Estoy Aquí

I'm here! We landed last night just before 7, and man, it gets dark EARLY here (around 6 or 6:30). The villa is awesome! I'm just now seeing it in the daylight and it's even prettier than the pictures! I haven't met everyone because a lot of people went to sleep before I got here, so I'm looking forward to meeting them today! 
We start orientation today and continue it through the week. I don't know exactly what we do all week in orientation, but I guess I'll find out!

Sorry for the short post! I'll let you know what we've been doing when this week is done!

Here's a picture out the front door of the Villa!

We're In the Single Digits!

In 9 days, I'll be in Costa Rica.
WHOA.
Most of the other GAP students are blogging about what they're feeling, so I decided I would, too! Neither writing nor sharing my feelings are talents of mine, but I'm trying!

I'll start with the most common question I get: "Are you nervous?" And I'm being completely honest when I say "No, not at all." I can't tell you why because I have no clue. It's a strange feeling, because I get really nervous and worried about everything else (seriously, I don't even like choosing food at restaurants), but I'm completely at peace. I would say God is pouring His grace on me, but really, it's more like He stuck me under a giant waterfall of it. I don't think there's any other way that explains my lack of nervousness!

Sure, I don't know anyone and no one is even from my state, but that's what's fun for me! I was headed for a college without any of my friends before God said "that's not what you're doing, Ellen." Now I'm just headed for Costa Rica without them. I love the idea of being in my favorite area of the world with people who share the same love for it (for more than a one-week mission trip)!
I feel like we've met before because we all share the same excitement, and I'm already Facebook friends with a few of them, so I've gotten to see their statuses, pictures, read their blogs... I feel like we are already kind of friends!

What's weird for me is thinking about the crazy, awesome things that God is going to do in all of our lives in such a short amount of time. I mean, I'll be back home in just over 8 months. That's not long at all! I'm trying not to expect anything and experience everything as it comes.

There's something is want to add. People say what I'm doing is brave, but I am by no means brave. Katie Davis nailed it when she said “People from my first home say I'm brave. They tell me I'm strong. They pat me on the back and say, 'Way to go. Good job.' But the truth is, I am not really very brave; I am not really very strong; and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am simply doing what God has called me to do as a person who follows Him. He said to feed His sheep and He said to care for 'the least of these,' so that's what I'm doing, with the help of a lot people who make it possible and in the company of those who make my life worth living."
***Quote from her book "Kisses From Katie." If you are confused as to why I want to go to a foreign place for 9 months, read it. You will understand me more. And it's just a really great book.

There were things on my past mission trips that I only had to see once for them to break my heart. Even hearing about them was hard.
Here are some long-term things you can be praying for!
-All of the GAP students; that we will rely on the Lord when any one of us feels lost or helpless and we remember that we serve and worship the God who can overcome any of our trials.
-Community: I've never lived with 30 people for a long amount of time, and we don't know how everyone's personalities will work together. Just be praying for a lack of conflict within the group.
-The reverse culture shock when I come home at Christmas (long time away, I know). It was extremely difficult for me to adjust after one week in Guatemala, so I don't want to think about what it will be like after 3 months (I'm actually pretty worried about this).
-Guidance for myself when I come home in May (even longer time away). Although my college plans are pretty firm, my major and career plans don't even exist. I'm hoping God will show me His plan for my life while I'm there!

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13