For those of you following me on this blog (pre-indo) I have made a new one at "whileinindo.blogspot.com" Just thought you should know I will be posting to that from now on! thanks for following my travels!

In just six days....

I cant sleep. For the past three nights, when I'm absolutely exhausted from working at VBS all day, I cant seem to sleep. I'm busy planning everything I need down to the last dose of Tums. I decided tonight to look back on all the emails I have exchanged back and forth between Korie and I for our planning of this trip. As I read through the emails that started in November and read how much God has provided, I sit in tears. I'm so grateful that God has given me this opportunity. Now as you know, I'm in college (AKA little job, no money) and yet God has provided the 3000 dollars I needed for this trip. Not only that but He has given me the opportunity to work with kids and travel to the island that I feel called to. In the midst of all the planning, and stress, and excitement, I was reminded that this was God's doing and none of this would have happened unless it was in His plans for me. So Lord, thank you so much. Words aren't enough to explain my gratitude to you. I am your servant and this is my opportunity to be your vessel. Use me Lord in ways that I can't even imagine to further your kingdom. This is going to rock! Amen.

Maple Valley, Coffee, and Contemplation

Today, I sit in a local coffee shop in my hometown of Maple Valley and I'm amazed at how small this world really is. As I went up to the counter to order I was asked if I was a Hopkins. A little skeptical, I answered yes hoping not to regret my decision but assuming the barista must have gone to high school with my sister. Fortunately I was correct, which led to a conversation between her and I and the recent travels of my sister.

To preface this story, my sister Alisha is currently in Nepal for a year, fulfilling her dream of one day living and working there. What an inspiration to me :) I hope to one day have half the courage that she does.

Anyway as we continue to talk about missions, my chosen major/reason for studying during summer break comes up. I explain to her that I'm taking incredible missions classes at NU and the conversation takes a turn. She went on to speak of her deep love for other cultures and children as well. We talked about the fact that once you go somewhere overseas, you will literally change your whole outlook on life and opinions about  missions. All it takes is one trip. Another thought that crosses my mind during this conversation is this: I never want to look back on my life and know that I was not doing what God had originally intended for me. Now I'm not saying that this was the case for this young lady by any means, but what I am saying is how easy it could be for some people to let "life" get in the way of their true calling. Ironic as it is, right now the only thing between me and leaving this land of wealth  is loans....and the rest of my education. However I know the only way I can be sure that I truly live out this plan is if I devote the rest of my time here to just that. I cannot let the distractions and desires of my current comfortable setting to lead me astray from what I know I desperately desire to accomplish, and that ultimately is what He has in mind.

Only 3 and 1/4 more papers then my summer really begins!

Every 5

I never thought that I would have such a difficult time choosing my major. But doing Running Start really took things for a spin. When I signed up for RS, I assumed I would be getting done with college so much earlier then everyone else and that the work load would be lighter. I was proved wrong. We all know what assuming does. I originally signed up as a Children's Ministry major, and proceeded the next semester in what I would say were perhaps the best classes I would probably ever take. However after much toil and planning to make sure that I graduated on time, I was motivated to switch majors to what is currently titled Intercultural Studies. (This too is an incredible program : )) 

However, this blog post is not intended for complaining or to compel you to have pity on me. What happened that first semester as a Children's Ministry major, changed my life and hopefully is changing others too. 

Professor Gard. A new teacher, an incredible leader, a driven children's pastor, and rock solid woman of God. This teacher not only encouraged me to be the best possible version of myself but she would continually pour into the lives of each and every one of her students day in and day out. I was the girl who after her first day of classes was in tears due to fear of such a strong-willed professor, but by the end of the semester was the lady who gave her first 45 minutes presentation in class and felt confident to lead a group of kids to Jesus Christ. I was motivated, challenged and inspired. 

One day in class, Professor Gard was saying her closing thoughts and as she closed, she said these words, "I have a statistic for you, did you know that every 5 seconds, a child will die somewhere in the world due to starvation? Did you know that means, that in the last hour and ten minutes we've had in class together, over 840 children have died?" She told us that she was praying every day that one of us, just one, would grab a hold of a vision to seek and save children, and that we would run with it. She told us we would be amazed at how much just one person could do to literally change the world, if we would only be willing. 

I left class, walked to my dorm, and could not stop thinking about that very statistic all day long. It was nagging at me. It was almost talking to me saying, "find some way to make that awful percentage go down, do something, there has to be a way to fix that. That's just too many kids.....dying."

So I started planning. I thought about it, I dreamed about it, I woke up and talked about it. In class I drew logos for an event, I watched videos about starvation, I talked to my teachers and classmates; it was getting somewhere. What if? What if  that statistic could go down? No one wants to fight hunger though, it's such a massive epidemic, how do you even begin? 

"Well what about starting small?" I thought, "What would I  give to? I wouldn't give cash, I'm in college don't you know? I wouldn't write a check, I don't think I own a check book. I would give change though, I know I have that. It's everywhere; my car, under my bed, in old wallets, purses, bottom of drawers, it's everywhere. So there, that's what we'll do, we will give change, because an average household has about 90$ in change just lying around their house... did you know that?"

There you have it. Every 5th of the month I challenge you to give your loose change so that starving children can have a meal to eat and have the chance to actually live. 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_209998109014470

Thanks for listening

June 4th, 2011

I don't know how to write these lousy blogs...I'm not clever, but whatever, here goes.


So this is my first posting and at this very moment I realize that in exactly one month today, I will be on a plane for my trip to Indonesia....holy smokes. Do you know how this feels? It's hard to explain. It's like I can try to imagine how incredible it will be and I fantasize about my time there, but then I jump back into reality and remember that I have never been there and I can't possibly fathom what is to come, and that my friends, is a very cool feeling. 


Here is a little preface to this blog, my life, my experience, my world, and why I am even spending time at 11:21pm to write this blog. In 2006 at a summer camp, I felt the Lord impressing upon my heart to be a missionary. I didn't know where, or how, or even why, but what I did know was that I was going to do whatever He wanted. So four missions trips, a passport mishap, an undeniable love for children, and 8000 dollars later, here I am, finally going to where I believe, I have been called. 


What's cool about this trip is that I get to work with the coolest family ever! Their names are John and Korie    Taylor and their two sweet daughters. I met Korie on a whim one day, while she was in the states. We met and just talked about life, my desires, and questions I had. Who would have thought that a little over a year later, I would be planning such an extravagant trip to go and work with her and her family in Indonesia....well I did. Since then we've been planning dates, costs, events, tickets, the requirements for internship class, what to wear, what to expect, you name it, we've covered it. And now, I have a ticket, a passport and not even enough money to get me half way there, but if there is one thing I know that God has never failed me in or let me forget, is that HE WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE : ) Glory. 


I would like to pause and say, if you received a support letter from me and have been praying or sent me money, thank you so much. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for trusting me. And thank you for trusting God. He has His plan in mind, and I am simply His instrument. That doesn't even justify how grateful I truly am because I would not even be going if it weren't for your prayers and support. 


Honestly I don't know how I will feel, I'm not scared though. I just know that God wouldn't bring me to this place unless He thought I was ready.