Where to next?

Recently I have been praying over what God wants for me and where and if I should go somewhere this spring.

I am trying to be open.

I am trying to be honest.

I am trying to be bold. And patient.

I am praying over applying to go to Peru, inner city LA, or inner city Chicago for this spring.

Join the adventure.

On the road again (but not off the road again)

I am going to Michigan tomorrow.

I get to see some family members that I love dearly. And it has been far too long since I last saw them.

I pray that God will bless my trip and my travels.

Ensenada.

I spent about a week with high school students in Ensenada, Mexico. I am constantly amazed how God works through the youth and young generations.

I watched teenagers in the wake of trying to figure out who they are, and who they want to be, give up weeks of their summer to serve and glorify God. with their time. money. energy. love.

It was amazing.

Each day they woke up. did devotionals. spent time with their ministry partners. worked at a work site (building walls, pouring/mixing cement, putting up lath, stuccoing....) prepared for VBS. played with kids (made crafts, memory verses, bible stories, and shared snack) debriefed. shared testimonies. and then sang songs.

God has blessed me immensely this summer. And it was awesome to get to see God use the people around me to bless each other. little children become blessings to adults. adults blessings to teenagers. teenagers blessings to me. It was great. God is great.

amazing what smiles can do.

it was a blessing to spend the week with my father.

love her and her shenanigans.

one of the houses we helped work on.

Samual and Jemina.

they showed up early every day so we could play together longer.

Bye for now.

I leave Africa in less than 12 hours.

And I will then start my 30 hour venture home.

It has definitely been an adventure.

Thank you all for all your prayer and support these past few months.

God has done great things and you have played a large part in it. I wouldn't be out here without you.

As I return home and process all that I have seen and experienced I will try to keep you updated.

Love you.

Meg

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Prayer:

• for safety as I travel for the next 2 days
• for my host family as they return home on Sunday after the death of a family member in the States
• for the words to share all the God has done.

The Bush.

I spent the last few days out in the bush.

We got a flat tire.

We were stranded on the side of the road in the middle of no where in the middle of Burkina.

We drove for hours.

We helped a local Pastor set up posts for a roof for a church.

We slept under the stars.

We saw God at work in a dark place.

We witnessed a young man give up everything in his community to follow Jesus and work with us.

We worked hard.

We were in awe.

We were tired.

We loved much.

We left with much to think about.

flat tire.

big baobab tree.

the church.

digging.

the pastor.

the group.

One of God's many gifts: the sky.

The Dorcas House

On Thursday the team also had the privilege to go visit the young women at the Dorcas House. The Dorcas House is a place young women live for a year and learn about God as well as different trades and skills that will help them have a stable future. They learn how to raise livestock, sew and make clothing, make soap, and run a mill. This social enterprise aims to educate and train the young marginalized women of society is current semi-depenant on the local church but aims to be self-suffienct eventually.

The team brought a quilt for each of the young women.

Sewing.

Soap.

Clothes.

Goats.

Mill.

Compassion International

On Thursday we went to a Compassion site.

We played games.

Duck, Duck, Goose.

Steal the bacon.

Elephant.

Tug of war (no rope necessary).

Breakfast.

Faces.

Compassion International increases a child's life expectancy here in Burkina Faso significantly. They partner with local churches and are located near youth centers. They feed, play, encourage, teach, and share about Jesus with these young children once a week.

Compassion