seriously, Megan and Karlie made these by hand. Megan made some as we drove in my car. Just poppin them out like crazy. |
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| Friends playing original pieces of music. |
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| The place was packed! |
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