Saturday, January 14, 2012


Hello Everyone!


As most of you know, I am about to embark on an adventure to Brazil.  While most of you know where and why I am going....you might not know all of the details, so let me fill you in...


In the summer of 2010 I had the opportunity to go down to Belize to help out with a Vacation Bible School for local village children.  While there, I felt the Lord opening up my eyes to the need in the world around me and He began convicting me that I could be doing more to help out with these needs.  The very next week I went to Western Camp where Jane Toth gave a presentation on Nepomuceno.  During the presentation, I felt the Lord telling me to go and laying the desire on my heart to serve there.  But, while He was laying that desire on my heart, my head was saying..."umm, no way."  You see, I don't really like change and at that point I was about to enter my third year of teaching at a job I really loved.  I decided to "pray about it."  Well, after 8 months of praying about it, I felt even more convinced that this was where God was leading me.  I decided to contact Jane to see if they even needed or wanted short-termers.  In that first conversation with Jane she shared with me a lot about the orphanage in Nepo, but one thing that really stuck out to me was that her and her husband had been praying for more workers to come and specifically for teachers.  When I heard that, it was even more of a confirmation of where God was leading me.  So, I quit my job in June and this past fall I've been preparing for my time in Brazil.  During all of this, I have been continually reminded of one of my favorite verses in Proverbs..."Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  (Prov. 16:9)  When I graduated from college, I had a "5 Year Plan" and going to Brazil was definitely not a part of that plan.....however, I love how God's plans are often so different from our own, but always so much better.  I don't know what will happen in the 6 months that I am at Nepo or what I will do when I return, but I'm trusting in where He is leading and believing that His purpose will prevail. : )