only hours remaining...

we leave for africa in just a few hours now! i can't believe it's already here! i hope to be able to blog at least once while we're over there, but who knows, that may be impossible. if i don't get to blog, dan ohlerking (our fearless leader!) may be able to blog on our elevate mozambique blog, so check that too. and in case you're wondering...we're on our way to mozambique, africa...specifically to a community outside of maputo. this is where the newest hpc campus will be, with isaac and carol as the pastors! we'll be there for the official launch of the church! we'll also be spending a little time in swaziland with charles and kristen. i'm so excited to see what God is doing and will do during our trip in these parts of africa. your prayers are so needed...thank you so much for all your support! tchau (portuguese for goodbye:)) america...until may 2nd!
here is katie packing...she is sooo excited!

more and more fun!

so it seems the closer we get to our africa departure date the funner the days get! today was no exception! it started off great because i got to put on a new shirt! i think everyone is in agreement when i say any day with a new outfit is at the very least a good day...well that's how it is for me anyways! and here i am sporting my new top...what do ya think??

...and then i got to go to lunch with a really great group! it was loads of fun with tyler, crystal, micah, byrd, and jp. here is jp looking really cool in his shades (there is absolutely no hint of sarcasm whatsoever in my tone)!

and here's everyone...

probably the best part of the day was our africa training. we had a balloon class! doesn't that just sound fun?! we were taught by one of the clowns in the hpc clown ministry to make all sorts of things out of balloons! i loved it! my favorites were the giraffe and my little lady bug! check em out...











please continue to pray for our team before we leave and while we're there. pray that God's dream for this trip would be fulfilled...that we would be everything He'd want us to be there.

i love weekends

wow. it's amazing what comments on a blog will do! i feel so much better! thanks guys.
well it was another wonderful weekend! i was able to cram an excessive amount of information into my head (20 pages worth to be exact) for a test today. i'd like to thank katie for the perfect study technique, francis at ihop for the endless cups of coffee and water in the freezer, and brandon for picking up the tab sunday night! i couldn't have learned all i did without you guys! now lets hope all of this pays off on the test i'll take in a couple of hours! i would also like to mention the hysterical fact that up until this past sunday night katie fontenot thought ghandi was a magician. don't be too hard on her...she was raised in a foreign country.
on sunday i was able to hear from one of the most dynamic speakers i have ever heard! perhaps you've heard of him??...pastor tyler tullos...amazing! he answered so gracefully the question we've all asked...why is life not fair? and i loved his answer..."it's not not so much our problem we should worry about but our perspective. God always has a promise for us and this should be our focus...the promise!" i was so blessed! thank you pastor tyler!

this weekend i also got to hang out with one of my most favorite people, my brilliant, beautiful cousin/sister, cara! it was so great to see her...she brings me such joy! here we are at pf changs with katie friday night!

we leave for africa in 4 days now! it's really starting to hit me! i've never been this far away before! if you're interested here are a few ways you can pray for our team...unity among us, discernment for us, protection, and healing for brandon's back. thank you so much. and also thank to everyone who has supported us financially for this trip...the way God provides for his people through each other amazes me...thanks for being obedient!

bitter blogger

lately i've been hearing some say that my blog site is...well...less than interesting. this cut me deep, cut me real deep (haha...that was for barton!). anyways...i just dont understand! i feel like i've been trying so hard to be a blogger just like everyone else and no matter what i do it seems that it's not good enough! perhaps some of you "experts"(you know who you are) could throw me some advice or helpful hints instead of just making rude comments of how bad my blog is! i know i dont have a new post every hour or amazing graphics that i hand made or things that you can only have with WORDPRESS...whatever THAT is! well you'll all be happy to know that i'm making a promise to try harder. i'll blog more often. i'll try with all the knowledge i have to make it look cooler. i even have this nice new template, what do you think?! ok well leave me a comment to boost my confidence! and by the way here is my amazing elevate family...africa in 7 days!! woo hoo!!

vip today...

so i know it's been forever since i last blogged. but i've finally found something that's definitely blog-worthy! today we're hosting the band, delirious, and rebecca st. james before their concert tonight. i'm stationed to work in the hospitality room where the bands will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. we just finished breakfast and got a wonderful surprise! martin, lead singer for delirious, actually served US!! he made us italian macciatos with his very own espresso maker! how cool, huh?! what a great guy!