Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Thankful

The past 6 months have gone by so fast! It feels like yesterday when God put it on my heart to leave Orange County and go to Africa. I can still remember talking to my small group at Church and having one month before I left for 6 months, which seemed like such a long time! But I blinked once and here I am. Over the past 6 months God has done huge things in my life and in the lives of the patients. I have seen physical transformations in the burn and maxillofacial patients; patients go from death to eternal life through Jesus; and VVF patients be healed from the very condition that outcasted them from society. I have cuddled more babies than I can count, laughed so hard I cried on numerous occasions, and danced with the patients to my heart's contentment. God has emptied me, only to fill me with joy to the point of spilling over.

I absolutely could not have done it without the support of my parents, friends, and amazing supporters that believed in me enough to send me off filled with love!



So, you might be wondering what's next?
I have been accepted as a Team Leader for VVF! You know, those amazing women who have suffered such terrible tragedies yet live, laugh, and love...the one's I fell in love with. I get the wonderful honor to serve and love on these ladies again, and lead a wonderful team of special nurses to care for them. Please pray for me that God would lead me and guide me in how to be Team Leader as it is a brand new position for me. Pray that God would help me lead the nurses in a loving, Christ-centered way. For the patients, please pray:
1. God would select the exact patients he wants us to help
2. Safe travels for the ladies, and that God would provide a way to transport them all from remote areas
3. 100% physical healing of their VVF
4. Emotional and spiritual healing of the emotional wounds they've endure
5. That they would feel the love of Jesus through every interaction with the nurses, doctors, and translators.

Thanks again for supporting me through this amazing time, and allowing me the opportunity to go back for round two!!

2 comments:

  1. SO SO PROUD OF YOU STEPH!!!!!

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  2. Hi Stephanie, I am a patient of your Mom's, (you look exactly like her, same beautiful face!!). Your mom is so proud of you, and told me about your blog, I'm just writing
    to say that you are such an inspiration, so brave and amazing. I really admire everything you do and wish you all the best in your future travels. Thank you so much for sharing your life with your blog, you are truly a heroine!!!
    Take care, sending love and light from California: ),
    Cristina

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