Family Ties

The fundraising is done and the money has been sent in. I am all vaccinated. And all that is left for me to do is pack and spend time with my loved ones…

I cannot believe that I will be leaving in 11 days; it seems like yesterday when I was filling out my application on that rainy day in October. I have been so overwhelmed by the support of all of y’all, and extremely humbled by the whole fundraising experience. Your love and support makes me even more excited to go because I feel like I’m taking each and every one of you with me this summer!

For this blog posting I decided I wanted to talk a little bit about my mom, dad and brother, because without them I don’t think I would be much of anything…

I got home from school and my mom and I left for padre 2 days later. I got to spend a few days with her at the beach…and there is no one else I would rather be on the beach with. I think my mom has the biggest heart of anyone I know (and I know many people would say the same). She is so full of love and always there for you to lean on. I owe so much of my faith to her because she taught me about what it means to be a godly woman and just how to lead a selfless life.

My mom’s favorite thing to tell people about me is, “She may look like me, but she acts like her father”…and let me tell you, I think I got the best of both worlds. My dad and I are 2 peas in a pod and its kind of scary how much fun we have together. We can joke and laugh all day, but we can also sit down and simply talk life. He has taught me to never give up and to never be scared to pursue my own dreams. We are truly kindred spirits and the greatest compliment I can receive is being told that I act like my dad.

John is my best friend. We are 2 years apart but so close at heart. John has always been so supportive and he constantly reminds me to stay true to myself. He embraces my “goofiness” and all my dreams just as I have embraced his beard and all of his little adventures. He is typically the first person I call if ever I need to talk, because for some reason he is always willing to listen and always knows how to put a smile on my face. We talk almost everyday and whenever we hang up the phone or hug each other to say bye, one of us first says “love you” and the other always says “love you too”, and I would never change that for the world. I look up to him so much and I would have never thought that my best friend would be my older brother.

So…mom, dad and john…I love you very much and thank you so much for absolutely everything…

xoxo

Leap of Faith

I have been dreaming of going to Africa for as long as I can remember, but I never actually thought I would see the day because I knew it would require a great deal of courage and I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to make this incredible leap of faith. Not only had I been praying for this opportunity, but I had also been praying for a partner to take this leap of faith with…BOTH of these prayers have been answered, because I will be traveling to Cape Town with my dear friend, Carley Gunter.

Our friendship began when we decided it would be a good idea to “borrow” the Colby laundry carts and race up and down the hallways. After a few races we decided we needed to spice it up a notch…so we went door to door, asking people if they needed their laundry done, but really I would just pop up out of the cart and scare them. Needless to say the girls on our hall thought we were crazy and they probably still think that. It was all fun and games until the hall director caught us, and so we politely handed over the carts and quietly walked back to our rooms…

While we have shared many laughs and great times, we have also been able to share our hearts for Christ and faith with one another. We are both avid members of RUF and you can usually find us at “Starbs” sharing a cup of coffee and talking life. But our hearts truly became connected when we discovered each others passion for Africa and since then, there has been no turning back. Carley discovered Living Hope and applied, and shortly after I sent in my application. We both got in and decided that we had to take this leap of faith together. Our constant prayer has been for the Lord to calm our anxious hearts and to also prepare them so that we might be able to make a difference in someone’s life. Carley has been such a blessing in my life in so many different ways, and I could not ask for a better person to take this leap of faith with.

Some Good Ole Fundraising

Family and Friends,

This summer I have been given the incredible opportunity to travel to Cape Town, South Africa and work for an organization called Living Hope. It has been my dream to go to Africa and I am so excited to see God work in his many different ways down there. Yall are a huge part of my life and I wish to share my experience with you so that you may also be a part of it.

I have felt the Lord working in my life in many different ways, and particularly leading to mission work. Nothing makes me happier than to be with children and love on them, and most importantly to share my love of Christ with them and fill them with hope. It is my vision for these children to realize that being a Christian doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, because I will be the first one on my knees to tell you that I mess up every single day, but that without Christ we are nothing and have nothing. We are all just “simple sinners, somehow saved by grace”, and I pray that I will be able to open up hearts to this and instill a little bit of hope within.

Living Hope seeks to bring the hope and compassion of Jesus Christ to the chronically sick and dying in a holistic way and do everything possible to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS. In order to contribute to this vision, I will be working in the small community of Capricorn, counseling and ministering to children on a one-on-one basis. In most cases, HIV, AIDS and other life- threatening diseases affect these children and/or their families. Counseling these children is probably going to be one of the most difficult things I will ever have to do because I know my eyes will be opened to so many scenes that will seem daunting and unimaginable. But in the midst of all the trials, I want to put smiles on faces and give some TLC, and deliver hope to these children so that they may develop a heart for Christ.

As I prepare for this opportunity I desperately need your prayers and support. That you may begin to pray for the people of South Africa, especially Living Hope and Capricorn. And that my eyes and heart may be opened up to Christ’s plan for me this summer, so that I will be humbled by each day and be able to share the love of Christ and the idea of amazing grace.

Although prayers and support are primarily needed, there is also need for financial support. For the 8 weeks I will be there, it will cost around $3800 for me to work for Living Hope and have appropriate accommodations. I hope that you will be able to share this experience with me by contributing financially, but I ask that you simply pray about it. If you do choose to contribute, please send the cash or check directly to my home.

Ultimately I am not simply asking you for money, because in the end your prayers and support will be my driving force and those are what will get me through. I am looking forward to sharing this experience with each and everyone of you, and I know that while I will be attempting to change lives my life is going to be changed in so many unfathomable ways, and I cant wait to see that change! Thank you so much for taking the time to consider how you might be a part of this ministry opportunity and I hope that we may be able to partner together in this experience.

xoxo

Hannah