i'm going to miss "the kiddos"

I love this kid. Sigh.

That’s my little Missionette Sierra, one of a family of 4 kids that has stolen my heart in my time at Forest Avenue church. To be fair, there are a LOT of children that I’ve had the privilege of teaching about the Lord and spending time with in the past 6 years at Forest Avenue; but these kids have a special place in my heart reserved just for them. Now a Sunday or Wednesday doesn’t go by where I don’t hear, “Miss Heather, you can’t leave!” come from at least one of them. And any time I’m gone for a week or more, I am welcomed back by enthusiastic little ones running up to me for a hug, stealing another piece of my heart as the embrace ends.

Sigh, again.

When I first started attending Forest Avenue, I didn’t have a clue about children’s ministry. But over time I’ve learned that whether you’re teaching them a Bible story, helping them memorize an important scripture verse that will stick with them, or just turning cartwheels in the fellowship hall while Pastor Jim isn’t looking (haha), being influential in a child’s life is one of the most beneficial things you can do with your life. And even though your heart will feel like it’s ripping out of your chest when it’s time to say goodbye, if you get the privilege of leading a little one to the Lord, you know that you will get to see them again. And there is no way to measure what a difference faith will make in a child’s life as they grow up. I know it made a difference in my life, even though I didn’t turn back to the Lord until I was 16. But the Bible stories stayed in my heart, and the knowledge of a loving God was with me all along. I pray these same promises and this steady faith remains with my “kiddos” from Forest Avenue for the rest of their lives.

And, I pray the memory of their “Miss Heather” sticks with them, too. Because I know for sure that they will stay with me.

shots still hurt, even at 24

So much to update you on!

Let’s begin with the title, haha. I’m currently in the stage of preparation for Thailand where I have continuously tortured my body with immunization shots. Granted, I am incredibly thankful that these shots are protecting me against gross diseases and brain-swelling viruses; but darn, these puppies HURT! I have a pretty high threshold for pain, but I find that after every prick (sometimes multiple ones in a single visit), even though I am now 24 years old and consider myself an adult, part of me wants to go home, go to sleep, and let my Mom or Grandpa serve me warm soup and lollipops every few hours. :) Sounds slightly pathetic, doesn’t it? It’s okay, you can let me know, I’m strong enough to handle your sarcasm.

In other news…it’s been great catching up on a bajillion things I’ve put off until I “had more time” (note to self: there will never be enough time, so embrace the time you have and make it work!). I have only been doing odd jobs here and there since August, and this break has been a blessing on many, many levels. One of which is the extra time I have to develop a healthier lifestyle. It dawned on me a few months ago that I have got to get my body in better shape before I leave for Thailand. I’m not overweight, but I’m not in the place where I could survive living in the tropics without serious issues, either. So I became a member of a local gym in April, but only recently have I been completely faithful to keeping in shape. And you know what? I can’t believe I’ve waited so long to take such good care of my body! I mean, if we read Romans 12:1 we see that we are to offer our bodies up as a living sacrifice--and that means we need to also keep our bodies healthy and working well, not just unpolluted from the worldly things around us. Our bodies (along with our salvation) were bought at a price, and we need to honor God by taking care of His creation. So all month I have eaten healthy carbs, high-calcium yogurt and cottage cheese, fruits, and veggies, and worked out almost every day. The result: a healthier, happier, Heather! I actually did 21 miles on the stationary bike today, and it felt wonderful. I’m praying I can keep up a healthy regiment in the months to come, and that my body will better withstand the heat, humidity, and air pollution of Bangkok.

Two paragraphs on the body…time for an update on the soul…

Another bonus of being temporarily unemployed is that I’ve had more time to read (and I highly recommend taking a book with you to the gym--totally makes the time fly by on the bike or elliptical). I recently read a daily devotional by Alicia Britt Chole entitled Pure Joy! Words of Encouragement and Hope, and the entire book was just that: pure joy, encouragement, and hope. If you are reading this blog entry and know a woman who has a birthday coming up, you should buy this for her! Each day has an entry with a scripture, a prayer, and a short devotional. Chole is completely biblical in all of her stories and illustrations, and writes like no other female author I know. She’s also great in person, if you have the chance to see her preach. One of the devotions touched on many of the emotions I have been experiencing lately, here is an excerpt:

“During transitions we uproot and replant our sense of purpose, value, and self. Between what was and what will be, we often feel vulnerable, uncertain, and exposed…If embraced, transitions will refine our character and grow dependence upon God in our souls.”

I mentioned in a blog entry from this summer that I was learning how to be more dependent upon the Lord in all areas of my life, and this excerpt touches on that point. I am recognizing more and more the transition that I find myself in, and all of the emotions that go with this time in my life. I feel incredibly vulnerable. I feel more exposed that I have ever been, especially when I’m on stage in front of a church, sharing with them my deep burden for the lost. But I am also recognizing God’s hand in the midst of the transition.

I don’t often “feel” His tangible presence surrounding me like I have felt so many times before; but I feel the weight of His promise to never leave me or forsake me (Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 13:5) more deeply and more clearly than I think I have ever felt before. And it is comforting. And it is reassuring.

And it is real.

6,740+ miles traveled in the past month!

That adds up to one tired rump. (If I can be totally honest.)

I have to admit, though…I am totally loving this “always on the move, nomadic lifestyle” that I have had this month. It gives me a rush, and I like the adventure.

This trip to Oklahoma has to be my favorite, though--this time I get to see my family!!! I’m actually sitting here with my mom and grandma, catching up on life. Ahh…good to be home.

In case you’re wondering how I’ve racked up the miles lately, here’s a brief synopsis of my travels:
Springfield, MO → Heber Springs, AR roundtrip = 374 miles.
Springfield → Vancouver, BC roundtrip = 4,288 miles.
Springfield → Dysart, IA = 453 miles.
Dysart → Minneapolis, MN → Cedar Rapids, IA → Springfield = 1,331 miles.
Springfield → Moore, OK = 294 miles.

Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Gotta love it.

Living like a nomad,
Heather

the blessing of friendship

Friday night I got to hang out with some old friends that I have not seen in years. Once my mind put two and two together as we planned our trip up into Minnesota, I realized that my dear friend Angela was going to be a much better reason to go than the Mall of America!! So I was blessed with the chance to reconnect with this old friend from our days in Spence Hall at Evangel University. Ang was one of the first people I met at EU, my suite mate for a year, and had a deep, challenging impact on my faith as a new Christian. It was pretty much wonderful to see her again!

Not only did I get to see Ang, but her husband Nick came home after work, and we got to catch up. Nick has been to Bangkok a few years ago, so he was able to suggest a great restaurant to visit, and some people to say hey to when I get there. But, cool thing was, their friend Josh was also there, and I know Josh from WAY back in the day--we met at the New Student Orientation bonfire freshman year! I didn’t know that any of them knew each other, so it was a great surprise. We all hung out until late in the night, catching up, laughing, and watching an episode of The Office (perfect way to spend time with friends, huh?) before I had to head back. Wonderful.

As Angela and I caught up on the past few years of life, I was overwhelmed by how God brings people into our lives, and though sometimes they are taken out of our lives faster than we would like, He also brings them back into the picture at just the right time. For this facet of His faithfulness, I am grateful. I am so thankful that Ang, Nick, and Josh are back in my life, and can’t wait to see how He brings all of us back together again someday--I personally voted for the next reunion to be in Bangkok. Ha.

So if you’re reading this humble blog, please know that God truly is interested in our friendships and relationships in this life. He brings people into our lives to bless us, challenge, us, and encourage us. Life may try to take those we hold close away from us, but as a Body of Believers we know that we WILL meet again. The time and place may not be known to us, but we have a promise of eternal fellowship. It may sound cheesy sometimes, but it is the honest truth given to us by One who does not lie.

Hoping to see each of you soon,
Heather

"missionary heather"

WOW. So, as I said in the last post, I am now in my itineration process for Thailand. Sunday, July 20th, I had my first service with Dysart Assembly of God in Dysart, Iowa. IT WAS AMAZING! The congregation was so loving, welcoming, and plain awesome, and the service went very well (except for some technical difficulties which all present can laugh at for some time to come).

This trip to Iowa has actually been about a year in the making. My pastor in Springfield, Jim Dougherty, and his daughter Treanna (one of my best friends) offered to take me to some of the congregations that they know in this state. We had quite the eventful drive up here yesterday (including a late start, a broken drive belt, a replacement vehicle with bad brakes, crazy heat, and unknowingly driving through a tornadic thunderstorm), but God kept us safe and we were somehow revived for the service in the morning. Dysart Assembly opened their arms and their hearts to me, and I think we all genuinely had a good time in the service, as well as the delicious potluck lunch afterwards (I am so blessed and spoiled!).

Not only was the congregation very responsive to the message and opened their hearts to the needs in Thailand, but everyone was so encouraging! I got to meet with and talk to quite a few people in the congregation, and it was a pleasure just getting to know people better. I even acquired a new set of “parents!” Lloyd and Yvonna are on the ministry team that leads the church, and adopted me as their daughter! Yvonna and I especially hit it off, and I have a standing invitation to return in two years when my time in Thailand is over. Yah!

The title of this entry comes from the end of the service at Dysart. The Holy Spirit was moving in everyone’s hearts before the service, actually guiding a few of us to the same topic (the Cross and salvation); Yvonna and I were powwowing after Sunday school and found out that He had given us the same message to teach the children that morning! So Yvonna began the service, and I got the chance to tell the children about Thailand and give them some information about her people instead of them going off to their own service. Afterwards, Yvonna invited me back to the kids’ room where I taught them the two phrases I know in Thai (hello and thank you, haha). As I was teaching them, Yvonna kept referring to me as “Missionary Heather.” It caught me off guard the first time, but then I realized…hey, that’s me! This is a huge responsibility to take upon myself, but I know this is what the Lord has created me to do. So I will assume the role of Missionary Heather with both pride and humility, and do my absolute best to bring Him honor and glory at all times.


For Him,
Missionary Heather

truly a vacation for the soul...

Hello everyone! I have left my new favorite country of Canada, and am writing this from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Traveling has been great so far, I actually slept on the flight from Vancouver to Minneapolis (which I usually have trouble doing, so praise God!). It was sad to leave Sarah and Canada, but I’m excited for what’s next on this journey…

I really want to open up with everyone on this blog entry. I know that a lot of my entries lately have been pretty basic and not very “spiritual,” but I want to assure you that this last trip turned out to be more of a vacation for my soul than for my body. Sure, I stayed in a nice, hotel-like dorm building, ate amazing food everyday, and played outside in ideal 72 degree weather all day…but the part of me that benefited most from my time in Vancouver was my soul.

Life has been hectic, hard, and slightly soul-killing lately, so it was great to get out of Springfield, get away from the humdrum of everyday life and duties, and remember what I have been created to do. I am learning how to step away from the world and retreat to that sacred place of communion with the Lord--no matter what tries to keep my attention instead. While in college the Lord was constantly teaching me how to manage my relationship with Him despite so many demands on my time; after school I learned how to avoid complacency in both life and spirit. As I transitioned into working full-time I had to ask Him how to balance a sometimes slow/sometimes break-neck work environment with a relevant life lived before Him and my co-workers; and now, still employed but also preparing for moving to Thailand and fundraising full-time, He is quietly and faithfully showing me how to come away to the quiet, still waters (Psalm 23, gotta love it!) and spend time with Him. The past week in Vancouver was key to figuring out this piece of my life-puzzle.

Not only did He speak to my heart so gently about balancing my life with Him and the demands that surround me constantly, but He reminded me that this calling on my life is HIS calling. Let me explain: for the past couple of months I have struggled with feeling inadequate in my calling and unable to itinerate, learn the Thai language, minister effectively, etc. I know that the onslaught has been the work of the enemy, but it has also caused me to be even MORE dependent upon the Lord. I suffer from a weird desire to be very independent in every aspect of my life…and the Lord is slowly breaking me of that quirk. It’s both a healthy and unhealthy aspect of my personality, and He’s helping me work through the unhealthy part of it. In Vancouver I was reminded again and again and AGAIN that He desires me to be dependent upon Him. God enjoys it when we rest in Him, look to Him for guidance, and rely upon Him for the big and the small things in life. I am learning again how to do this very thing.

So I now find myself in Iowa (it's actually Sunday, July 20th as I finish this post), beginning my itineration process. I have a more quieted soul within me now, as I hold on to the exaltation that David makes in Psalm 131:2, “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” In all actuality, it is the LORD that has quieted my soul within me…and I am unbelievably grateful for that fact.

Resting in Him,
Heather

a soul-reviving vacation

I am now convinced that I need to take it easy more often and find places that bring me back to what really matters in life. And I have found one of those places: Vancouver, BC.

For those who know me well, I am someone with far too much on her plate; someone who over-commits herself to activities and responsibilities. The result is a life lived with adventure and full of experience; but also a life lived on overdrive with not enough time to spend with the ones I love. Sure, I am productive. But is it production that echoes in eternity, or is it just being "busy"?

I am asking myself these questions this week.

I had plenty of time to think on the plane ride here yesterday, and Sarah and I are traveling mainly by bus and skytrain around the city, so there's ample time for reflection. I am realizing that I sow too much time into things that don't deserve my time--and I want to change that fact. I want to spend more quality time with friends, and exert more energy to let those around me know how much they mean to my life. This is a new and on-going goal of mine.

Spending a week in Vancouver is also teaching me the importance of relishing in nature. Why else would God have given us such a beautiful world, but to praise Him for it and enjoy it?! Vancouver is dotted with beautiful parks, beaches, and outdoor activities. I'm taking advantage of the free ones this week! I currently spend too much time indoors, and I want to change that as soon as I get home.

Another lesson that Vancity has unknowingly taught me already is the importance of relationship. I've already seen in other countries how the emphasis is put upon relationships and people, rather than appearances and belongings (and there are of course exceptions to the rule everywhere)--but I am seeing the difference with new eyes this time around. I want to be more real with people and appreciate them even more for who they are.

So far, this has been a wonderful and meaningful visit with Sarah, as well as a glimpse into my heart and God's soul. I pray it continues.

Here is a picture of a bag that I saw while shopping with my Aunt Bonnie in Arkansas last weekend. It verbalizes well what I have been learning this week:

Learning to breathe,

Heather

apparently, large earrings are considered a security threat to air travel...?

Yeah, so...apparently my love for large fashion earrings clashed momentarily with my love for travel today. At the KCI airport (at 6am, by the way) I got in line at security, put my stuff in the bins, checked my pockets, and proceeded through the metal detector. It went off. So the lady informed me that I had one more chance to go through the detector, and I'd better find whatever it was that set it off. She helped me check my pockets, I wasn't wearing a belt...and we couldn't figure it out. Finally, I pointed at my earrings, and though she was skeptical I went ahead and put them in a bin and attempted to clear security. Everything was fine the second time through, and it turns out, my earrings above are made out of something seemingly hazardous (or at least metallic) to the security men and women of KCI. Glad they're keeping us safe, though.

Hope you enjoyed this quirky little fact, and hope it made you smile!

Sarah and I are having a wonderful time in Vancouver so far, I'll try to keep you all updated.

Thinking about moving to Canada someday,

HG

on the road

My suitcase is sitting by the door, my backpack is ready for me to put my laptop in it, and my passport is waiting in my purse... It's not quite time to head to Thailand yet, but the travel bug has hit me once again and I'm going to visit my friend Sarah in Canada. In a few hours I'll drive to KC to fly out bright and early tomorrow morning. Pray for safe travel, and for lots of fun and relaxation before I hit the road again to Iowa to fundraise.

I will try to post some awesome pictures once I get the chance. If you've ever been to Vancouver and have ideas on what we can go see or do, email me!


Resting up,
Heather

i have the greatest family

It is getting late on Sunday night, and I just got back from Arkansas earlier this evening. It was a wonderful weekend getaway for July 4th, but as I get ready for bed, I realize how much I miss my family already. There is nothing like the hustle and bustle of a full house of relatives...and my heart is aching without that sound now. Lord, gird my heart with the strength to say goodbye this fall...

God Encounters, cont'd...

God Encounter #4
A Calling to Him and for Him.
Thursday night is inevitably the night when we humble ourselves before the Lord and ask if He wants us to go into full-time ministry. I LOVE THIS NIGHT. Granted, I’m a little partial because I feel like God wants me to serve Him in the capacity of full-time minister, but I also love how this night can show everyone that ministry doesn’t always have to be behind the pulpit. I appreciated how the evangelist made this distinction and reminded the students (and staff) that we are all to spread the Gospel…and some are to do so in the position of preacher or missionary. It was a well-balanced altar call, if that makes sense to anyone out there…

As I went to the front to pray for students, I was blessed to received a prophetic word for to student to my right, a guy I had joked around with in the concessions stand. I shared it with him later that night, and it seemed to resonate within him. But the moment that changed and challenged me the most was when I prayed with an awesome young woman named Katie. To be honest, I felt incredibly awkward at first going down to the altar area; the only spot open was dead center, right in front of the evangelist on stage. I’m not one for attention, and much prefer praying for students on the side or somewhere in the back (Turner Falls interns: remember praying for campers in their rooms on the really stormy nights?!? Oh man, THOSE were altar calls!). I hesitated, but just prayed for my mind to be on the right thing, and waited for someone to come forward for prayer. Soon after, this girl who is crying her eyes out just clutches on to my arms and starts praying. The moment she touched my arms I could literally feel God’s presence on her and knew that she was weeping from the depths of her soul for the lost. Through tears and sobs she tells me her name and that she feels God calling her to be an evangelist. Once she shared that with me, I knew she was absolutely right--I could feel in my heart that God was breaking her heart with compassion for those who have never known hope. We prayed for what seemed like forever (but was probably 5 minutes), and I literally could not find enough words to tell her how much God has His hand on her life. Even now I feel inadequate to articulate what I felt and was praying for her. When she had calmed down a little we laughed at the fact that I had a black streak on my shoulder from her mascara, and said goodbye. I was glad to see her in concessions later that night, and recently got an email from her. I hope the Lord keeps her in my heart to pray for her regularly, because I truly believe that brokenness is from Him, and that she will be able to lead many to Christ through the years. Hallelujah!

God Encounter #5
The Lord’s Table.
Sleep deprivation finally caught up with me Friday morning as I became thoroughly confused as to what time it really was; all week we were on “Camp Time,” which was basically EST. However, my cell phone stayed on CDT and I had to add an hour constantly to not be late. Friday morning, still confused and even more exhausted, I ended up at the chapel over an hour early for service. Yeah. So I prayed for awhile, and even though I was sleepy I was grateful for the time to pray in the quiet. We shared communion as a Body in the service, and I felt it was a wonderful close to a wonderful week.

God Encounters #6-10
“And He shall give His angels charge over you…” (Psalm 91:11)
It stormed all night Thursday, and the storm continued Friday as we sadly said goodbye to camp. We took it easy on the windy roads to Lebanon (with a little crabbiness on my part as the youth jumped around on the van and made a little too much noise for my nerves!), but when we got on I-44 the storm let loose with torrential rains. As much as the youth drove me nuts earlier on the drive, they sat up and started paying attention when we were in a near-pileup outside of Marshfield. I was so proud of them as they started praying for all the wrecks we passed (there were three between Marshfield and Springfield!) and thanking God for keeping us safe. It was a very tense hour, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared driving on the highway (and trust me, I have been on the highway a lot in the past few years). But God did indeed keep us safe, and even though half of Springfield’s roads were flooded, we were able to get the kids home safe and get home ourselves. Praise Him!

It was an amazing week at youth camp, and since then I have seen the youth genuinely hold on to the changes that God is helping them make in their lives. I am exceedingly proud of them, especially this past week--they have been very instrumental in passing out literature for our outreach and leading the younger kids at church. I am looking forward to watching them continue to grow.

In Him,
Heather

God Encounters

Not only was youth camp a great time to learn how to laugh things off on a regular basis, but it was a week filled with God’s sweet love and grace. All 5 of us from Forest Avenue had many experiences that both encouraged us and changed our lives, and we are all deeply grateful for God’s work in us last week--and continuing on into the future.

God Encounter #1
Youth on fire.
From the first service Monday night, it was apparent that these youth were determined to experience God and a greater devotion to Him this week. The worship team lead us into beautiful times of worship before His throne, and each altar time was heart-felt. Jacob Jester was the speaker, and he spoke on the Training Camp themes: Pray, Live, Give, Serve, and Tell. Each night had a different theme, and the ministry of various Master’s Commissions and traveling ministry teams blessed all of us even more. I wish that every one of you could have been there with us! It was a great feeling to be at a youth camp once again; I spent three wonderful summers interning at Turner Falls youth camp in southern Oklahoma, and I had forgotten how much I loved camp! There is a certain electricity in the air in that kind of place, and it’s felt by all. Ahh…

God Encounter #2
Old friends and new friends.
It was such a blessing to run into some friends from Evangel while I was at camp. I had admittedly been super nervous going to camp, unsure if I would know anyone or make a connection with people that I could spend the week with. I didn’t want to cramp the youths’ style, so I tried to connect with some of the staff. Luckily my friends Josh and Jeana Shelley were there, so we got to hang out off and on. I had some classes with Josh, but hadn’t spent time with Jeana before, and we totally clicked! She is a wonderful woman, and I’m so thankful the Lord brought us together last week. They are going to continue doing great things for God in their ministry to youth. Also, I got to see my friend Sarah Tattershall who is leaving for Chiang Mai, Thailand next month. Pray for her, she lacks only a little money before she can leave! It was great to see her before she heads over there--it was also surreal to think that we will (God-willing) be seeing each other again in a few months, only this time in Thailand! Yah! As nice as it was to see old friends, God allowed me to spend time with and get to know Cheri, a pastor’s wife from the area, and all the great people in the concessions stand. We had some good times serving up good food to hungry campers and smelling of hamburgers and fries for a whole week! If any of you concessions friends are reading this, know that I miss you!

God Encounter #3
“Pour out Your Spirit on us…”
It is universally known (at least in the circles I’ve been in) that Wednesday night at youth camp is “Holy Spirit night.” A lot of students (and staff!) are not given many opportunities throughout the year to tarry at the altar and await the baptism in the Holy Spirit, so there is at least one night a week where the baptism is a central focus of the altar time. I always love these times of prayer because God is a good God, and He desires to give good gifts to His people! I have seen literally hundreds of young people blessed with the gift of the Spirit through my years at camps, and it always bring tears to my eyes when they experience God at this new level. Another beautiful aspect is the time after their experience when they learn that the Spirit doesn’t just bring a new prayer language, but also a deeper passion in worship and prayer, and a fiercer burden for the lost (not saying that those who haven’t experienced this gift are lacking--only speaking from what I’ve experienced in my heart). Wednesday night I needed to leave the altar time and set up for concessions, but as I prayed for the Lord to baptize our two girls, I felt in my heart that He was going to do as He willed, and that they would be blessed. I began to sing a Hillsong United chorus, “Pour out Your Spirit on us…” and prayed for His glory to touch their lives. I had a few kids in the concessions line afterwards proudly tell me, with their eyes shining and their hearts full, that the Lord had baptized them in the Spirit! And, as I met up with the girls before lights out, Savannah told me she had been baptized, too! Praise God! He is good, and so are His gifts.

More God Encounters to come hopefully tomorrow night…

Camp Mishap #38

Hi guys! Hello to the faithful ones who read my blog regularly, and hi to those checking it out for the first time (probably since I gave you my prayer card at camp). Thanks for being interested in what I have to say, hope you enjoy it. :)

The title of this entry might need a little explaining…I got back on Friday afternoon from an exciting, unusual, and relaxing week of youth camp at Lake of the Ozarks. Woo hoo for Training Camp 2008!!! It was a great experience, seeing as how it was my first week at the Southern Missouri district’s campgrounds/retreat center. I am grateful for the week away, and so glad I got to be there with the youth from Forest Avenue. God did some amazing things in all our lives, but there were also some hilarious and stretching moments which I like to refer to as my slew of Camp Mishaps…

Camp Mishap #1
The open water bottle vs. Heather’s dry and unsuspecting lap.
As you can probably assume, as I was driving the van to camp I took a slightly sharp turn going onto a narrow country road, and my co-pilot Robert (another youth sponsor) hadn’t put the lid back on his bottle of water perched on the dash. So…yeah. The kids said the best part of the experience was my facial expression as the cold water soaked my lap. Good thing I dried out before we stopped for lunch, or else Robert would have been a dead man. Haha.

Camp Mishap #6
Forest Avenue’s van vs. a small, unsuspecting silver four-door sedan.
Classic facial expressions became the highlight of Monday’s rainy afternoon before camp started. It was still raining pretty hard when we arrived and checked-in, so we piled back into the van to drive the youth to their dorms to unload. I casually asked the kids if there was anything behind me and started backing out to the main road. As I slowly reversed, I felt us bump into something…and one of the youth yell out, “Oh my gosh, you hit someone’s car!” !!!! My emotions once again painting my face, we all jumped out of the van to inspect the damage. Fortunately, our bumpers had only touched and there was no damage on the car! Praise God! I don’t know if I’d ever felt so guilty and scared before! Luckily, after taking the girls’ stuff to their dorms, I ran into the really nice woman whose car I hit, gave her my contact info, and promised her I’d fix her car if anything went wrong with it anytime soon. Wow.

Camp Mishap #11
The mother of all embarrassing and awkward moments.
As we drove to the staff lodgings the youth kept themselves busy making fun of me and teasing that they were going to call Pastor Jim and tell him what happened (who, by the way, felt more sorry for me than angry! Haha.). We arrived at the motel, and quickly learned that both Robert AND I were assigned to room 9. Yeah… One room, two beds, one bathroom. This had to be a mistake! Once again, the kids were practically on the ground laughing their behinds off at my expense. Robert and I couldn’t quite look at each other, so we quietly unloaded our stuff and vowed not to tell anyone until things were resolved. Glad that the youth had something to take their minds off of how nervous they were for their first youth camp, we made our way to the chapel for orientation--with the youth singing their own rendition of “Going to the Chapel.” Sigh.

Camp Mishap #12
A vow broken.
Within 30 minutes, Robert had told 4 people about the room situation. Welcome to SoMo youth camp, Heather Goff! No time to be nervous, only embarrassed!!! :)

Camp Mishap #18
No food or drinks in the gymnasium. Duh!
After some time in the incredibly hot Snack Shack, I checked out what the girls were doing in the gym during free time. Trying to stay out of the crossfire of an intense game of dodge ball between staff and campers, Savannah and I chatted about the first two days of camp. Just as I was thinking, “This isn’t such a good idea…we might get--” a large yellow dodge ball hit’s the Styrofoam cup of Pibb Xtra in my hand, baptizing Savanah and I in a sticky mess! Cleaning up the remnants on the floor (and picking up the pieces of my pride left after the game paused to check out the damage), I laughed at myself and wondered if I had done anything the week before to deserve a lesson in humility…

Camp Mishap #23
Killer mosquitoes. No joke, they’re vicious and stealthy in Missouri.
After service and concessions time on Tuesday night I decided to chat it up with my neighbor and with Robert (even though by now word had spread quickly of our brief stint as roommates). Standing with my door half-way open I knew I risked having to kill a few critters before bed, but took the chance and talked for about 30 minutes with the guys. As I went to read a little before bed, I noticed a swarm of small, transparent, quiet mosquitoes that were buzzing my overhead light. After at least 20 minutes of carnage involving unsuspecting mosquitoes and a rolled-up pair of gym shorts, I had killed almost 30 mosquitoes in my room! Add to that a roach and a stinkbug that conveniently fell in my trash can, and I was ready for bed! As I laid down talking the day over with my Mom on the phone, the lone surviving mosquito began dive-bombing my face! Twice it circled down from the ceiling at me, until I stood up and swatted at it again with the shorts. Then it came with a full-frontal attack and again went for my face!! I eventually killed it, got back on the phone, explained the shrieks and squeals to my laughing mother, and went to bed. The remaining troops that hid in my bathroom that night were properly disposed of the next morning. Tough little boogers.

Camp Mishaps #34-37
You mean we had staff meetings every morning?!?!
My ongoing faux pas at youth camp was the fact that every morning I slept in, then lazed around my room and at Cross Pointe reading, reflecting, and praying. It wasn’t until Thursday afternoon that Cheri, a wonderful pastor’s wife that I spent the week befriending, asked if I had heard the devotion in staff meeting that morning. Staff meeting? What staff meeting?!?!? She laughed at me pretty hard, then explained that I must have missed the meeting every morning above the chapel. Yeah… Pretty sure I was sleeping during ALL of them. Hopefully Darrin Poe (the District Youth Director) didn’t notice…and if he did, I’m sorry Darrin! Wow, I am good.

Well, I really hope you have enjoyed reading about my adventures at youth camp this past week. Ask any questions you might have about the experience, and check back in a day or two for all the God Experiences that we had there as well. I would write them tonight, but it’s getting late. I will have them up soon.

Hope everyone reading this remembers that mishaps in life can be stretching and a blessing; so be humble, never trust someone when they say you’re clear to back up, always carry bugspray, and remember not to bring any food or drinks in the gymnasium!!!!

Enjoying life through Him,
Heather

anticipation

Check out this beautiful skyline...ahhhh...

Lately I have found myself daydreaming about being in Thailand. I guess that's a good thing, huh? With each passing day I anticipate the journey even more...waiting...waiting...

Conversely, the horrors in Myanmar as of late have hurt my heart so deeply as I think about the amount of human suffering that goes on there. I can't even fathom the despair and pain the people are going through. But I also feel such pride in Thailand's response to the cyclone victims: the Thai Air Force has already dropped supplies and were some of the first to respond. The government has been trying to reason with Myanmar and allow more foreign aid to pass through the borders. The people of Thailand are trying to help their neighbors and fellow humans. My heart swells with pride for a nation that is not quite my own, but is slowly becoming another home for my body and my heart.

So I wait...anticipating...praying for a ready heart, mind, body, and soul.

I'm finally updating...

WOW, I'm not even overseas yet and I stink at updating this thing! Haha. To all of those people who are checking out my blog after seeing the address on my prayer card, sorry to disappoint! I'm a work-in-progress when it comes to consistent communication. :)

As for an update, life is good! I "graduated" from Pre-Field Orientation and am officially a Missionary Associate! Yah! And I'm working on a kick-butt newsletter that will help people see what we'll be doing in Thailand and how they can help. Look for it in your mailboxes sometime soon...

As for Thailand...please continue to pray diligently and with faith for this beautiful nation. Pray for hearts to be open to the message of the Gospel and the kindness and love that we will endeavor to show them. Pray that the violence in Tibet and China will not trickle down into the Buddhist nation. Pray for more people to respond to the call to Southeast Asia.

Thank you for reading this, and thank you for praying!!!!

In Him,

Heather

P.S.

Enjoy a few more pictures from PFO:

I hadn't seen my friend Charisse in months, and we ended up in the same PFO class! Yah! She's on her way to Africa to minister to women.

A group photo of some of my new friends. There were 28 of us Missionary Associates, and we are going to 21 different countries.

All of the girls I met were so sweet, funny, and sincere! They are going to do great things for God wherever He leads them.

What is a week in Springfield without taking the newbies on the ubiquitous Mudhouse run?

Ironically, we all went out to the Springfield Brewery for dinner after our commissioning service...haha!