2011 In Review

What a year 2011 has been! It has contained so many new experiences, new friends, and wonderful adventures, and just remembering them has been quite fun! Let's revisit the best parts of 2011!!!

Firsts:

Visiting St. George (January)

Visiting Las Vegas (March)

Date (February)

Ice Skating (January)

Marriages/Engagements:

Kirsten, Married (July)

Jessica, Married (July)

Melissa, Married (August)

Brittany, Married (December)

Amie, Engaged (November)

Britni, Engaged (December)

Shawn, Engaged (July)

Time with Friends:

Holi Festival in Spanish Fork (March)

Movies on the Capitol Green (July)

Music Goodness:

Aaron Gillespie, AJ Cheek & The City Harmonic (October)

Steven Curtis Chapman, Andrew Peterson & Josh Wilson (November)
Final Chamber Singers Holiday Concert (December)

Travel:

Road Trip to Las Vegas/ Disneyland (March)

UTA/UMEA in St. George (February)

Phoenix, AZ for NCHC (October)

Corbett, OR for SDS (August)

Ketchum, ID (October)

Fun Stuff:

Stage Managing (February)

2011 Walk MS Utah (April)

My 21st Birthday! (April)

Biggest Fan: Amie

Today, I would like to introduce you to a member of the "Three Musketeers", a fabulous woman of God, and a great friend.

This. Is the beautiful, talented, and completely wonderful Amie.

Don't be alarmed by the gun and busted CD in the picture...she's really quite tame.

This gal is one of the most awesome, amazing, sweet, caring individuals I have ever met. 

Seriously. I don't think there are enough adjectives in the world to describe just how wonderful and amazing this woman is.

We met at the beginning of my freshman year of college, and together with her now fiance, became the Three Musketeers. She encouraged me to audition for Chamber Singers again in the spring, and we had the privilege to sing together during her last semester at Westminster. She loves music so very much and it's not uncommon to hear her bouncing around the house humming a tune, singing a song, or otherwise having a crazy dance party on her own (oh, did I mention she's also my roommate?!).

I can't tell you the number of nights I've spent sitting on the floor with her, both of us a weepy mess, and still attempting to converse. Or even standing in the kitchen, doubled over and unable to breathe because of something that probably won't be funny in two years, but certainly was in the moment. She is a strong prayer warrior and loves Jesus with all her heart, and she shares that love with everyone around her. All she has to do is say hello, and suddenly your day feels a little bit brighter because Amie has sent some of her sunshine your way. She is engaged to one great guy, and I am so excited to see how they continue to grow together as an engaged, and then married couple. Sometimes she doesn't know what she's doing with her life, if she's going the right direction or if she is really up to the challenge of being a Navy wife. Amie, you totally are. You are so strong and you bring comfort in times of heartache, I know you are going to be a huge blessing to everyone on base when you arrive.

It's such a great thing to have amazing friends in - Amie is one who I'm going to keep around, whether she likes it or not! :-)

My dear Miss Amie, you are an incredible blessing in my life and I cannot wait for our friendship to blossom and grow even deeper as we get older! (You know we're probably going to be those old ladies in the nursing home laughing at something completely stupid). I LOVE YOU!

umusa nekuthula

 

As the time to go to Swaziland gets closer, and the months move more quickly, I am continually reminded of the purpose for this journey. Ten years I've been ready to go, and ten years I've waited for an open door to go to the continent of Africa to minister to the children who have been abandoned by a disease that was not their fault. 

I am saddened by the circumstances of these children, but at the same time, I cannot wait to go and show them hope and love. I received a note from a friend today that said "As you will soon learn, Swaziland is a beautiful country full of beautiful people who are in desperate need of God's love and His mercy." Her note truly encouraged me and reminded me of the reason I desire so strongly to go.

 One way I keep feeling the blessing of God on this endeavor is through the support He continues to bring in. I received an update today, and there were donations sent on my behalf that I was not aware of - combining these new donations with another just received today, I am $135 from the total support that I need to go to Swaziland in February!!!!!  There are not sufficient words to express the joy in my heart knowing that I really do get to go and touch the lives of the kids at the Mkhombokati carepoint.

Now as I write, a song is running through my head, the first part seems especially pertinent:

How deep the Father's love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give his only son

To make a wretch his treasure

Wretched. This is what I am. Without Him, I cannot love, I cannot live. Yet, he places desires deep within my heart, and asks me to wait on his timing. He asks me to trust that when his plan comes through, that it will be better than I ever could have imagined. And it is. He takes me in my mess, my wretchedness, and blesses me beyond words. He places joy and passion in my heart to do what He has called me to do, and walks with me through open doors. I am still struggling to comprehend his love for me, and that He would choose to use me to bless the children in Swaziland. I'm humbled and honored by this opportunity.

If you'd like to keep up to date with what's happening with our team, check out the website for our mission at www.swazilandmission.com/. Your continued prayers and support are highly valued.

Umusa Nekuthula (Grace and Peace)

 

I Hear (Wedding) Bells

Amie and Josh at the Josh Wilson concert last week

These two lovebirds, Amie and Josh, are two of my best friends in Utah. Seriously. You'll be hearing more about both of them in the coming months because....GUESS WHO'S GETTING MARRIED?!?!?! They are!

Josh had me in on the whole plot for the ring and the proposal, and I got to be sneaky with Amie, who is not only one of my best friends, but also happens to be my roommate! Josh would tell me things about plans he was making, and then I'd hear from Amie about how she was freaking out because Josh had just pushed dates back again...and all I could do was smile, laugh inside, and attempt to convince her to keep appointments, or stop crying. :-)

I am so honored to be part of their special day, and was so excited when shortly after being proposed to, Amie took me downstairs, knelt (proposal style), and asked me to be her Maid of Honor! What a great honor to walk the wedding road with a pair of great friends, and one fabulous roommate. Next weekend, you'll hear about our adventures in dress shopping, wedding talk, and venue appointments!  Get ready to hear about wedding stuff non-stop for the next 6 months! Hooray!

And if you're interested in the proposal story, you can read about it here, on Amie's blog!

Phoenix Wrap-Up

This weekend was very interesting. I experienced a new place, and new people, great food, good conversation, and differing opinions. Though Phoenix was full of great buildings with stories to tell, the city itself felt very deserted. I expected that it would be a little more bustling, especially since it's the home of ASU. But whenever we'd go out on the streets, it would be fairly empty. In Salt Lake, there are people and cars moving from place to place. Buses and TRAX are transporting people, and everyone is going somewhere. In Phoenix, I didn't even see many cars unless I was on one of the streets farther from my hotel.

NCHC was a great experience, I learned new things, and had great conversations with my peers. Our session on newsletters went really well, and I feel that it was helpful for colleges looking to improve their newsletter program or to start a newsletter. I felt really good knowing that things I had to say could help these programs communicate more effectively to their audiences of students, faculty, alumni, donors, and college/university leadership.

Phoenix was not what I was expecting. It was much more quiet, and afforded much more personal time than I had anticipated. Sessions I attended were well done, but that is not the case for many of the sessions attended by my peers - some were awkward and poorly done, while others were very thought-provoking and had us talking for hours afterward.

Moral of the story: Phoenix is bad, NCHC is good. :)

Phoenix - Day 3 - in Photos

There are a lot of these in the city

Water features are everywhere...in the desert

The beautiful Fransiscan church I mentioned yesterday

Mosaic mural on the walls of the Convention Center.
You can see the skirt I wore today in one of the mirrored tiles. :-)

These "Phoenix Point of Pride" signs are all over

statues outside the Herberger Theatre Building

Our hotel (and conference location) from 2 blocks away

See the mist coming from the overhang?

Listening intently to the questions and comments at our newsletter session

We spent the evening inside the Arizona Science Center (like OMSI or Clark)

Elizabeth sorting blood platelets inside the heart

0 of 173 people are like me! :-)

Phoenix - Day 2

See, I told you I'd blog every day. :)

Well, technically right now I'm supposed to be wandering around the "Arts District" of Phoenix to read the city. It's 93 degrees, dry, and not a cloud to be seen. So - I'm sitting in my hotel room with my roommates blogging about the day so far.

City as text turned out to not be what we expected, and we didn't understand how to look at our environment in the way they wanted us to. The so-called "Arts District" wasn't really "artsy" - in fact, there are far more artsy things around the hotel than in that part of town. just across the street from us there is a beautiful Fransiscan church, a theater, Arizona Symphony/Opera building, and some public art.

One thing that has really struck me about Phoenix is the architecture. All the buildings have something different to say, and they say it in a completely individual way. Even the buildings that look alike because they're part of the business sector have different materials and styles crafted into the building. There are so many places here with a look of old history - like they have seen much and could tell great stories. I wonder if that's what is supposed to be happening this afternoon with the City as Text experience - to find the stories and the history of this place. Honestly, I feel that I've gotten more out of the experience just by observing and snapping pictures than I did with explicit instructions about how to go about reading the city.

First impressions of Phoenix: Full of history, Mixture of old and new architecture, HOT.

Tonight we went to the opening Plenary. The topic was the current debate about the Arizona Immigration Law (SB 1070?). The panel of speakers came from many different realms - Business/Law, Law/Journalism, Hispanic/Chicano Education, Education/Activism, and Medicine. I didn't know much about the Arizona immigration law, so the discussion fostered a lot of new questions and knowledge for me. I was impressed by the level of understanding each of the panel members possessed, and most of them were great speakers (one in particular had a hard time reading from his notes, but spoke great when allowed to think on his feet). The interactions between each of the panel members was also amusing to watch. One woman made her dislike for another panel member quite obvious in her body language each time he spoke. At the end of the night, it was agreed upon by all of the panel members that there must be some kind of immigration reform in this country - though not all agreed on the purpose or method of that reform.

Following the plenary was dinner and then the student party. The contingent from Westminster went to the party, and  then decided that we would be better served hanging out on our own, and headed back to our rooms (there was dancing in a circle, and I detest dancing in a circle...gross). I went to check out the fitness center and work out, while my roommates crashed on our beds.

The first full day in Phoenix, general day 2, was full of interesting experiences and new ideas. I'm looking forward to what the rest of the conference will bring.

Phoenix - Day 1

I'm going to try to blog about NCHC each day. There isn't a whole lot to talk about today other than the plane ride and hotel.

We arrived in Phoenix tonight at 9:30pm, where even late at night it managed to be 89 degrees outside. The forecast for the whole weekend is low 90s through Sunday. Eew. I'm not cut out for hot weather...
Our taxi ride to the hotel was ridiculously expensive. We were at $8 before even leaving the airport grounds!

By Sunday morning maybe I'll have a good enough feel of the city to get a bus/lite rail to the airport. Seriously.
Since Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings, I'm back on the same time as you Oregonians! Tomorrow morning will come quickly so that's all for tonight.

Check back tomorrow for observations about the "City as Text" workshop!

Pull Me Through

I write to you tonight completely humbled and in awe.

Please check out This verse, which was posted today by one of the blogs I follow. It perfectly describes what I have experienced in the last two days.

On Wednesday, I received a phone call from my team leader of our trip to Swaziland. She was checking in to see how I was doing with fundraising. If you'd noticed, the status bar to the left had been under 50% for a while, and looked pretty likely to stay there for a while. She left me with a goal to reach the next fundraising deadline at the end of October, which meant I needed $905 in a month.

I'll admit, I was a little bit concerned about how I'd reach that goal. I'd sent out letters to friends and family, though most people who were able had given, I still was behind. It was discouraging to see that I was behind by two deadlines and didn't know where the funds would come from...but I also knew that the funds would come...somehow.

THEN...

I met with a friend to catch up and chat about how things were going since she'd graduated and I started my final year, and she explained that she partly wanted to meet up so she could support me. Hallelujah!

Then, yesterday, I came home from class feeling a little rough around the edges. Decided I'd check the mail just to see if anything fun had arrived. An envelope from my friend who attends college in another state had arrived. I was excited to open it, since we maintain a fairly regular correspondence...and it was more support for Africa! I was surprised since she'd told me that she did not have any funds (which I totally understand, being a college student myself). The note attached said "For Swaziland - God is Good! - I Love You!"

And Today - God continued to blow my mind with his provision. I seem to be the resident mail-checker in our house, so when I got the mail today, I saw a letter for two of my roommates and one for me. Looking at the address, I realized it was someone who'd already given me support, and I thought maybe they were sending an update or something to me. When I opened the envelope, a check was enclosed with a note that said "To warm up your Swaziland themometer" - the amount was staggering. At first, I felt as if I would cry, then all I could do was laugh. None of my roommates were home, so I walked around the house laughing and speechless.

God came through and provided exactly the amount that I needed to be caught up to the deadlines from August and September.

Still...I am speechless and in complete awe at this amazing, amazing God who provides in perfect timing.

Biggest Fan: My Roommates

Clockwise from top left corner: 2am Wendy's run, Temple Square Christmas Lights, Sing-a-ma-jigs, St. George, Disneyland, After Morgan's play "Civil War", at Matt's work party, in Las Vegas, St. George, UMEA conference

I adore my roommates. So very much. It has been my great pleasure to live with two amazing girls for the last year, and I'm so excited to get another year off and running. In case you didn't know, we live in a two-story duplex, two rooms on the ground level and two in the basement. Sometimes the bottom dwellers have to come upstairs to socialize, but we do a lot of our social activity in the kitchen or main basement room.

The Top 10 Reasons Why I Love My Roommates (in no particular order):

1. They Inspire Me.
          These are two women who are doing what they love. They have ideas and hopes to make the world a better place in whatever way they can, and they share those ideas with anyone who will listen. 

2. They are Beautiful.
          My roommates are beautiful, beautiful people. Not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. They are kind souls who deeply care about others. They are not ones for excessive primping, but they care for themselves. They stay healthy (though we're not beyond runs to Wendy's and for ice cream), and take care of their bodies.

3. They are Hilarious.
          I cannot tell you how much we laugh at our house. We have a board of quotes in the kitchen, and it's constantly being updated with new phrases that someone said and we just had to write down. These quotes all come from the roommates or our close friends/family, and it's so fun to look back and remember the times we were crying from laughing so hard. You know that show "Kids Say the Darndest Things"? Well, you could make a television show out of the ridiculous antics that happen in our house, both verbal and behavioral. 

4. They are Spontaneous.
          This December, we randomly decided that it would be fun to go to Disneyland over Spring Break. So we did. Many nights, we find ourselves out in the boonies on an abandoned road just driving in the moonlight (this is mostly thanks to an unemployed and bored friend who needs something to do). We've gone searching for the most extravagant homes in the area, It's not uncommon to find us searching Sugarhouse for food at 2am, or deciding to taste test the two 'best' Thai restaurants in SLC.  

5. They are Meaningful.
          Both of these fabulous women have been a part of some of the deepest and most meaningful conversations that I've ever had. Late at night you can hear Morgan and I discussing some theological difference between our religious beliefs, or talking about a psychological concept that affects our thought processes. So many nights we've congregated on Anna's queen-size bed to talk about relationships, family, friends, school, and how we relate to one another, other people, and ourselves. In each of these conversations and discussions, I'm challenged to think and respond to very specific topics. It's so amazing what the trust of each other can do to open up meaningful conversation among those who are much together.

6. They are Helpful.
          Whenever you need something, or you're stressed, it's roommates to the rescue. Last year, when I stage managed, it was such a blessing to have one of my roommates ask "Do you need anything?" when they could see I was in over my head. They're always willing to contribute their expertise to whatever you're studying or writing about. It's like a constant informational swap meet, where education is synthesized with psychology and literature. Need to study for a test? There's a good chance that one of these awesome ladies will be around and willing to drill you about the elements of Old English grammar. ;-) (*cough* Help me! *cough*)

7. They are Creative.
          One of my roommates is an artist who has also written a piano piece, and the other is an actress and singer. Both these women are singers, actually; that's how we met, in Chamber Singers. Music is always a presence in our house, in many different genres and periods. The art and artistic pursuits of my roommates is a fun thing to be a part of. When rehearsals are going on for a show, we get to hear about them, and when a new drawing or painting is done, we get to see it hung up in the room. One of these days I'm sure we'll be having a crafty day to celebrate the onset of fall. 

8. They are Supportive.
          I know I mentioned their helpfulness two points ago, but this one is a little different. When someone decides to audition for a show, the roommates are the first to offer support and encouragement. They're ready to hear you sing your 16 bars or recite your monologue. But their support doesn't end there. When I'm behind on homework or have to write a paper, they are ready to offer encouraging words and advice for how to begin. When you're ill, they are ready to help make you feel better. If you're having a breakdown, they're the first ones to let you know that people are there who love and support you. They don't judge your shortcomings, and offer suggestions to help you find solutions to problems (both personal and academic).

9. They are Happy.
          Not to say that the lives of my roommates are sunshine-daisies-and-unicorns, but they are positive and upbeat. When life just isn't handing them a good situation, they seek the positive elements, the learning experience from that negativity. For me, happiness/joy are not fleeting emotions, but rather states of being, and these women live in a state of joy most of the time. They are excited to find small things in life that are exciting, and look for ways to have fun. They smile so much, and their smiles spread to others. They are not afraid to be silly and indulge their childish sides. They live happy and make others that way too. 

10. They are Passionate.
          This one kind of ties in with #1, being inspiring, but this one deals more with their personal attitudes rather than the effect of those attitudes on me. Both of these women are pursuing what they love and are good at. One is an aspiring neuropsychologist, channeling her love for the brain and experiments into a diagnostic field, and the other is living out her love for children as an elementary school teacher. They know what they like, what they love, and what they're good at, and they want to use those skills and passions to help others to learn and recover. This is an inspiring passion.

We may not always do the dishes or vacuum the stairs, we have dance parties and murder mystery parties, we keep Christmas trees up until after Valentine's Day, and we can't seem to keep the TV in one room, but we like it that way. To my dear Morgan and Anna, thank you for letting me be part of your lives this last year. I am looking forward to our continued friendship and adventures together. You are lovely and amazing.

Love, Me.

P.S. - Be on the lookout for posts about these individual roommates later in the year.

Biggest Fan: Britni

 I would like to introduce you to my amazing and wonderful friend Britni. The photos you see are: with her boyfriend, diving, and with her sister. Britni and I met in the 6th grade during a play, I remember she was always smiling. We got to be better friends as middle school progressed, singing together in choir and taking classes together. We wrote a newspaper and distributed it to our friends (we were soooo cool, can you tell?), and even developed our own system of rating boys we thought were cute.We once decided we were going to open our own candy store and started hashing out ideas. Currently, our projects are the following: Creating our own school, Writing a book of our email correspondence, and eventually having a gigantic communal backyard somewhere in Oregon...at which time we'll be living near one another and working together, of course. :)

 

One thing Britni has always been is full of life. She's excited about living and there's never a dull moment when you're with her. Whether it's jamming out to Elvis or 80s music, kneeboarding behind a boat, or participating in a hula-hoop contest, for Brit, life is about participation. There's no sitting on the sidelines for this amazing woman. Recently, I was asked to think about someone who I hold in great respect (that was not a family member) and why. One of the first people who came to mind was Brit. As the group I was in started naming the people and traits we admired most, I was so excited to be able to say Britni because she is full of life. The word I would use to describe her is a Greek word: ζωή (zoe). It means: life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ (New Testament Greek Lexicon).

It has been my privilege to be a friend to Britni, and to know her as she pursues the path laid before her. Watching her faith grow and develop has been a great honor. I love being able to talk with her and know that she will give me a Godly perspective and friendly encouragement. Our friendship has been strengthened by distance, even though we see each other rarely, we communicate regularly. So much so that at any given moment, one of us probably has a really good idea of what's going on in the life of the other. She tolerates my nerdy jokes and geekiness about language and literature. She encourages me with her prayers and words of strength. She challenges me to step outside my comfort zone. She keeps me accountable when I'm feeling like a jellybean. 

It is very rare that such a friend may be found, and this beautiful, beautiful woman is a very treasured friend. She has always been incredibly beautiful and magnetic. People are drawn to her, and she energizes the places and people she interacts with. Britni shines so brightly, and others can't help but notice that something amazing is going on in her life...and they want to be a part of it.

Britni, Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. I am so honored to be your friend, and look forward to our continued journey through life together!

I love you immensely!

Biggest Fan: Carissa

This is my little sister. Well, she's actually several inches taller than me, but she's still my little sister. She just finished her first few days of college classes, and I'm so excited for her. Growing up, we were in each other's company a lot, though we didn't always get along like some sisters do. We attended the same schools - together in Elementary school for several years, and in High School for one. Each year for the last three that I've been in Salt Lake, she's come to visit and stay with me. Since moving away, we've become a lot closer. We've always been able to be silly together. I cherish memories of movie nights and laughing till we can't breathe any longer. I love watching her grow and become the beautiful young woman she was designed to be. She's a social butterfly and loves to be with people. I know she's going to have an amazing time in California and her college experience is going to be one that she'll remember for a very long time. This little sister of mine is one amazing woman, and she's got big things ahead of her. She cares deeply for every person in her life, and likes to help others feel welcome and loved. She is probably one of the silliest people I know, and I love that about her. Dear sister - you are SO loved and I can't wait to see all the awesome things you're going to do as you continue to follow Jesus and let Him lead your life. Have an amazing time in college, and I can't wait to see you in your new environment. I LOVE YOU!

Leaders, Leadership, Service?

This last year, I've really discovered what kind of a person I am when it comes to groups. I've never really liked group work because most of the time, I've been the one desiring to do the best job, which means I get put in charge of delegating responsibilities, and making sure everything's going smoothly. I've figured out, I don't lead that way. In fact, I am reconsidering my definition of what it means to be a leader.

I've always thought that to be a leader, you had to be part of the administration, you had to be able to make the decisions and lead a large group through something successfully. Now, I'm not so sure. As I went through last year, I discovered some things about myself and how I operate.

I like to help.

That's really what it boils down to. I just want to help people do what they want to do, and to help them do it well. That's why I loved being a stage manager. I wasn't out on stage with the attention on me (though I do love acting too), but rather, I was helping the director to see her vision fulfilled with the actors and musicians and technicians. I was helping to make it the best show it could be. I was helping the actors stay on time, and helping them with what they needed to give their best performances. Last year, I also had the opportunity to be the President of Chamber Singers. However, I discovered that that position was not a place I thrived. People tend to give me respect. They listen to me, Why? I have NO IDEA. But it happens. So people naturally assume that I would make a good leader in the form of a President. And so did I, for a while. But last year I had to re-evaluate what that position meant, and decided to step down from being a part of the choir's leadership.

Just recently, I was talking with my roommate and said to her..."I just want to support the decisions and actions of the leaders who are ready to be in place." That's where I thrive. When there's something to help with. Something to set up, something to send out, just some thing to do. That's why I love my job as an assistant, that's why I want to be a consultant for a bridal salon - I just like to help people find what they're looking for and to have the best experience possible. When my roommate heard me say these things, her response was "THAT'S that attitude that tells me you are TOTALLY a leader." Today she even sent me a link to a blog post she read. She entitled the email "You're a Leader I tell You!" (Find the post by Jon Acuff here).

I'm still not sure that loving to serve qualifies me for the term "Leader", but maybe I'm using the wrong definition. What do you think?

So, Swaziland

In February, I have an amazing opportunity to travel to Swaziland, Africa for 12 days to bless the lives of children in that country. The trip is sponsored by the church that I attend here in Salt Lake City (for more info on them check it out here), but it's not a trip where our goal is to convert the people and children to Christianity. No, our purpose is to bless the kids, to show them love, and to let them know that there are people who care about them.

The country of Swaziland has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in the world, with 26% of the adult population infected. The country does not have a lot of orphanages for children affected by the disease, so when their parents die or become too weak to get around, these children are essentially left to care for themselves. What the carepoint does in Swaziland is provides food and a place to learn for the children who have no other way of receiving a meal or love. Food is made twice a day by what are referred to as the "Mages" (mothers) and "Gogos" (grandmothers). Those children who go to school are only at the carepoint for one meal, while the younger kids (who walk themselves) will be there for both each day.

the one building on the carepoint facility in Mhkombokati, Swaziland

Above, you see a photo of the one building at the Carepoint. This is the only location where the children gather in the morning and are taught a simple lesson by a Mage who is not a teacher, but does her best to show the kids love and kindness while helping them learn a basic alphabet, numbers, etc. The rest of the carepoint is open space.

Just recently, water was discovered on the carepoint grounds, and our team is hoping to be able to do something to get the water pumping above ground  - giving the kids water and a way to be clean before/after they eat and play. We are also thinking about constructing benches for the mages, gogos, and children to sit on when they are tired. Right now, the only seating is around a tree, on the ground, and in some smaller chairs in the carepoint facility.

This trip matters. It matters because these kids don't know that there are people who love them and want to help them experience a better life, one free from hunger and disease. That is our mission and our reason for going to Swaziland. I first learned about the affects and issues surrounding HIV/AIDS when I was in 7th grade, 10 years ago. For the last decade, I've wanted to go to Africa, to go touch the lives of the people and the children affected by this ravaging disease and show that there is something beyond AIDS. These kids matter. It matters that they're going hungry and living without parents. It matters that there are a few wonderful women who've devoted their lives to helping these kids stay alive. But they can't do it alone, and that's why we send regular support to them. Not only in the form of monetary aid, but with physical teams to do projects and play with the kids, and supplies to help the kids with what they need to go to school.

I can't do it alone. the team can't do it on our own. We need your help. Our first deposit is due in two weeks, and there are three more deadlines after that. Would you consider partnering with me to bless the children in Mhkombokati, Swaziland by sending me a donation of $100 or a different amount that works better for you? By helping to send our team to Africa, you will be making a difference in the lives of these children and those helping them.

I would love to talk more about how you can help or give you an address to send a donation. Please send me an email at jnwilson@email.com, or send me a message on Facebook (link provided).

Thank you for your support. I look forward to partnering with you to bless the children of Mhkombokati, Swaziland.

A Perfect Weekend

For those of you who don't know about Utah local holidays - we have one in the summer called Pioneer Day. It's as big, if not bigger than 4th of July here, and it celebrates the original Mormon pioneers who came to Utah from the mid-west. Thus - Utah-based companies have the day off and everyone gets to relax, watch/set off fireworks, and just have a good time. Since this year Pioneer day fell on a Sunday, we're observing it today (Monday).

Not only is the day off  today a wonderful thing, but this weekend, in all other respects has been quite perfect. I won a gift card to The Cheesecake Factory on Friday at my telemarketing job, so Saturday took Morgan and I to Murray for shopping and dinner. We wandered around the mall for a while, found some GREAT deals on things, and then stopped in to the restaurant where we were able to skip the long lines and get awesome seating on the outdoor patio. If you've never had food at The Cheesecake Factory - you're sadly missing out - it's delicious - the food as well as the dessert. They even made Morgan a virgin Pina Colada!

After a blissful culinary adventure, we ventured to the dollar movie theater not far from our house. The new version of Jane Eyre was playing and we'd been wanting to see it- so off to the movies we went. While the movie itself was a little bit disappointing, it was nice to take the time to hang out and go out with my awesome roommate.

When we got back, I was able to finish these corkboard states, which I saw on the bright life, a blog I read upon seeing some other creative things done by a good friend of mine in Oregon. It just looked so fun, and I've been wanting to do something a little bit artsy-craftsy, so this fit the bill perfectly. I made one for each of the wonderful women living in our house, wrote everyone's names in black permanent marker, and added colorful little brads to accentuate the names. Each state reflects the home state of each roommate Colorado, Colorado, Utah, Oregon.

Adding to the perfection of the weekend was finally acquiring friends who have friends who have parents who have a swimming pool. (Did you catch that?) Since yesterday was pioneer day, some friends of mine from church invited a large group of people to a barbecue at their house - complete with in-ground swimming pool. The weather's been so hot here lately that all I've wanted to do was swim. Unfortunately - very few people in this state own an outdoor pool, and even fewer public pools are outdoor. So it was a sweet blessing to get to hang out in the water last night (not to mention the delicious beef, pork, chicken, corn, and cookies present at the BBQ).

Since today is a holiday, I haven't done much - just a bit of tidying, and making sure things look presentable. Talked with a good friend on the phone, and said goodbye to Morgan since she's on her way to Hawaii tomorrow. Tonight there's a free showing of a hilarious movie at the cinema pub in town, and though I don't drink, I'm going with some friends to hang out.

Hope your weekend has been smashing. :)

New Adventures

Today I submitted my application and deposit for a missions trip to Swaziland, Africa with my church here in Salt Lake in February 2012. I am so excited about this opportunity, and really glad to know that I have the support of my family and friends to go.

Africa is a continent that has always been on my heart, specifically the Sub-Saharan part that's been deeply affected by HIV/AIDS. I first learned about AIDS when I was in 7th grade in health class, and that's really what sparked my desire to help the children affected by this disease. Many of these kids don't have a family or any relatives because they've been lost to HIV. Prevention techniques are lacking, and misconceptions about how the disease is spread have caused people to do things entirely the wrong way if they're looking to stop the spread of this highly contagious infection. The effects on a person's health can be minimal or drastic, and without proper medical care and treatment, those whose HIV transitions into full-blown AIDS will die more rapidly than those who have been cared for by doctors or other medical professionals.

But most deeply affected are the children. The ones who didn't ask to have their parents taken away by a disease, the ones who didn't deserve to have an infection passed on from their mother. Not to say that anyone who contracts HIV deserves it, because I don't believe that for one second...but the kids were born into this, they had no say in the matter because the disease took everything they had.

Some of the kids who will be at the Care Point in Swaziland are AIDS orphans who need someone to show them love. Swaziland is a country with the highest infection rate of HIV/AIDS in the world. Approximately 26% of the adult population is infected. In a country where there is little else to set them apart (they're small, surrounded by South Africa, and politically stable with no major safety issues), AIDS is the thing that makes them stand out to a health community. A country should not have to stand out because it is infected with something so deadly.

I am so encouraged knowing that the church I attend supports the care of children in this country, and I'm so excited to have the opportunity to go down with a team and bless the kids at the CarePoint, as well as the "Mages" who staff the Care Point and the discipleship team members who are already working with the children. How amazing it will be to finally get to see how God is working in a place where He's had my heart for a long time.

I love watching God open doors, and then being able to walk through them with the confidence that He has a plan and has been preparing me for these opportunities and adventures as I continue on my journey with Him. I never cease to be amazed by the wonderful love of our amazing God, and how he will work out the plan he's laid out for me in the ways that I least expect him to.

The Night

Me: "What do you think?"

Paul: "It feels like the center of the universe"

...

Later on, I discovered...home.

You'll Find That Life is Still Worthwhile...If You Just Smile!

Adele, Paul, Me, and Maggie

So, yesterday was an amazing day - really crazy, but quite awesome. There is an Indian festival called Holi, which is celebrated by the throwing of colors - in India, this means liquid dyes and colored chalk. In Utah, at the Hare Krishna temple in Spanish Fork, they celebrated the color festival and invited everyone to come join in the fun! After showering, shampooing multiple times, and washing my face over and over, I still have some chalk that doesn't want to come off! It was a really, really fun experience, and I'm so glad that I went. Actually, I went twice. I left at 9:30am with some freshman friends of mine, and we stayed till the early afternoon. Morgan wasn't able to come in the morning, but she wanted to go - so we went in the evening! The festival lasts two days, and it's really a cultural experience. People were crowd surfing, there was a giant mosh pit, bands playing super loud music (and all the lyrics were "hare krishna" chants...), Indian food, and SO MUCH CHALK! For me, it was good to just spend a couple hours and then head out - after a while, I get anti-social in large crowds. This is definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone who has the opportunity to go to one of these festivals. Do wear clothing that you don't really care if it gets super dirty. We were sliding down mud hills and getting colored from the moment we stepped foot on the temple property.

Things to smile about:

Being covered in chalk
"Life is Beautiful"
Lilu
Carissa's team winning some of their VB games!
Getting strange looks from people in stores (while still covered in chalk)
New movies
Almost done fasting
Italy meetings

Gracefulness continues

Yesterday I had to go back to the hospital for a follow up tilt table test. They were hoping that it would be a boring test, with not much going on and I'd be upright the whole time. This did not happen. The results were better this time though! Instead of passing out in 3 minutes, I passed out in 7. There was no gap in my heartbeat this time, and my heart rate didn't get as low as last time! So these were definite improvements and the doctor was happy with them.

But there are more things to smile about!

Improved tests

Learning to make strange noises

Shakespeare

Sleeping In!

Having the house to myself 

Beautiful Weather