So I missed a couple of weeks... so sorry! After leaving the orphanage, we traveled to a city in Mexico called San Cristobal, where we stayed in a facility owned by YWHAM. While being here, almost my entire team got extremely sick with what we think was food poisoning, so we were all in bed for days, barely eating anything. But, the days when we felt better or weren't sick, we had so many different ministry opportunities. Personally i went to an indigenous community housing faclitity and helped run vbs for the kids there, i went to the local markets where we also ran a vbs in the center with all the vendors kids and i also visited a hospital where we passed out coffee and bread and worshipped on the street with families who were camping outside the hospital because they have sick loved ones inside. That week (week 6) was one of the hardest weeks of the entire trip for me. Not only being in so much stomach pain, but also mentally I felt so alone. This is one of the only times I consistently wanted to give up and come home. With everyone sick, we were all separated and mostly alone, which for me was awful. I felt as if God had left me too during this time because he had put me on this trip where I was feeling like I still hadn't made many friends, I got extremely sick, I couldn't go to ministry, i couldnt eat, and I felt like he wasn't hearing my prayers or seeing me at all. Looking back, how stupid am I lol. Once I was feeling a little bit better (like I could walk and breathe without throwing up), a small group of us decided to walk to a coffee shop to get some air. When we got there, we noticed another table beside us that spoke English and sounded like they were from the U.S. At first, we didn't think anything of it, but then the man came up to us and asked where we were from and why we were in mexico. We all said the many different states we were from, I went last, and told him were i was from, to which he responded that he was from swananoa nc. How crazy is that, someone from tiny little swananowhere in mexico on the hardest week of my life, where I feel like God doesn't see me. We continued to talk to this guy for the next three hours about many different things, including God, religion, his daughter, dreams, visions, how God speaks to people, money, different countries, his life, and we ended in prayer together. As we were talking, this stranger answered questions that all four of us had asked God throughout the week, without us telling him what these questions were. When he left, we all sat in AWE of how stupid we were for questioning and doubting God (as this week had been mentally challenging for all of us) and how amazing God is. Some girls even questioned if we had just encountered an angel because there was no earthly explanation for how this random man knew all the answers to things that were never spoken aloud. (i dont think it was an angel, but it was a guy that is really connected to God, who gave him the right words to say that day). Again i feel so seen, heard, treasured, and loved by my good, good Father. And that is a close on Mexico!

Then we moved on to Guatemala! When thinking about coming on this trip, many people wanted me to dye my hair or wear contacts or do all these things so i wouldnt stand out or "get taken by the cartel," while I appreciated the concern for me i took these things as a grain of salt because how serious could it be. I joked consistently about being a cartel wife lol looking back, I will choose my words wisely next time!! I would have never guessed that Mexico would break out in war with the cartel while we were there! I know many of you were praying for me, and my teams saftey, and all I can say is thank you! We left Mexico a couple of days early and made it across the border without a single problem, thank you, Lord. We made it to our first debrief week at Lake Atitlan! I had just previously been here with my mom in september and I was so excited to be back at this beautiful place. We spent the week tanning, sleeping, talking about our flaws and our strengths, studying the word, and exploring the towns. What a much-needed break! We stayed in a hostel, and one thing that stuck out to me was an open mic night that was held in the restaurant/bar on the property where we were staying. At first, I was really skeptical of whether this is a place where I should put myself, a bar late at night with strangers who are all drinking and do not know the Lord. But I kept thinking about the people Jesus hung out with, and I said, "Lord, I trust you to do cool things and keep us safe," and so a group of us stayed. I don't think I've mentioned how musically gifted my group is. We have 4 guitars, a violin, and a ukulele, but you can also hand almost every person here a guitar, and they can play it, or they can sing! So for open mic night, we had multiple people sing and play in front of the whole bar, which was such a joy. But I do have to say I have never been treated so differently for being a Christian than this night. It taught me a lot. While my team is so gifted you could feel the distance from the crowd when one of them went up to sing, it almost felt like a wall was set up or immediate judgment was placed over us. But in a sense, we were too "pure" to be around them, not that we think we were better, but we are too innocent to be able to joke and laugh and sing alongside these people. Honestly, to me, it felt as if they were pitting us or felt better than us because we were stupid, because we were Christians. I've never experienced this, and it definitely made me think a lot about how to reach certain people and how we can reach the world. Even though this was the overall attitude towards us, some of my teammates got to have really great discussions with strangers about God and what we believe. We definitely saw God moving yet again, even in a place of distinct opisition of God.

Then we moved on to our next stop, Antigua Guatemala, where the great divide happened :( Throughout the entire trip, all 29 (+ extra mentors here and there) have gotten to live in the same place, which has been such a blessing !!!! But here we are split into two houses, my house is my team of 6 other girls, and the boys' team (there are only 7 boys on the entire trip), and the other house is the two girls' teams. Which at first I found hilarious and like God was messing with me because I have been praying for really great female friendships, but he sticks me in a house with guys and the girls I get to see no matter what every day at team time, not the girls I had been praying to connect with, but the stinky boys... I'm sure God is going to teach me something with that. We will see! While being here, we are split up into three different ministry teams. I am in one called Serve Hope. I will be doing house visits, helping with VBS, yard work, joining a moms/women's group, worship nights in the square, soccer clubs, and intercession with prayer for Israel, the local community here, unreached nations, God's return, and discipleship. This week, we were getting a feel for ministry and what our schedule was going to look like, but next week, we will be diving in headfirst, and I could not be more excited.

I already have so many things I want to do and things I know I will accomplish and callings I know God has for me, but boy will I miss sleeping with my mom any night I feel like I want to be close to her, or curling up on the couch next to my dad for him to say he won't rub me, even though he always does. That being said, if i dont get married in the next 4 years or college doesn't work out, you can come visit me in the apartment I am convinced my dad had built just for me over his garage in our driveway!

so for prayer, please pray for health and safety. Pray for amazing connections in ministry and for us to allow the lord to work through us. Pray for a great week with our parents and safety for them coming here. Pray for my family when they have to leave again because I know it will be hard. Pray for a great finish to this trip. Pray for us not to take anything for granted because my best friends will be scattered across the country/world in a short 6 weeks. Pray for continued college stuff. And pray for my heart as I go through this transition from my parents to college/my own life!