Quick Update!

Wow!! I have officially completed my Mercy Ships Gateway training here in Texas!! I leave the good ole' U-S-of-A on Wednesday morning!!! We have the rare opportunity of having a layover in Paris, France...and a 5 day layover at that! ;) (okay so the date we were to leave Texas we bumped up earlier, but our rooms on the ship are not ready for us yet, so we were able to change our flights to "hang-out" in Paris for a few days! We are staying with a Missionary Family who lives a few minutes past Versailles, which is an amazing blessing! Danae and I will be having fun, and just seeing the sights for a few days, and then on Monday, July 27th we will fly to BENIN, AFRICA!!!! Woot Woot! I am so excited to get on the ship! Teacher Training & Orientation will begin right away after we arrive, and our first day of school will be August 10th. Everything is going so quickly now! I cannot explain in words what this journey has been like so far, and what the future holds, but I want to share with you some amazing highlights!

Training here at the IOC (International Operations Center, TX) has consisted of Cross-Cultural training, Spiritual training, and Basic Maritime Safety training. I have been physically, mentally and spiritually stretched in so many ways. I have really enjoyed learning about my own relationship with the Lord on a deeper level, and how He really can speak to me in so many ways. I am anxious to see how He speaks to me on this journey. Through constant prayer and reading His word, I have already began a deeper relationship of trust, faith, love and shining His light. :) ..and definitely JOY! One evening after class, one of our teammates came up to me and just asked if she could pray with me, and during that time God showed us a verse, that has continually been confirmed over and over again in my heart; Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Here are some picture highlights!