Plans

So I had one week since I've been home to get my act together before I started school at Pacific Bible College. I am doing their one year program Certificate in Christian Ministry. I am also working part time at Anna Maria Retirement Home as a waitress. As some of you know I worked there before I left for my internship. It is going to be an exciting year, with lot's of new opportunities. For next fall I'm planning to go to Portland to study American Sign Language Interpreting. Like I said there's more opportunities then I know what to do with at the moment. I'm excited to see what the Lord has planned and I will keep you all updated about what's going on.

I'm Home!

Well, this post is a little belated as I have been home for 5 weeks now. But I hit the ground running so to speak. And so have my fellow interns. It's really weird to think that I have been home 4 weeks shy of the amount of time I was gone. Yet I feel like the internship was so much of my life. I learned so much and met so many people, all of which and whom I am grateful for. I am especially grateful for the 7 ladies that went on this amazing journey with me. We laughed, we cried, we learned together, and we experienced God's love through this amazing journey together. Not only have I gained amazing hands on experience and learned from godly, humble leaders in the field of disability ministry, but I have gained 7 life-long friends that are irreplaceable. In such a short amount of time, we developed tons of inside jokes (which has been a hard part of transitioning back home, because nobody gets the jokes here), as well as relationships that will be for life and I know that they will always be there for me and I will be there for them.

We got to work with McLean Bible Church in Virginia. They have an amazing disability ministry called Access. It is named Access because they want people to remember that everyone should have access to God no matter what their ability is. We also got to work with Jill's House which is an organization that provides respite for families affected by Intellectual/Developmental disabilities. I highly encourage you to watch the videos that they have on their website, My fellow interns and I could not watch them without crying. I think part of our problem was we know the kids in the videos, but I truly think that you will be touched as well. We also went to the Dominican Republic (DR) for 10 days. There were so many parts of the internship that were my favorite, (I think the better question would have to be, "What part was not your favorite?") but getting to go to the DR is high on the list of favorites.

Even though the internship was only 2.5 months of my life, I get terribly homesick for Virginia, for the other interns, for life how it was during that 2.5 months. Due to this experience I am even more motivated to minister to families and individuals affected by disability, but not to just minister to them, but minister with them. My desire is to be a friend first, and care provider second. And I always hope and pray that I will remember my own inability first, before I notice an other's inability.

Mt. Vernon

After church we went to Mt. Vernon!!!! It was absolutely beautiful. I don't know how George Washington ever went anywhere else, I would want to just stay there.

It has not been in the family for about 100 years. The Virginia Ladies Society bought it from the family and has kept it ever since. Mt. Vernon has been preserved impeciblely. 

There is a wonderful museum about the Washingtons.

The mansion!!!!

Gardens!

The Last 2 Weeks

I got to spend 4 days with my brothers in Florida before heading up to Virginia. And boy did we pack a lot into those 4 days! I flew in at 7am on Sunday morning, played a game of nertz with Isaac's roommate and his roommates fiancé, went to church, picked Reid up and hit the parks. It was great getting to have my brothers all to myself for 4 days!!!When I flew into Orlando, Fl the sun was just coming up! As I was taking the picture all I could think of was the opening scene of the Lion King. :) 

We went on Rockin Roller coaster 2x and  just so you know, it's one of the best rides ever, tied with Expidition Everest (which we did 3x in a row).

Disney does some of the best side shows ever!!

My fellow interns and I at Access (we got dubbed Snow White and the seven dwarves by the Access team).

One of the program participants and I drew a picture together! 

One of the days of program was called Catchup day during which we catch up with each other and eat hot dogs with ketchup :)

That was the short and sweet version of the last 2 weeks! I will post more later!

Time to Say Goodbye

Tomorrow I leave! A week ago tomorrow felt like so long ago. When I got accepted in October tomorrow felt like ages away. And now I'm about to leave on this amazing adventure. And as I get ready to leave it is time to say goodbye to my family, friends, coworkers and my home. I am excited to see what God has in store for me, to meet new people and to see new places. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support over the last several months! Please continue to pray that my fellow interns and I will stay healthy, that we'll grow together in Christ, that we'll get along really well, and that our hearts will be open to whatever lessons the Lord has for to learn.

42 Days!

I am super excited to say that I have 6 weeks left till  I leave for my Internship!! I have also raised all the funds for my internship! I can now focus on getting ready to leave and raising the remaining $575 for the two Joni and Friends Family Retreats that I will be ending my summer with. I will be hosting a fundraiser soon!

Movie Review: The Drop Box

Two or three years ago I had the opportunity to see a documentary film called The Drop Box. I saw it at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival where it won 2 Jubilee Awards plus the grand prize of $101,000. Then a couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch it again, this time at my local movie theater. Both times it touched me in the same way. What I really like about the message of the movie is that until the church and the community figure out the way we should deal with this problem, this is how we need to deal with it. It's not the answer but it is a temporary solution. For more about the movie check out their website. The Drop Box is very well made and very convicting.

Excitement

"As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death."
                             ~ Philippians 1:20

As the date for my departure gets closer I get more and more excited! I am looking forward to whatever the Lord has for me this summer! I can't wait to be stretched and challenged beyond myself and further into the strength of God. Thankfully there is a large list of things to work on while I wait for the day to arrive otherwise I would probably drive myself crazy. I feel like a young child waiting for Christmas to arrive.

A couple of the things that I still have to do are to finish raising the remaining $977.03, and the purchase of my airline tickets which are roughly $700. I would greatly appreciate any support that you are able to do. Every little bit helps.   If you would like to help me get there you can donate at the Joni and Friends website and it's tax-deductible if you donate here. Just enter my account number in the correct slot (743A75 is my account number).

If you are unable to monetarily support me, your prayers are greatly appreciated. Prayer that the Lord will use me to bless the families I am going to serve, and that my heart will be open to the lessons he has for me.

Thoughts

       I was realizing the other day that I hadn't shared my story about how I got involved with Joni and Friends. It's been such a fun trip down memory lane thinking back over the last 4 years, so much has happened.
       It all started the summer of 2011 roughly 2 weeks before the Twin Rocks Family Retreat. I signed up to go as a STM (Short Term Missionary) and be a buddy to a child in a family affected by disability. These family retreats are a week long, starting on Sunday for the STMs and Monday afternoon for the families. All day Sunday and Monday morning is training for the STMs. After the first day of training I realized that I hadn't fully grasped what I had signed up for. It was most definitely the hardest week of my life! I was stretched emotionally and physically. I cried every night that first family week.

       I was completely changed after that one week. I had to tell everyone about it! 4 years and 7 family retreats later I am now attending my first Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life Internship! My love for these families and individuals affected by disability has grown astronomically. Each family retreat has taught me something  different. That very first camp I went expecting to bless the families and found out that I had very little to offer. I was the one who came away extremely blessed.

     Now you couldn't pay me enough to stay away from family retreat. Every week that I'm not there is like being away from the home and family that I love.

Fundraising

I am getting so excited about the internship!! It's 157 days away, and while it sounds like a long way aways there is so much to do in that amount of time that it doesn't seem long enough. One of the many things that I have on my to-do list is to raise the tuition amount. The internship costs $3900, which includes all my living expenses and travel costs once I'm there. What it doesn't include is my travel expenses to get to Virginia and back home. I have applied for and been approved for a scholarship for $1950 which is half of the cost. However to have it applied to my account I have to make sure that I come up with the other half of the cost by May 9th. I have already come up with $743.07 which leaves $1206.93. If you are interested in helping me monetarily you can do so 3 different ways: Online with a Credit Card- www.joniandfriends.org/support and just enter my name and this number 743A75
                         Credit Card over the Phone- 818-707-5664
                         Check in the Mail- Joni and Friends/Attn: C4L, PO Box 3333, Augora Hills, CA 91376  (Please write on the memo line- Kirsten Arthur-C4L-MMA)

Thank you sooo much for your interest in my adventure and your willingness to invest in it in some way!


Soli Deo Gloria!!