Everything, New Year's, 47 hours away

Everything

My Ugenya (Uganda and Kenya) outreach team felt we were supposed to prepare this skit to do at churches or other evangelism opportunities. The video follows a girl's story of fellowship with God, in aspects of creation, then her temptation into sin. Several struggles follow, such as guys, money, alcohol, models, and eventually a fall into depression with cutting and considering suicide. She throws the gun down, running to God, but all the demons of her past fight against her, pulling her back as she runs to God. God breaks in, cleansing her from her past, so she joins back in fellowship with Him. In our version, we also added an intercessor friend who is praying for the girl throughout her struggles. Before we started practicing, we prayed to ask God which parts He desired us to have. Well... God asked me to be the main girl. Her story follows so closely to my own life (see a previous blog post from September, "No One Else Can Play Your Part") that I felt God wanted to do some further healing in me by physically acting out this part. Today, we ran through the whole thing a few times (I hurt!), and I already feel God working and having me see how far I have really come from my past. This skit has touched millions, so I'm super excited to be a part of a change in another's life, as well as see healing in my own. After outreach, I'll be sure to post a video of our performance in Africa. Please, take a second and pray for me because I don't act.. at all... and this part is difficult, as well as exhausting and painful.

New Year's
New Year's Eve was spent a little differently this year. The past four years, I've been about an hour away at Expeditions Unlimited with my high school youth group. We'd always have tons of food, playing Dutch Blitz and Just Dance. This year, though still in the bitter cold, was basically spent packing and cleaning, which did keep me up until midnight! A year ago, I'd never imagined this is where I would be. I was imagining myself at Cedarville studying elementary education, basically having the next three years figured out. Now, I'm leaving the country for two months to go to a new continent and have no clue what I'll be doing come this next September. Looking back, I've grown so much. My dependency on Christ and Father has grown immensely, with a knowledge of how much more growth there is still. A deeper relationship with Him, an everlasting peace, and so much security in my faith... I wouldn't trade this year for anything. He has done so much, I can't even imagine how much more He is going to do!

47 hours
At 10:30 pm Saturday, I will be sitting on a plane, probably freaking out over one of the greatest adventures of my life. Our first flight will take us to Philly, then to Qatar, followed by our final flight into Uganda. After a total travel time of 48 hours, we will arrive at our destination just in time for supper and bed. The days leading up to this wonderful beginning are filled with skits, songs, prayer, and the dreaded packing. Our team time has been wonderful, filled with laughs and awesome times at the laundry mat. I am stoked to get closer to this team and to positively impact the people of Kenya and Uganda. We spend three weeks in Uganda, then three weeks in Kenya before we fly home. God is going to do some crazy amazing things! I will have some updates on my facebook and will try to post a blog or two (we only have one computer we will be sharing), but you can also 'like' the YWAM Madison facebook page for some short updates as well. I am so excited to come home and tell you all more about my trip!!

Another quick prayer request? That I quit losing things!!! :) No clue what's going on, but I can't find some of my outreach supplies. They'll turn up, but prayer is always appreciated.

On a more slightly-stressful-but-knowing-God-will-provide note, I am currently in need of $1250 for this trip. I ask that you prayfully consider donating towards my ministry among women and children at risk. At this point, please donate online at www.ywammadison.org/donate (be sure to put my name in the "Please designate my donation towards" box) or mail a check to P.O. Box 8503 Madison, WI 53708, with a separate note designating the amount for me. Thank you!

Thank you all so much for helping me get this far! I could not have done it without your support!

Love and Blessings,
Tori