INDIA!

That's right! I'm going to India for my outreach! I'll be spending the last half of December and all of January and February in the second most populated country in the world.

I'll just quickly tell why I chose to go to India instead of Fiji or Iceland:
Back in the spring, I asked God where He wanted me to do my DTS. Most prominently, He revealed England to me, which is obviously where I went. But in addition to England, God also told me India. (I had almost forgotten about this until I found out that India was an option for outreach.) Also, God had begun to put India on my heart about a month before I even thought about doing a DTS. And after God had told me to do my DTS in India, it really began to be heavy on my heart. Once I had decided on going to Holmsted Manor, India constantly popped up all around me and haunted me, and my heart for this country continued to grow. I just knew that God was going to take me there at some point in my life. So when I was given the options of Fiji, Iceland, and India, I knew exactly where I was supposed to go. I was prepared to say "no" to India, however, and I did wonder if this wasn't my time to go, but when I questioned that, God instantly said that I was crazy for thinking of going anywhere BUT India. And that is why I'll be spending Christmas, New Years, and Valentine's Day in a country so desperate for Jesus with people that were strangers to me just months before.

Here's a bit of information about India:

As I said before, India is the second most populous nation in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. It contains about 17.5% of the world's population in a land that takes up only 2.4% of the earth's land. As for religion, about 81% of the population are Hindu, 13% Muslim, and only about 2% Christian. Although it is greatly overshadowed by Hinduism and Islam, Christianity is the third largest religion.

India is commonly known for the Taj Mahal, Gandhi, curry, saris (which I get to wear!), and the infamous Bollywood. Here's a little sample of Bollywood called Pray 4 India by a famous Bollywood singer.

While I'm in India, I'm hoping to see a real Bollywood film, the Taj Mahal, and to ride an elephant. My team and I are also expecting God to show up in mighty ways and do some crazy things. Miracles are definitely not out of the question (they're actually expected!) and we expect to make an eternal difference in this nation that is so filled with darkness and fear. We are still in the very early stages of planning, so please pray for the staff who are leading: that they may find the right contacts and places for us to go, and also for cheap flights. I also ask that as we plan you pray for us as a team in preparation of our minds, bodies, and souls. As I learn more, I'll be sure to update and let you know!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! I really do appreciate it, and it's so comforting to know I have people back home and across the world lifting me up and thinking of me! God bless. :)

On the Move.

Some news about Holmsted Manor:

Soaking up the sun on an abnormally warm day.

If you were to compare the Holmsted Manor of today to the Holmsted Manor of a year ago, you wouldn't believe that it's the same YWAM base. Not even 13 months ago Holmsted took on new base leaders, Darrin and Amiee Haase. They came to a large, empty house with only 9 staff and a growing chance of having to sell YWAM's 3rd oldest base, having not been used to it's fullest potential. By the grace of God, He has walked with Darrin and Amiee and allowed them to turn Holmsted a complete 180 degrees away from it's downward slope into a new, rapidly growing and exciting chapter for the manor. NOTE: I am just an observer of this change that I am seeing and what I have heard. I mean no harm, hurt, or shame to the old base directors.

Within a year, the amount of staff has rocketed to about 30 people, and is continually growing! There are so many projects going on and new ones are constantly starting that it is difficult to keep track of them all.

• There is a local portuguese church plant and a church plant in the Middle East. 
• There is an outreach to public schools. More schools want us, but we don't have enough staff yet.
• A preschool on the base is in the making. We're beginning to renovate the garage right now! 
• A cafe in the Manor is going to be open to the public. A team from Washington recently came and helped renovate the room.
• King's Kids. About 30 kids are coming on Wednesday for a week to share the gospel.
• We have empty land that has not reached it's potential, but will in the future.

These are just some of the things that I can remember off the top of my mind. Holmsted is rapidly moving forward and hasn't even moved at it's greatest speed yet. The Manor is so full of life, with staff, DTS students, and visitors all the time. Right now we have a DTS from Panama helping us out with renovations and Kings Kids. It's exciting to be a part of Holmsted in this exciting chapter of growth and rebirth. This land is fertile and it is going to bear much fruit.

Eating ice cream and brownies with Julia at the local pub.

My life at Holmsted:


I am about to begin my fifth week of DTS! Time is flying by. My days are full. My head is filled with information. I'm learning lots about God, the Bible, and myself. I'm trying to process as much as I can. I'm taking steps of faith. I'm loving living in community.

During the week I pretty much stay on base. For this, I look forward to getting out on the weekends. This past Saturday some friends and I took a taxi, two trains, and worked my way around the London Underground to reach the city of Oxford. It was a nice trip out and there was so much to see. We were able to walk to every location. We saw lots of old buildings. We went to the pub and used the loo where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis met up to discuss theology and their books. And we went to Christ Church, which inspired the Great Hall in Harry Potter and had a hall that was filmed in a few scenes. It also inspired some of Alice in Wonderland. Oxford really is a college town. The university is all over the city, with colleges placed on almost every corner. The history in this town is unbelievable. It was a perfect day trip!

St. Mary's Church

Last week we had exciting news: we learned our outreach locations! The options are Iceland, India, and Fiji! I know exactly where I'm going, but the teams aren't official yet, so it needs to be kept quiet until the teams are announced. I'll update when I know I can share that information. But let me tell you that I'm very excited for it! God's gonna do some good stuff on outreach! :)

We got kicked out of here for taking too many pictures.

A typical Oxford Street.

Where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis often met.

I miss. I love.

 A mural in the beach town of Brighton.

Now that I've been at Holmsted for 3 weeks (already?!), I've begun to miss some things, but I've also begun to fall in love with some things:

Our football (soccer) field.

I think most of all, I miss my dogs. I miss good salads and a variety of fresh fruit. I miss yogurt, granola, and fruit for breakfast.

I love playing volleyball barefoot (in the mud). I love walking on the 17 acres of land while admiring God's creation. I love reading my Bible and journaling while sitting in the windowsill of my second story room. I love looking at the sky, especially when there aren't many clouds (so many stars and beautiful sunsets).

I miss laying on hot cement in the sun. I miss walking outside to find bearable temperatures.

Sitting and watching double-decker
buses almost run over people.

I love dressing in layers. I love wearing winter clothes. I love mittens and socks.

I miss having space and a place for all of my stuff.  I miss my laundry basket. I miss sheets on my bed. I miss walking barefoot indoors. I miss carpet.

I love cleaning my room with my roommates on Sundays. I love vacuuming the floors, walls, and ceilings of our pet spiders and other insects.

I miss my family. I miss my friends.

I love the relationships and friendships that I'm building. I love living in community and I love having 7 roommates.

I love scaring unsuspecting people. I love playing games. I love free time. I love the weekends.

I can go home satisfied now that I
have found a red phone booth.

I love different accents. I love being myself (burps and all).

I love noise. I love the quiet. I love the sound of nature. 

I love worship, I love intercession, I love lectures. 

And I love what God is doing, both with me and with my DTS as a whole.

I love and I miss. But I mostly love.

Firsts.

Hanging out in the window from my room.

Eleven days ago I embarked on a new journey of firsts. I said my first goodbyes to my parents for a long period of time. I had my first flight over the Atlantic Ocean, my first steps on European land, my first  stamp on my passport. Most of all, I had my first big step towards adulthood, towards independence. This was my first time leaving all I knew for something so foreign and so unknown to me, completely by myself. And I absolutely love it. Of course I miss everybody back home, but there are so many new and exciting things going on here at Holmsted that I barely have time to think about it.

I arrived in London on a typical English day: overcast and rainy. And as I stepped off the plane in my flip flops and t-shirt I was overwhelmed with excitement to finally have made it to this new and foreign land. After lots of sweat and walking back and forth with 2 checked and 2 carry-on bags, an hour long bus ride, and a half hour car ride on the wrong side of the road, I made it to my new home for the next 6 months! As I had a tour of Holmsted Manor the only words I could say were, "Oh my gosh . . . oh my gosh . . . oh my gosh!" I don't think I've ever been in such a beautiful home hidden with so much history on the walls, on the doors, in the bathrooms, in the 17 acres of land. I still can't believe God has chosen to take me to such a beautiful environment. I can't get enough of it. I've spent hours in one room specifically: The Leather Room. On its walls is Italian leather wallpaper. It has been said that Holmsted is one of only 3 buildings in England with it, worth about 10,000 pounds! It is pure beauty.

The Leather Room

Our days are full from the beginning to the end. We have breakfast, a time of worship or intercession, lecture, lunch, work duties (I cook dinner in the kitchen!), dinner (or tea, in England), and usually a planned activity either in the afternoon or at night. We have worship 3 days a week, one with the whole base (which I LOVE), and 2 days of intercession (again, one with the whole base). We have small groups, one-to-ones, and a local outreach on Friday nights. The days end up being really long, but very fulfilling.

When I do have free time, I usually spend it with other people in my DTS. There have been lots of conversations, lots of games (especially a super intense version of Uno), a couple nights of playing Sardines, and even a DANCE PARTY! It already feels like I've known these people for months, some people even years. For this, I'm really excited to deepen our relationships together as we go through this stage of life together. 

Overall, this first week has been AMAZING. The staff is awesome. The view is breathtaking. The house is cold, but it gives such a warm and fuzzy feeling. I love these people and I love having so many different cultures and languages together, living in one community. God's presence is so evident in this place. We can all see that He is moving, that He wants to do big things with the people here, and with our DTS. And He's already working in my life, shaping me and molding me, breaking me, and making me more like Him.