when I get excited I have a tendency to do a little excited jig. it’s a tad bit reckless and includes jumping and some type of step-skipping. needless to say, people usually think I’m falling g when in reality it’s just a somewhat calculated expression of glee. I’m serious. Also, it tends to almost scare people. My excitement comes from many sources, big and small, and usually these sources are things other people didn’t even notice, and so they take bystanders by surprise. 

For example, take this morning. We’re in Quibdo, Chocó on a mission trip. Today we head somewhere else do all our bags and our selves are getting ready for the fifteen minute walk from the just home to the church where we’ll eat breakfast. And out of nowhere I get instructions to ride on to moto [motorcycle] with the woman at the host home.
 *happy dance* 

*gasps of surprise from group* 

“Me encanta motos!” [I really like motos] and then we’re off, riding through the streets of Chocó and I freaking love it. Notably, it’s only my second moto ride in my life and the other was yesterday but still, its delightfully cool! And it was one of the things my mom said absolutely do not do this while in Colombia, so the little rebel inside of me feels very badass. And I love to feel badass, so, onward with motos! 

In the theme of excitement I’d like to formally tell the world, barring any drastic chaotic life changing moments, I will be finishing my year in Colombia! *cue spastastic, gleeful dancing* I couldn’t help but fall in love. My family says that I sound good again, which might be a confusing thing to say, but as the last years we’re a bit rough, I had a tendency to be a bit downcast, like an underlying theme in my life. I’m not saying Colombia is the fixall of problems, it’s still really hard to be so far from my people. But God has absolutely lavished joy on me. We all thought that Sala Cuna would be my perfect fit, myself included and I still adore Sala cuna and all the tinies but this deep love for the girls on the soccer program has ravished my heart. Even though I am enjoying the work we’re doing in Chocó this week, it’s crazy how much I miss my girls. Knowing that I’m missing Tuesday and Thursday practice kill me, especially since it means I won’t see them for at least a week but I did get to practice here in Chocó with some boys yesterday, so that’s good. 

CHOCÓ

While I’m writing I figure I should give you some updates on the Chocó trip. Today is currently day four of nine [Saturday-Sunday]. 

How did I end up on the Chocó trip? I was at a birthday gathering and someone was talking about it, I said “wow that’s cool!” they said “you should come” and now here I am, in Chocó. Cool story highlight, I was telling my mom [pre-trip] that I was being overcome with anxiousness. She advised me to text the people on my prayer team, I followed her advice, and not fifteen minutes later, the only thing inside of me was my excitement. Go prayer! 

So I don’t actually really know the details of this trip. I only went to two of the meetings and joined a bit late BUT right now we’re in Quibdo. We’ve been hanging out with super cute kids, doing evangelism and preaching in the church. Saturday night when we got here I was selected to give my testimony and preach a bit, it was the first time I’ve ever felt weird about sharing my testimony, but it went really well. There’s lots of bilingual humans on this team, but I’ve still been getting in a lot of Spanish. My first night, I even slept in an only Spanish host home all by myself. Nerve racking, but hey. I also took my first ever bucket shower yesterday which in super pumped about! If you don’t know what a bucket shower is, it’s a shower where your water source is a bucket. So you just splash and pour yourself clean, a new experience that I’m fairly fond of. 

The night before last night at one of our debriefs, a guy from the local church came in to say goodnight and in the midst of that ended up speaking about the blessing and announcing on my life. He went on to talk about how I have something special and different about me and my heart and how I’ll be going many places. As awkward as it was, it was also exciting and affirming and I think it’s exactly what my heart needed. Abba is so faithful. 

Today we’ll be doing some more evangelism type stuff, eating lunch and then getting on a chiva [really fun, windowless, pimped-out bus type vehicle, loud music included] for an hour in a half ride to the next leg of our trip, I have no clue where. Prayers appreciated as we continue on in Chocó as this is beautiful but still difficult. Chocó is a área heavily influenced by witchcraft and so, the atmosphere is a bit heavy and hard. Your prayers are oh so coveted. 

I’ve been posting additional Chocó trip fun on my Instagram and snapchats, so if you exist in those worlds go ahead and take a peak for nap updates, lizards and more cute tinies.
That’s all I have for now. Much love my lovely humans. Do some joyful jugs today, dance happy, my friends!
The end.