This is really cool, the team made this video in Bouaké on their last trip over to Côte d'Ivoire:
CHECK IT OUT
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
You're probably wondering..
Why do I want to go to Côte d'Ivoire, Africa next year?
In short: To love the people of Côte d'Ivoire. Beyond the political turmoil, trafficking, trauma, food shortage, poverty, or any other issues they may face. I would love more than anything to be able to help even one of them to seek freedom from whatever oppression or deficit they face, but I believe that to simply love them will fulfill God's purpose for me there.
The full story: I am accepted to World Venture’s cross-cultural ministry, Journey Corps, in Côte d'Ivoire, Africa! The program is a designed for young people, aged 20 - 32, who have a college degree, to use their talents, gifts, and hands to serve the people of Africa. Throughout my last semester of college, I have been praying for God to direct my next steps in life, and I have felt at peace with taking a gap year before grad school. When I went to Urbana over winter break, I sought out organizations to speak to with which I could serve for a year, using my passions for art and for children. I am studying art therapy, and I have seen the peace children can gain from focusing their energy into a positive activity such as painting or forming something out of clay. In learning about children in war-torn areas of Africa, both in the past year and at Urbana, my heart has been broken for them. My eyes have been opened to how art can be a dynamic tool for connecting to these children and a great aid in the healing process, as most of them have seen traumatizing things.
I am excited about Journey Core because it will be a hands-on program, in which we will be working alongside missionaries already living in Côte d'Ivoire and in the surrounding area. I will have a chance to live in a culture, learning their customs, language, and needs, all the while learning how to be a better example of Jesus. Part of the program is focused on studying scripture, to equip young people to enter the mission field. It is designed to be a one or two year immersion in which journeyers will seek God’s calling in their lives, whether it is a lifetime in the mission field or a return to their own culture to serve the people of the US. I am not sure which God is calling me towards, but I am excited to use this opportunity to seek His will.
What will it take to go?
I will need to raise $1,500 for every month that I am there. For one year, that’s $18,000 by August 1, 2010 so that I can begin the program in September. This is a large sum of money, and to be honest, I have no idea how I can raise that much. However, I know that if it is God’s will for me to be part of this program, then He will provide. In fact, it is already taken care of. I know that He will use this process to build my faith immensely. I also know that if Journey Core is not in His plan for my life, then He will shut doors on this opportunity and open others elsewhere. I know this because I have been praying this prayer since January. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God has given me a peace of mind and knowledge that He loves me and has a purpose for my life, so all of this will come together in His timing. His ways are so much higher than mine, as Isaiah 55 reminds me, and His thoughts far beyond my own.
Picture 1 taken from here
And picture 2 from here
In short: To love the people of Côte d'Ivoire. Beyond the political turmoil, trafficking, trauma, food shortage, poverty, or any other issues they may face. I would love more than anything to be able to help even one of them to seek freedom from whatever oppression or deficit they face, but I believe that to simply love them will fulfill God's purpose for me there.
"For right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
The full story: I am accepted to World Venture’s cross-cultural ministry, Journey Corps, in Côte d'Ivoire, Africa! The program is a designed for young people, aged 20 - 32, who have a college degree, to use their talents, gifts, and hands to serve the people of Africa. Throughout my last semester of college, I have been praying for God to direct my next steps in life, and I have felt at peace with taking a gap year before grad school. When I went to Urbana over winter break, I sought out organizations to speak to with which I could serve for a year, using my passions for art and for children. I am studying art therapy, and I have seen the peace children can gain from focusing their energy into a positive activity such as painting or forming something out of clay. In learning about children in war-torn areas of Africa, both in the past year and at Urbana, my heart has been broken for them. My eyes have been opened to how art can be a dynamic tool for connecting to these children and a great aid in the healing process, as most of them have seen traumatizing things.
I am excited about Journey Core because it will be a hands-on program, in which we will be working alongside missionaries already living in Côte d'Ivoire and in the surrounding area. I will have a chance to live in a culture, learning their customs, language, and needs, all the while learning how to be a better example of Jesus. Part of the program is focused on studying scripture, to equip young people to enter the mission field. It is designed to be a one or two year immersion in which journeyers will seek God’s calling in their lives, whether it is a lifetime in the mission field or a return to their own culture to serve the people of the US. I am not sure which God is calling me towards, but I am excited to use this opportunity to seek His will.
What will it take to go?
I will need to raise $1,500 for every month that I am there. For one year, that’s $18,000 by August 1, 2010 so that I can begin the program in September. This is a large sum of money, and to be honest, I have no idea how I can raise that much. However, I know that if it is God’s will for me to be part of this program, then He will provide. In fact, it is already taken care of. I know that He will use this process to build my faith immensely. I also know that if Journey Core is not in His plan for my life, then He will shut doors on this opportunity and open others elsewhere. I know this because I have been praying this prayer since January. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” God has given me a peace of mind and knowledge that He loves me and has a purpose for my life, so all of this will come together in His timing. His ways are so much higher than mine, as Isaiah 55 reminds me, and His thoughts far beyond my own.
Picture 1 taken from here
And picture 2 from here
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