Katie Bischoff - The World Race 2007

Long Time, No Blog

Sat, 1 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So it's been quite awhile since I've updated anyone!

I'm currently working at the Ballantyne Hotel and Lodge in the Spa as a manager and Group Coordinator. It's a very different environment from the World Race. I went from serving the poorest of the poor to the richest of the rich! One of the things I've loved best is being able to connect with guests or other employees from some of the countries we lived in. I also work with a great staff that I love dearly.

The latest news is that I'm praying about moving to the inner city of Charlotte, NC. I learned from my church a little over a year ago about the Karen refugees that were being relocated Thailand to Charlotte. After connecting with some of the families I learned that there were even more refugees from other countries, mainly Africa and Asia. Around the same time, I started to volunteer with a Christian organization called One 7 that reaches out to inner city kids. It just so happens that One 7 meets about a mile away where the refugees live and the kids involved are primarily from South America, Africa, and Asia...all of the continents I served in. Coincidence? I think not.

Why do I want to move: I feel like I've been given a gift in that I've experienced different cultures and lived as a stranger in a foreign land. I want to use this gift to bless families that are new to American culture and new to Charlotte. I hope to share the love of Jesus Christ by serving.

What's in place:

* I currently have two ladies who are planning on joining me. One is Cameron Cary who also went on the World Race. Shes's working at Ballantyne also and just started helping a friend to start a non-cheezy Christian Theatre Company :). My other friend is Jacki Cristobal, a MK from Papua New Guinea that goes to my church and volunteers with One 7. Starting August, she is going to be teaching 6 of the girls from One 7! Living with them will be a great way to live in community like we did on the World Race.

What I'd love your prayers for:

* I need a subleaser to take over paying my rent - one that would be a good fit for my sister Kelly and roommate Emily.

* I found a sweet little home for us in the perfect location. It even backs up to the elementary school where I hope to volunteer. I'm praying for this home if it's the Lord's will.

* For community - I'm praying for and challenging other believers I know to move to that side of town where we can serve together.

* That I would continue to hold this idea with open hands, I want His will to be done and His Kingdom to come.

So that's about it. For all of you World Racers I haven't connected with, I love you! Thanks again to everyone who supported me so I could go on this life changing journey.

I'm coming home!

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I'm leaving for home on Monday and am so excited. I can't believe this thing is almost over. I'll be writing blogs soon summarizing our time in China (preview: I loved it) and thoughts on this experience as a whole. Right now I'm trying to spend as much time with my friends from the race and preparing myself for coming home. Please pray for me, it's going to be an adjustment leaving these amazing people I've traveled the world with and assimilating back into western culture. :o)

Recent Developments

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Okay, so I just found out that we're not going to be able to communicate for one month! I will not be blogging, e-mailing or making phone calls. AIM should post an update for us at some point though.

We'll be traveling to a country in Asia where we'll be doing a cultural exchange program. I'm pretty excited about it. Please be praying for all of us as we finish out the last leg of the trip and especially as we prepare to go back to the states.

I'll be getting back to North Carolina on November 20th. I can't believe this trip is almost over, it's been amazing. Thank you all for reading my posts, for your prayers and for your encouragement. It means so much.

He believes in me!

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Cambodiaso here's how it went:

Beginning feelings: Totally freaked out

Our first day with our ministry, we pulled up to the church and were shown right away where we'd be sleeping. I tried to muster a positive attitude as I was shown a small apartment that would hold 8 girls, 4 of whom would be sleeping in the living room, pretty cramped, without air conditioning. Usually I can deal with heat, but we had been an a place previously for a few days where I was always hot and felt so lethargic. After seeing the room we were whisked away for a meeting with our contact for a briefing of ministry opportunities. I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and was doing a lot of silent praying. As they were listing out the ministry options, nothing seemed like a good fit for me. We then went to each department at the church to get a little more info...the anxiety was mounting. My teammates told me later they could recognize it on my face (it really is nice that they know me so well). I finally had to excuse myself, went to our apartment and cried.

So many things were reminiscent of my time in Peru, the month that for me culminated in a major freak out and melt down. The lasting taste in my mouth from Peru was one of defeat. Coming to Cambodia and seeing so many similarities like an underdeveloped and dirty town, close living quarters, team issues, an active church with a lot of opportunities and the possibility of high expectations and little rest, difficult transportation, and nothing really seeming to fit ministry wise. It all seemed just too much.

I asked God over and over"Why are you doing this to me? You knew how hard it was for me in Peru. You knew you were bringing us here. Why would you do this?" I sat and cried for a bit longer and then felt the Lord saying clearly that He was going to give me a second chance at Peru and that I wouldn't go crazy. An overwhelming feeling of peace came over me; I knew I was going to make it. A bit later someone came in the room and told me about an opportunity for me to decorate a Nursing Mothers/Prayer room and I got so excited (I love to decorate)! It was such a gift from God, He didn't need to give it to me, but He did.

The project gave me a place where I felt "at home" and made it easier for me to branch out and try the other types of ministry. I'd work some of the time on the room and the other trying new things. Here's a few pics I borrowed from teammates of times with those ministries:

I got to play with children who lived in slums (Stacy's)

visit some people living out in more rural Cambodia, where I also preached a bit!(Stacy's)...

teach English (this is a pic of Erin, but I taught in this same classroom)

and assist Brooklyn Tabernacle as they came to do medical ministry (Anne's).

One of the other "gifts" that God gave me were people I could communicate with! I love talking with people, hearing their hearts and their stories. It's often been a challenge for me this year not being able to communicate on a deeper level. This month I had not only one deep conversation but many! Yet another gift from God.

Ending Feelings: I genuinely enjoyed our time and feel like I can trust God more. Now I'm thankful that He brought me to Cambodia and let me go through this trial to show me that I could make it. He really believes in me!

Church Room Makeover: Video and Pics

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the before and after pictures of the project and then some before and after video (for some reason the video isn't showing up on the home page, so if you'd like to look at it, click on the article title). And in case you were wondering, no I'm not a giant, the room has a very low ceiling:

BEFORE

AFTER

Super Blog Day

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I've written 3 blogs today, that must be some kind of a record. This one I copied though (thanks Annie) because I'm not a big fan of writing and why reinvent the wheel?

Tomorrow we head to Asia and there are a few things I need to tell you about our time there. It is illegal to convert people in the country we're going to. We do have several Christian contacts that we will be working alongside. In order to protect the security and anonymity of the contacts I will not be able to access The World Race site. I may be able to send blogs to my parents to post, but they will need to be free of any Christian words or phrases. I will not be able to tell you specific places, names of people, or post pictures that would give away location or identity. The government watches sites visited on the Internet and e-mail, so if you contact me please refrain from using any Christian phrases (God Bless, Praying for You, In Christ, etc.). Please continue to pray for our group, but especially pray for the Christians in this country. Our group is not exactly inconspicuous and I would hate for our presence to cause imprisonment or harm to any of the contacts.

We're Famous

Wed, 3 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Okay no not really BUT Relevant Magazine, one of my favorite magazines, has an article on the World Race. Jeff Goins eloquently sums up what this experience has been for me and so many of my friends.

Check it out: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life_article.php?id=7488

An Average Blog

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I realized that I usually only write blogs when something big is going on or if I'm struggling, so I thought I'd write just an average blog. Let me preface it by telling you I am now in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and am working with this awesome church, New Life Fellowship. They really have a heart for the community and offer programs like free computer classes, English classes, street kid programs, slum outreaches, and a bunch more.

Today I went to the church and started working on a project to decorate a Prayer/Mother's with Babies Room as well as a Nursery (I love this type of thing). I had a meeting with the woman who's giving me specifics about the project. Then I spent a few hours in a coffee shop brainstorming. After that I met up with her again, hopped on her mo-ped (don't worry I didn't drive), and went to check out what they sell in the local markets. When we got back, I brainstormed some more, sat while Hannah finished teaching a class, met up with Becca, and headed home.

I got off our tuk-tuk and went to the grocery store to pick up chicken for dinner. Becca and I made skillet chicken with lime, onion, and green peppers and it turned out really good. I read a bit, talked to my friend Eric about the project I'm working on, watched "The Office" with Stacy and some friends from Yeti (another team), and now I'm ready for bed.

It's been a good day. J

The Killing Fields

Tue, 11 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Here's my friend Michelle's account of what we saw one of our first days in Cambodia:

"While in Phnom Phen, we were able to tour the city and learn a bit of the history of Cambodia. It is hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that only 30 years ago a genocide occurred here but what is more astonishing is the fact that I had never even heard about it. The Khmer Rouge the Killing Fields 1975-1979 over 2 million Cambodians murdered. In his insanity and drive towards creating a Communist Cambodia, the leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, killed off anyone in his way - the educated class and their families, doctors, teachers, students, engineers, Buddhist monks, foreigners, etc. He believed that by having an uneducated mass of followers, he could more easily create a working class which would help to establish the Communistic "equal" society that he dreamed of for Cambodia.

It's all just REALLY messed up. We were able to visit the S-21 center where approximately 20,000 Cambodians were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The statistics say that of the thousands of citizens who entered S-21, only 7 survived. The sick part of it all the center is directly in the center of the city and was once a high school before Pol Pot and his regime transformed it into a killing center. Makeshift wooden and brick cells in the classrooms, cruel torture methods, bar on the windows, barbed wire across the length of the school buildings. It's like a terrible, unbelievable nightmare.

There were rooms and rooms of snapshots of the prisoners killed at S-21. Apparently the center kept incredible records of the men, women, and children who were funneled through there. This included mug shots with their numbers on their chests and the many pages of "confessions" that were extracted out of the innocent prisoners.

We spent several hours at the center. It was all overwhelming to take in. It was hard to understand how we can as human beings continue to do such appalling things. And that we sit thousands of miles distanced from it and don't even know that it is occurring. And that we don't intervene when we DO know it's happening. It all gets really messy, I understand but 2 million people in the span of 4 years is a high price to pay for our ignorance, blind eye and politically "neutral" stance.

After the museum, we visited one of the actual "Killing Fields." The Khmer Rouge would transport truckloads of Cambodians to these locations for either death or burial. The site is currently the location of a monument to the victims. I would ask that you would respectfully read what information that you can from these photographs and consider looking up more information about the tragedy of the Khmer Rouge and the Killing Fields.

It's hard to let myself be opened up to tragedy and evil of such proportions. To see the things that I have seen just in the past 5 weeks. There's a difference in knowing about issues or events .. and actually seeing and experiencing them first hand. At times it is very difficult to have faith and believe that there really is a God out there somewhere big enough to handle all that I've seen. And while it's hard to grasp, I have honestly come to believe that all of this is for a purpose. Because the Lord does not desire His children's eyes to remain closed. He does not desire His church to remain sheltered. He does not desire His kingdom or His people to remain uninformed, ineffective, or insensitive.

There is a reason that my life has come in contact with all of this and there are reasons that I have the ability to pass on what I have seen to YOU. If the Kingdom of God is to COME, it requires MOVEMENT. It requires action. And I really believe that our role in the Kingdom coming begins with seeing and feeling and experiencing ALL that this world entails. It begins with being informed and letting issues affect us. It begins when hearts are invested. It begins when we REALLY start becoming the hands and feet of God in a world that so desperately needs His touch.

It begins when we can't help but do anything else. Because we can no longer turn our eyes. And we can't forget what we've seen.

Know that I love each and every one of you reading this right now. I am so proud to know so many who will really read this and for whom I know it will mean something. I am blessed to have all of you in my life.

Love.

It only takes a spark...

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I have hope again! :o) Thank you all for praying, for real. One of the next few days after I wrote my previous post, I had a chance to sit in Starbucks, pray, and think. Here are snippets of things I was pondering in my journal. I had just seen some poetry written on a piece of Starbuck's art on the wall and it inspired me:

"There's hope. I see glimmers of it everywhere, even in the darkest places. I've seen it in the sweet smiles of the prostitutes I've chatted with...

The exciting truth with this is that God is everywhere. Psalm 139:7 says,

"If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths You are there."

I love that about the God I serve! He doesn't leave anyone out. He loves the victim, but also loves the perpetrator! There's nowhere we can go, nothing we can do to separate us from His love.

There's this song that India Arie sings called "There's Hope" and it's been encouraging to me. One line of the song is talking about all the evil says, "let it and it'll drive you crazy." I was letting it and it was driving me crazy. I had been sad, angry, and frustrated, all valid emotions in response to what I'd seen, but I didn't want to live in those emotions. I'd rather look for glimmers of hope. The quote on the NightLight website by Eleanor Rosevelt seems to make more sense to me now, "I'd rather light a candle than curse the darkness."

...but how do we move forward? I think the answer is to look towards the light and help to fan the flame with love! God's already caring for people, but maybe He's also waiting for us to be a part in spreading the light. I really think this is what Jesus is talking about when He says, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matt 6). The people He created living out a life of faith, hope, and love.

After this year, I've had lots of opportunities to learn about how to make a difference in the World. That's one of the reasons I came on this trip. What I've discovered is that the biggest part of it is loving whoever crosses your path! I think I've said it before, but it's your family, your co-workers, your neighbors, and the children in Africa that you hear need food and clean water. We all can do that through God's strength.

After going through this struggle, I think I'm more thankful for the glimmers. In the chorus of that same song, India says, "There's hope, it doesn't cost a thing to smile, you don't have to pay to laugh, you better thank God for that."

Amen sister.

The problem of evil

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I've been feeling mildly depressed the past few days.

I think all I've seen this year has started to weigh on me. It's been hard seeing children who've been abandoned, people dying of AIDS, prostitutes being abused, friends believing lies about themselves...hard realizing that I often have evil in my heart. What's been harder though has been realizing to a new degree how evil and suffering is widespread. Not only is it prevelant in Thailand and Swaziland, but also in my hometown.

While I still don't know how to process through it all, I do know:

*God is good, He really loves, and He can redeem ANYTHING
*There are many amazing people who stand for Truth, Love, and Justice; people who'll sacrifice their own comfort for the good of others.
*We've been given an example of how to live and the power to do it through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
*God promises a new heaven and a new earth without the evil and suffering.

So, I'd love for you guys to be praying for me. I don't want to be so down about this that I miss opportunities to love today.

Stacy's Blog

Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Stacy, my teammate, wrote a great blog to explain what it feels like going into the bars:

Sex for Sale

80 girls, 2 stages....XXX Shows....Dancing girls...."Come here, beautiful women!"..."Hello, Hello, Come here for lady boys!"

More than just the neon signs shout at me as I walk past. It is my first night to walk the open bars and I am overwhelmed by a sense of darkness. With each level I climb, I feel more and more heaviness laying on my chest. At points, it is even hard for me to physically breathe. There is really nothing you can do to prepare yourself to see the Red Light district in Thailand. It is even hard to piece together a thought, muchless a prayer for these girls. But I am broken.

Men are scattered inside and outside the bars. Men that look like they could be my father, my grandfather, or even my college buddies. They are there for one reason; to take home a girl to do with them whatever they please. 60% of the men who come to Thailand come for a prostitute. It sickens me even as we pass them by on the street holding the hands of girls who can't be more than 16 years old. I am skeptical of every man I see on the subway, in the restaurant, and walking by. It is true that it is harder to love them than the girls. But they are broken too.

My prayer is continually drowned by the sound of thumping music. The atmosphere leaves me feeling more like a perverted 50 year old man coming to watch a show than a missionary. But my calling is clear. I refuse to believe satans lies that they are simply having fun or that they enjoy their work. I look up and see a girl whose eyes glisten with tears under the red light thrust on her body, exposing her for more than just her skin. She is broken.

I walk past a man, but he is not dressed as a man. Most likely he went under whole or partial surgery to become a woman and is now prostituting himself to men and women. At first glance he is even more beautiful than some of the girls I see there. But inside, he is incredibly broken.

These girls are just babies. I sat and talked with two 16 year old girls that only started about a month ago. They haven't been with a man yet, but they are terrified. I befriended a 14 year old girl named Bla who lies about her age and says she is 19. Last night for the first time I witnessed her being devouerd by a group of American men who were drunk and there for a party. I talked with a 23 year old girl who has been separated from her baby girl. She says she is happy there, but I can see the emptiness in her eyes.

Baby bottles. Food. Large wooden sculptures of male genitalia. They are worshipped. They appease Buddha...the bottles for all the babies that have been aborted by the prostitutes that work in the bars. The sculputres and food bring luck to the businesses. Broken. Lost.

Back in Chicago, I was involved with a minsitry that reached out to men in prostitution. In my time of volunteering with them, God really put a fire in me for the sex industry. I have never felt as passionate about something as this. And I really believe God has me and our team here in Bangkok for a purpose. I never thought God would allow my love for missions and being overseas and my love for prostitutes to come together. And it is draining, but so worth it.

These girls and guys are imprisioned. I don't say these things to shock you, but at the same time I do. I am only scratching the surface the evil that lives here. If there is one thing I have observed it is that where there is evil, it abounds. The door has been opened for satan to reign here, and he has taken root. Hosea 4 talks about how God allowed prostitution because of the idol worship and I believe he has allowed this because these people have worshiped another god. We are fighting against more than flesh and blood here (Ephesians 6). And know that this is not a new thing. It happens all around the world...probably even near your home town. It may not look the same, but prostitution is more widespread than you would imagine.

Join us in our battle as we fight for these girls souls. The whole bar won't evacuate in a day, but I believe we can pray for one soul at a time. What Nightlight does is getting the girls out. Pray for them fervently and that God would speak beauty and truth over these girls lives.

Light a candle

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

"I would rather light a candle than curse the darkness."
Eleanor Roosevelt

This month we're working at NightLight, "a ministry in urban Bangkok, which reaches out to women and children working in the bar areas of Nana/Sukhumvit. Located in a neighborhood with a growing sex trade, Nightlight's vision is to share the Light of the world in both word and deed to those who live in darkness."

Specifically our team will help at the office where former prostitutes make jewelry for a living (you can buy some on the website, it's really good quality) and then go to bars to build relationships with the girls. I'm so excited about this organization, it's awesome!

From their website... Through life-on-life ministry, NightLight's goal is to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of women in prostitution, their children, and those children brought illegally in Thailand to financially support their families by selling items in the bars and often through sexual exploitation. These goals will be met through building relationships with women and children who work in the sex trade industry along the Nana/Sukhumvit area and by providing a center that offers emergency aid, educational and employment opportunity, emergency child-care, language tutoring, literacy training, and biblical teaching and healing for their community.

www.nightlightbangkok.com

Life on the Farm

Mon, 6 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Last month was the best time I've had all year! I told you guys briefly about the place we stayed It's a division of Lighthouse Care Centers (www.swazitc.com) that cares for orphaned and abandoned children. I thought I'd fill you in on what our day-to-day looked like:

We'd wake up to the sweet voices of childr en leaving for school. I'd stumble into the kitchen for breakfast, grab some coffee and toast and head back to my room. I'm a bit grumpy in the morning, so it's good for me to avoid people as much as possible. We'd then have individual time to read, pray and get ready for the day (that rhymed).

At 8am, some of the kids on the farm who aren't healthy enough to walk to school come to our house for home-school. We'd either leave then or sneak out the window later so we wouldn't disturb class.

Our morning activities varied from day to day. For a few days we painted a kitchen that would soon be a coffee shop that would raise funds for the farm. Other days we'd assist in a community pre-school held onthe premises or helped organize donations in the store house.

One day a fire broke out, so we had to leave the kids to go help. Swaziland is really dry in the winter, so it is not unusual for fires to break out and spread like crazy with all the dry grass. Luckily, all the homesteads were okay and no one was hurt. Below are the kids in preschool and a sweet pic Hannah took of a woman and the fire. This lady was so calm when the fire was closing in around her homestead.

We'd take a break for lunchusually soup because it's cheap and we got to use vegetables from the garden. I want a garden when I get home! After lunch we'd love on the kids which was my favorite pastime. We'd play soccer, Net Ball (kind of like monkey in the middle), sit and talk, hike up to the nearby mountain spend time with the moms...basically build relationships.

Most nights we'd have good dinners because we had a stove and oven! Our team was so excited when we moved in that we literally danced around the kitchen table. After dinner we'd either sit around and talk, hang out with people on the farm, go to Bible Study, or help tutor. One night some of the missionaries working there had a Spa Night for all of the house moms. I got the privilege of decorating the Hospice for the event and was in my element! I'll have to post a picture of the women later, it was great. Many of them had never had face masks or massages. I think it really made them feel special and loved.

During our stay we were able to spend a lot of time with the people who work at the farm. They are amazing people with great vision and a strong commitment to God. It was cool to walk amongst some of the greats of the Christian faith today. If you guys read this, I'm so thankful for you!

Why was it such a sweet time for me? I got to do what I love: help, learn, and love. I got to be a part of something great...answering God's' call to visit orphans and widows in their affliction (James 1:27). It was so precious to see a tangible picture of Christ's redemptive power. He brings light where there used to be darkness!

Their Stories

Mon, 6 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In Swaziland, I was broken by some of the stories I heard. Meeting the children, you wouldn't know what they had suffered.

One child, who we'll call Sarah was left by her mother when she was really young, I believe 2 years old. The family used her as a slave girl and probably sexually abused. People at Hawane farm found out about her when she was near 8. The day they came to rescue her, all Sarah had was a school uniform with missing buttons, a t-shirt, and a little plastic bookbag. Before she left, they took her by her school to say goodbye to her teacher and friends. As they were pulling away from the grounds, she asked the driver to stop, got a coin out of her bookbag, and ran to give it to her friend. A man from Hawane involved in the rescue told me this story and how it showed him two things: one, her precious heart to care for her friend and two, that little Sarah knew she was going to be cared for. She now has a family on the farm and is a precious, happy girl with a beautiful smile.

Another child, who we'll call Jon was orphaned and taken in by a man to shepherd his sheep. The man who was "caring" for Jon would beat him if he didn't perform well. One specific time Jon lost some sheep and the man took a fan belt from a car, put it on the end of a stick, tied little Jon's wrists to a banana tree and whipped him till his back was bleeding. I saw the horrible pictures and couldn't stop looking or crying. It looked like images you've seen of Christ's back, or even worse. This was a little boy, 7 years old. His back was covered in scars, so you could tell this had been going on for a long time. Somehow the police caught wind of the abuse, did an investigation, and they were able to rescue him. He's now 9 years old, doing very well, and really being cared for.

There are countless other stories. At Hawane I met a boy who had been forced to live in a latrine, then at ABC, Abandoned Babies for Christ, there were rescued children who had been boiled, buried alive, and raped. On top of all this, a number of the children have contracted HIV/AIDs.

These are real children, of which there are many, many more. I've played with them, heard their stories, seen their scars. What breaks my heart is that there are so many still living in those situations. There are so many more. Please, please, please, pray with me for these children. I'm so thankful that there are people living in Swaziland who are voices for them.

It can be easy to blame those who abused them, but they were probably children one day with similar stories who don't know life any differently. Please also pray for the abusers, that their wounds would be healed and their lives changed.

In all of this saddness I'm hopeful because I know that God has not forgotten these little children and wants them to be whole. I'm so blessed to have met the children at Hawane farm and to have walked life alongside them for a time.

Hope in Africa

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

You guys must have been praying because we are in such a cool place!

Our team is staying on a farm where some children were orphaned because their parents died of AIDs and others have had pasts of slavery, abuse, or neglect. The children are brought in and put in a family with house parents and brothers and sisters. They are given an education, good nutrition, and medical attention. They also are learning skills for their future, are regularly taught about their own culture, and have chores around the farm like cooking, gardening, etc.

At first when I arrived I wondered how we could ever come in and help with anything, the kids already seemed cared for. I felt that the Lord was quickly impressing on my heart what a great opportunity it was! I would be able to see God's redemption. I can't wait till I have more time later to tell you of some of the children's stories. I cry to hear what they have experienced, but then I cry because I'm so thankful that they have been rescued and given a new chance at life, literally. It's such a beautiful place.

I love it because the things they are doing are giving hope where there has been so much death and darkness. This place is amazing, I feel truly blessed to be here. More later!

Sometimes I want to go home...

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

As much as this year is super awesome, it is really hard sometimes. We move from place to place, country to country, ministry to ministry and I often wonder what in the world is going on. Here's a snippet from my journal the other day (I'm talking to God):

"I'm craving stability. Maybe You have me like this so I find stability only in You. Is that what You're doing? I don't have...the languages to communicate with...a home...a job...money...sometimes ministry...any clue for the future."

Yesterday I had some time to just rest, to take a Sabbath and I feel like God really spoke to me. I went to the chapter that God continually speaks to me through over the years, John 15. It talks about abiding in God and love. I was reading in the Message version and Jesus' words jumped out to me in a new way:

"I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done-kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love."

I didn't think being homeless this year would affect me as much as it has. I'm continually talking with my friends here about how I want to one day have a home to welcome people and care for them because I see the value in it now more than ever. I'm realizing how a welcoming home does more than care for someone physically. It touches them emotionally and provides a place for them to connect with God spiritually. When I read this scripture, I was able to somehow imagine God being that place for me offering stability, protection, and a place to walk around in. I could just be myself, do whatever I want, and rest in Him.

Then, I heard lyrics to a song by Rita Springer that went along with that message:

"Just to know that I can come to lay at your feet,
Just to know that I won't be denied,
Just to know that in You I find my home,
Just to know my hopes rest in Your heart,
Just to know that You won't forget,
Just to know that I am on Your mind,
Just to know that your promises will stay right here,
Just to know that I won't be alone,
Just to know that you can hold me,
Just to know that in you I find my hope,
Just to know that You are always near."

I just love that this is who God is! He provides a safe place and will always be there and always love us. I've often missed the comforts of home this year, but know that even that can't satisfy. In the end, it is just a place. This year when I've hit hard times I've seen more clearly than ever that God is my only true stability. I've been able to be myself with Him, whether crying, happy, angry or confused. Whatever state I've been in, He's accepted me and embraced me, just as I am. People, places, and things satisfy for the moment but eventually let you down. God will never leave us or forsake us no matter what comes our way and in Him we find our true home.

The Day to Day

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We've finished our midyear debriefing and now are in that limbo phase where we're figuring out our next steps. We've had several options placed before us and our tentative plan is to: visit care points this week (temporary solutions to caring for orphans and the poor by providing a meal and if possible education during the day), to go to Mbabane next week and visit an Abandoned Baby Hospital, and then on to Cape Town, South Africa for a ministry opportunity down there. It sounds good, but I'm feeling a little disjointed (this type of stuff stresses me out, so I'd love your prayers).

One of my highlights last week was visiting a care point with Tom Davis, the president of Childrens Hope Chest. It was great learning about what the organization's vision and what is currently taking place. They are doing some awesome things. If you'd like to learn about it or be a part, check out the website at hopechest.org. They have a great program to empower churches.

Okie doke, that's about all for now. :o)

Mozambique Happenings

Sun, 17 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I'm kind of frustrated because I finally wrote a good blog to update you all and my flash drive isn't working. Argh. Please read Becca's Blog (http://rebeccatharpe.theworldrace.org/) to get a general idea of what we've been doing. If you'd like a bit more, look at my other teammate's, http://stacyutecht.theworldrace.org/.

Into the bush?

Sun, 20 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We arrived in Mozambique about a week and a half ago only to find that most of the disaster relief had already been done! Our teams have been looking for other opportunities to help and it has been a bit challenging, mainly because of the language barrier.

My team, Team 61 will most likely be heading out into the bush tomorrow. We don't really know what to expect, but that just adds to the adventure of it all! I'm personally doing well. The anxiety issues that I was struggling with so much last month aren't really even an issue! Praise God. I've really enjoyed the village our team has stayed in since we've been here. It's a real African village with reed huts, African singing (their music is just amazing), and some beautiful orphans running around making mischeif.

I hope to tell you more later! My time on the internet is pretty limited. Thank you all so much for your prayers. :o)

Letters!

Sun, 20 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

You can send letters or packages if you'd like up until July! (wink, wink) Here's my address:

Adventures in Missions
care of: Katie Bischoff
P.O. Box 1366
Ifafi 0260
South Africa

If you send a package, please send some money to cover a tax I must pay to retrieve the package (I'd pay but I don't have lots of money). It may be better to send an envelope because those you don't have to pay a tax.

Mozambique

Wed, 9 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everybody! Tomorrow we're off to Mozambique. Mozambique is the 4th poorest country in the world. I heard a recent statistic too that said 2/3 of the children die before the age of 5 for diseases that are preventable. Recently the country was hit by a cyclone and flooding that caused devestation. People are left without food, shelter and clothing. The exciting thing though is that people are hungry to know the love of Jesus and lives are being changed!

Squad A will be in a town called Villanculos (sp?). There we will help with disaster relief and just loving the people. I'm not sure of the specifics yet, but will fill you in when I can. There's a possibility I will not have internet access for the next month.

Please be praying for our strength as we face hard life issues. Pray that the Lord will reveal His love for us and those we come in contact with...and for you guys at home too! I'm really amazed at God's love for His creation. He really loves us! Yay God. :o)

PS- I'm doing good and God is teaching me bunches! I can't wait to share with you guys and as always, feel free to e-mail me letting me know about your lives and how I can be praying for you.

Dirty Feet

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The past month in Peru was crazy and flew by. Things were changing all the time, but one thing that remained a constant was our dirty, sandy feet. I wish I would have taken a picture. We had a nightly ritual of going to the bathroom to wash...it made me understand a little bit more what it meant when Jesus washed His disciples feet.

I thought I'd give you some snippets of what went on in Peru. Id like to do a Day in the Life but, things were different almost every day. I can start though with where we lived. Here's a shot Annie took outside our home:

Interpreters
We had interpreters this month and they were AMAZING. 1. It was nice that I wasnt one of the main translators this month 2. They were so much fun and fit right in. The first picture from left to right is Rober, Jorje, Dana, and Mary. The second one is me, Amalia (an interpreter), and Meagan. They were all very special to me. Mary just became a believer about two months ago and it was exciting to hear about her encounters with God. Amalia is a pastors wife and offered me lots of counsel. Some of those days when I was struggling with anxiety she let me stay at her house. She has such a free spirit, I love her!

Schools
We were invited to go speak in schools. They asked us to share about our faith...so we did!

My Girls
Right off the bat in Peru I met some awesome ladies! I met them early in the month at their dance practice one Sunday afternoon. I later got to spend time with them before church services, at small groups, playing at our outdoor services we held, etc. It was great! In the picture below is Fiorella, me (yeah, I know that's a bad pic...Im not a fan of taking tons of pictures to get a good one), Stephanie and Laura. COOL NEWS: One service I was sitting with Fiorella and Stephanie and I thought Id ask them if they had ever asked Jesus to be a part of their lives. They said no, but that they wanted a relationship with Him! I got to pray with them and then Amalia came over to explain a little bit more about the kingdom. Yay Jesus! It was exciting to think of the years they have ahead of them and how Jesus is going to love on them and use them to love others.

The Markets
We went into the markets often to meet people, invite them to church, and even sometimes give public testimonies of what God's done in our lives. Heres one of me telling an emotional testimony of Jesus entering into a messy situation in my life.

Our Host Family
My team and I got to stay with this awesome family from the church. It was a packed house, but we had so much fun together. Heres our dadJuan making Flan (that rhymes!). It was really cool hearing his story of how God changed his life.

The Food
We ate well in Peru. Most of our meals were cooked for us by awesome women in the church. In this next pic we are eating Ceviche and Calamare with a family. Ceviche is raw fish with lemon or lime juice, tomatoes and onions. It was great, I really liked it. We also ate good things like Anticucho (cow heart...really good, for real) and pollo a la brasa (like rotisserie chicken usually served with french fries).

Jovanna and Elizabeth
These are two sisters I met at the church. Both of them are great, but I got a bit closer to Jovanna (the one on the left) during our time there. She would come regularly with us to do ministry or hang out. We were able to communicate pretty well with my limited Spanish. She really has a sweet heart and wants to follow the Lord. I love her and will miss her a bunch!

The Church
We worked in Lomo de Corvina, a squatter village, the whole month and at the end were able to build them a church! There are two cell groups that have been meeting and haven't had a place to meet. Now they do! This was an answer to prayer for them. I got to help fill those sandbags you'll see in the first picture.

So that's some basic insight into this month. We worked hard, we got dirty, and it was great!

Anxiety

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

When Paul says to the Phillipians in Phil 4:6 "Do not be anxious about anything..." does that include not being anxious about our relationship with God?

I'm currently in the home of Cooleys, some missionaries in Peru, because I need rest. I realized before I left on the World Race that I often struggle with anxiety and a couple days ago it seemed to be getting worse. When this happens, my chest gets tight and my breathing is irregular. I told teammates about it, feeling stupid because 1)maybe it was all just in my head and 2)if there was an issue, there didn't seem to be any real catalyst. I didn't have an answer for the way I was feeling.

I love God's timing, because lately I've been meditating on the idea that Jesus enters into our mess and loves us just where we are. I've heard countless stories of people whose lives have been changed because they had an encounter with Christ at their lowest points...prostitution, drug abuse, self mutilation, etc. I started to reflect on my life and asked the Lord when He had entered my messes. One of the things I realized is that I don't usually allow myself to be messy. I quickly come up with a resolution and keep on going. What I don't like about this stage I'm in right now is I don't have answers. I can't come up with a quick fix, I don't know what to do.

I do know that a lot of the anxiety I feel is about my relationship with God. I always want my ears to be open so I can hear Him speak, my eyes to be open so I can see Him move, and my mouth to be open so I can speak of His goodness. In my attempt to walk with God though, I'm paranoid with questions like...Am I doing it right God? Am i meeting with You enough? Is there anything between us?

It makes me think of a couple who are dating and aren't able to ejnoy one another because the girl overanalyzes every step in their relationship. I don't want that to be true of my relationship with God!

I love how the Message Remix puts it in Romans 8:15, "this resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?". What I'm wanting is a life of freedom and I'm not really sure what that looks like. I do know some simple truths that are guiding me, like "Be still and know that I am God" and "love God and love people." Beyond that I'm a mess...and I think I'm okay with that. Here I am Lord, enter in!

My church back home happens to be doing a series about this issue of freedom if you're interested in listening to a message. http://www.thegatheringnc.org/resources/audio-sermons

Livin Large

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

What Im doing:

Squad A has been busy bees this month. Were partnering with a church and have a loaded schedule, reminiscent of youth group days. Weve been holding childrens festivals, visiting families, holding church services, building a church, playing with children, and more. Here I am being a clown...I know its pretty scary but kids like it for some reason:

My favorite parts of it havent been as much the tasks as getting to know people. Ive loved having conversations with our interpreters and local chuch members as we walk around town. Ive loved sitting with teammates and hearing about their experience on the World Race and getting to see snippets of God through their eyes.

Im finding that a lot of what I do in life is listen and ask questions...and I absolutely love it. I love when people get to express things that theyve been mulling over in their heads. I love helping people sort through whether their believing truth or lies, and I LOVE when people feel valued and cared for. So a typical day for me in Peru is going from activity to activity, loving and listening.

How Im feeling:

Im doing well overall. I havent been sick much. I get worn out sometimes, but I always end up getting the rest I need. And oh my goodness, Im just learning so much! If any of you want to grow a whole bunch, I suggest applying for this trip. Its often not very comfortable physically. I often just want a soft couch or bed. I do have this cool little seat that my friend Julie gave me to bring and its been great! Thanks lady.

More than the physical discomfort though has been facing the issues in my life. Ive been dealing with fears and insecurities Ive been carrying around with me for years. Im learning to let go and to really enjoy life. Im getting to see snapshots of beauty everyday. Yesterday I had tons! I got to rejoice with one of my teammates as she had aha! moment about God and later got to read words from scripture that helped console a woman whose grandson had attempted commiting suicide. Then I played with children the whole afternoon. They knocked me over at one point and I laid down looking up at a beautiful blue sky with fluffy white clouds, and the faces of several precious, dirty Peruivan children peering down at me. Later we took turns singing songs to each other. I held some children and sang one of my favorite lullabys that made me think of my wonderful family back home. I wish you could jump in my head to see how sweet it all was. Im really starting to believe that everyday is a gift and that the Lord wants us to enjoy it!

Heres the view out our bathroom window just to give you a picture of where we live:

Wrapping up Guatemala

Mon, 9 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

My Favorite Day

There was this one specific day in Guatemala that I loved. I got to hang out pretty much all day with a girl Elizabeth whose dad is a pastor (see picture). The day was great because it was filled with things I love like spending time with people, sharing stories, crafts, cooking, etc.

People people dropped in and out during the morning while we worked on various tasks. We started out looking at photo albums and telling each other about our families. There were women of all ages coming in periodically together to crochet hackey-sacks (the main source of income for women in San Pablo).

I tried making one and what took me 30 minutes to do literally took them 2 minutes. I loved sitting with them and hearing them talk and laugh.

Another pastor's daughter in the community stopped by to visit Elizabeth and her mom. She was having a hard time with something in her life and Elizabeth was able to listen to her and encourage her. We listened to music, chopped carrots, and told stories of God's goodness. It was a sweet day and a snapshot of something I want in my future, a welcoming home.

Spotlight on Pastor Domingo

I was able to work with an amazing pastor in San Pablo, Pastor Domingo (sadly I didn't get a picture with him). It was amazing to see his heart for the people in the community. He desperately wants people to know the love of Jesus, but also wants to care for their physical needs. The vast majority of the people don't have basic things like clean water, a local clinic, or even the ability to go to school. many times children start working at the age of 5 or 6 years old. The pastor is coming up with ideas and working with community leaders to make a difference. He is also raising awareness and training others to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. One guy specifically that he's discipling, Timoteo, has studied to be a doctor so he can help the people in his community.

The day I said goodbye to Pastor Domingo an his family, he gave me a certificate for visiting the ophans, widows, and homeless! Here's a picture of it, it meant so much to me:

So more happened in Guatemala, but this is a lot of the significant stuff.

Paulina

Wed, 4 Apr 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Heress a video I took a few weeks ago of a woman named Paulina. The living conditions youll see are typical of many of the people around Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. I told Paulina that I would have people back at home pray about her living situation and that her family would be able to stay together. Thanks.

Happy Birthday Kelly!

Mon, 26 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I have learned so much about love from my sister! Weve been together through every step in life, weve seen each others ugly sides, we know everything about each other and our love has only grown. She is beautiful and full of life and fun. We talk about everything from our love of food to the deep troublesome things about life and humanity. Im so grateful for her and how shes helped me to be the woman I am today. This may sound cheesy, but I really feel like shes a gem! Im so blessed to have her in my life. She makes life rich. So heres to you Kelly! Happy Double Deuce! Cheers. :o)

Life in Lima

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

So here's what daily life is looking like so far:

My team lives with another team in a family's house from the church. The family owns a business selling flan, so the house always smells good...it makes me hungry. It's kind of cramped quarters, but I like it. We were afraid that so many people in a small area could cause a lot of stress, but it seems to be going well.

In the mornings we wake up, read a bit, and hang out until it's time to go to the church for breakfast (the church is making all our meals! I'm so thankful!). Then we head out to various ministry sites...visiting children in their classrooms at school, meeting people in the market, helping out a new church plant, etc. Then we eat lunch and go to a specific neighborhood Lomo de Corvina. This is a pretty poor area where the homes don't have running water. The vision from the pastor of our church is to plant a church their. There are currently two small groups meeting there who will begin the church. During our time here, we will be meeting people, playing with children, helping with needs, praying and actually building the church they'll meet in.

In the evenings, after dinner we have different activities. Sometimes it's visiting a small group, sometimes attending a church service or practicing dramas for the school. We have a pretty full schedule. Please pray that we'd be listening to the Lords voice and walking with Him!

I can't tell you guys how much I'm learning! This has been the best opportunity of my life. I'm walking with the Lord more than I ever have before. The cool thing is I'm doing less...actually, less in my mind. I'm not stressing about stuff, not mulling over guilty feelings, not trying to make sure people like me, I'm talking to the Lord about my feelings and just enjoying life! I believe the Lord will teach me and correct me, so I just wait for Him to speak. I hope that makes sense. It's just so awesome because the anxiety I usually struggle with is quickly passing. Yay God! Ok, that's all for now. Love, peace and chicken grease. ;o)

Im in Peru!

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everybody! We all arrived really early this morning in Lima, Peru. We got off the bus after mucho hours of travel and there were a ton of people from the church waiting to welcome us and give us giant hugs. It was so precious. I was super tired but felt touched by the love of the people.

So...right now I dont have a huge amount of time to write. Ive got some blogs coming your way soon to let you know about the end of our time in Guatemala. Tomorrow well have an orientation for Peru where well find out what life and ministry will look like.

We raced today and it was my favorite one yet! Our team came in 4th, but it was still cool. We had 10 destinations to reach with specific activities including lots of running, swimming in the Pacific, eating cow heart, and looking at skulls in the catacombs of SanFranciscos Catherdral. Ill post a blog about that with pictures.

Anywho, Im doing well. Our debrief time in Nicaragua was awesome. I feel refreshed and ready for what lies ahead. THANK YOU SO MUCH everybody who sent me a sweet note! It meant more than youll ever know. Thank you for all your prayers too.

Thats all for now, Yay Peru!