For the past couple weeks since returning from Ethiopia, I've been at a loss of words in how to express the trip and my experience in general. Even when talking about specific events, I can't seem to convey how important those events were to me or how they changed my life directly. Or even how important the whole trip to Ethiopia was to me.

It wasn't until two weeks later (tonight) that I finally found myself needing to write.

Upon returning I've been swallowed with the fear of failing; the fear of becoming nothing; the fear of being forgotten. Failing in the sense of not finding a job. The fear that I will let my failure or fear of failure consume me. Thus the fear of being forgotten because I will be found irrelevant.

There are those in the village of Korah, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia who feel the same as I do now. But my fears are simply because I'm in this awkward transition that normal post-graduates all go through. Finding a place in this world. This is only temporary, the feelings I'm feeling. But those in Korah are almost stuck in that spot. They are rejected for having illness or being jobless. Rejected for things they can't help, for the most part. These people are all in Korah because the general population of Addis Ababa have found them irrelevant. They try to find jobs and try to support themselves and family but it's nearly impossible with this rejection they are faced with.

As I'm filling out job applications and not hearing anything back, I found myself feeling expendable. I jumped through the hoops. Attended college. Graduated. Currently hold a bachelor's degree. It was discouraging coming back from a two week trip to find no voicemails asking to set up interviews for a job position. I found myself questioning my worth- coming up from nothing to only find myself being faced with nothing. I continually would question "How much more would I have to work to only get my head above water?" But then the people in Ethiopia came to mind.

People in Korah try to jump through the hoops but are constantly denied for reasons they sometimes cannot help. For example, a woman we met jumps through her own hoops to survive but a woman with HIV is not looked highly upon. Her rent was raised per month and she has to walk an unnecessary distance to gather water for her and her son. Her home is small. It's unfair how much she has to work to barely survive. Starting with nothing only to be found with nothing.
Yet, her smile is radiant. Her son was a joy to us all. She and her son encouraged all of us because of the love she expels from herself.

There's a Switchfoot song called "Love alone is worth the fight". I was driving one night in my car, decompressing from my time in Ethiopia and when the chorus struck, I found myself in tears. There was a new meaning to that song.
The reason the people in Korah depend on each other and are able to expel this love, is because they have nothing else to depend on. They love each other because that's all they have. Relationally, they are rich.
America is rich in materials but we are severely deprived in relationships.
These people have made the choice that love is worth the fight. They depend on this god they can't see only because they don't have these material possessions to distract them or tell them believe there isn't a god. They have nothing to lose, from their perspective.
It hit me that they find love alone is worth the fight. Only love. They keep going because they have no other choice. They keep going because they have a son or a family they are fighting for because they love them.
So, when playing bible bingo tonight, I read the verse "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26) and I realized that I will be okay because God has found that love alone is worth the fight. My relationship with God is more important than a college degree or a job application.
My fear of failure will dissipate the second I get a job offer and my own self value will rise at that moment. But those in Korah only need each other for their self value to increase. It's remarkable. They are able to be as happy as they are because they have each other. As they jump through these hoops that will most likely trip them, they don't find being tripped as a determinate of self worth. It's merely an obstacle. They find their love and worth in the people surrounding them.

I think I need to learn a lesson from this. No matter what I will always have people surrounding me, encouraging me, and keeping me accountable. A job is only temporary. These feelings I currently have are temporary because God has found me more valuable than the birds of the air and has decided I'm worth caring for.

So, if I come away from Ethiopia with one thing, it's that love will reign and these possessions I have or these fears I have are only temporary. Love alone is worth the fight.

T-minus 2.5 months

My mission trip to Ethiopia with my church is still on its way! Which means I still need to fundraise!

You have a couple options if you would like to help;

I'm still selling bracelets for $5 for any color you want!

I'm also having a raffle for 2 iTunes gift cards worth $10 dollars. In order to be part of the raffle, you can purchase a single raffle ticket for $1, 5 tickets for $3, or 10 tickets for $7 dollars. The raffle will be held sometime in May (I'll determine the date) and contact the owners of those raffle ticket numbers. If you want to partake, contact me personally either via facebook, email, or phone.

Or you can donate to my paypal (click the donate link :) )

Donate here!

Either way, I appreciate the support I've already received and the general support in going on this trip! Please consider donating or at least praying for the trip. I appreciate everyone's prayers and thoughts!

More fundraising business

Dear Friends and Family,                                                             

I’m currently on the mission (pun, get it?) to fund my mission trip to Ethiopia July 28^th- August 11^th, 2015 with Everett First Covenant.
This trip has been a challenging decision- I’ve been going back and forth from deciding if I should go or not, if this is actually what God wants me to do or if this is just something I’ve made myself believe.
Well, when I would decide I couldn’t go, something in the back of my mind would always be there making me think that I need to go, to do this. So. I’m committing, trusting God, and going.
My fears going into this trip is the timing of it. Although this is a short term trip, I’m going right after graduation. Knowing this, I really believe that God planned this accordingly.
I say that because this trip takes place a month after I graduate and I’ve been hit with the reality that although getting myself through college was challenging, at least I had the opportunity to attend a secondary education institution and that we can’t take this opportunity for granted.

This year when we go to Kore, Ethiopia, we will be supplying the children with school uniforms, school registration fees, lunchboxes, backpacks- the essentials needed for school. Because it’s not easy for children everywhere to attend school, I’m humbled that I even had the opportunity to attend a secondary school and now I have the opportunity to help those who are trying to further themselves like I was able to.

All that being said God has a time and place for everything and I need your help. Having the tables turned and providing assistance to those who haven’t had the chance to go to school, I’m realizing I can’t do this by myself.
I need to raise $800 by February 26^th (which is very very very last minute and I know this) but I truly believe God will let it all fall into place. If 20 of my friends/family donated $40 dollars, I’d have my goal. Anyways, I’ve been fundraising by making and selling bracelets and my friend and I are teaming up by having a spaghetti dinner.
But I still need help. There are a number of ways you can donate- give me jobs and pay me. Like babysitting, housesitting, making me run a mile, etc.
Or:
You can send the donation form and a check or money order made out to: Adoption Ministry of YWAM (do not put my name anywhere on the check or money order).
 Or:
you can make a donation by credit card (Visa & MC) by using the donation form or calling: 1­888­968­2367 or 1 ­253­770­2283 (if by phone, please let them know funds are for my portion of the team expenses).

Even if you don’t donate, prayers are especially welcomed in this fundraising and missioning process.
Thank you so much for supporting me in advance.



DONATION FORM (Contact me if you're interested in receiving a donation form)

Sarah to ethiopia 2015

Hey everyone!

I've been fundraising for my Ethiopia mission trip for a few months now and I'd like to update everyone on the progress. It looks like that I only need to sell 25 more bracelets before I reach my goal of a $300.00 registration fee. Realistically, 25 isn't that many. Which is great! I just need your help in achieving this goal. Bracelets are $5.00. To think that you spend around that much for a cup of coffee when you could sacrifice one cup of coffee to send a girl to another country. Plus, I have all the colors of the rainbow. Or even better, colors to support your football team (GO SEAHAWKS).

So. 25 bracelets to go. Superbowl coming up. People need items to show their support. Send a girl to Africa.

LET'S DO THIS.

I love you all.

(Ps. attached is a picture of what they look like. This was taken to thank the teacher from high school who purchased 10 for the student body representatives at my Alma Mater. Like I stated, they can be any color.. don't be deterred from the specific color these are)

You can donate via Paypal, or contact me. Below is the link for my Paypal.
Donate here for Ethiopia!