2011 in Review: Blog #2 How I Ended Up in Dallas

Just for today, I will take a brief respite from the PNG blogs and resume the 2011 in Review blogs. For many of you, my move to Dallas in July came rather abruptly. In all honestly, it came abruptly for me too. If you're still confused on how it all transpired, here's the back story.

Remember how I told you that back in December of 2010 I got a phone call from a professor at the school in California telling me I was accepted to the school? Well, it turns out that that was a little miscommunication. This was the first year that they decided to invite students out BEFORE they were accepted, and we had to go through one-on-one interviews with the professors to determine our acceptance. Oops!

Well, once I found that out, I knew that the biggest hindrance to my getting into grad school would be funding. I had received an invitation to join an international honor society in December, but I didn't want to pay the $85 application fee unless I thought I would be able to justify the investment. I saw that they had a $10,000 graduate school scholarship. I was pretty sure my chances of getting it were thin, but it would be worth the $85 if I did get it! :) So, I joined the society in December and applied for the scholarship on January 15. Then, after hearing that I was not one of the 6 students that they had accepted to the university in March, I thought that I had applied in vain because I wasn't going to go to grad school. So, I looked into other options for a year before I would reapply to graduate schools, and I started making plans to work as a short-term assistant with PBT in PNG while Don did fieldwork for 7 months.

In March, one of the girls in my Bible study announced that she was going to Thailand on a summer missions trip to work with human trafficking victims. At the time, I felt like God was calling me to support her financially with a gift that would require faith on my part, but I later convinced myself that I was only trying to solve her problems myself. So, I waited about a month and half.

When she still needed support at the end of April, and I still felt called to give, I got online and gave her a third all the money I had at the time. I knew I was going to graduate in two weeks, and I thought I was going to be working, paying student loans, and fund raising for PNG, so giving to her trip was definitely a growing experience for me. But, once I gave, I was overwhelmed with joy. I was so excited to get to take part in that ministry with her through my investment. And, I was so blessed by the realization that God would provide for me when I put my faith in him. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at the internet window showing my receipt.

Throughout my life, I have gone on several missions trips. Whenever it came time to fund raise, I always felt bad. I felt like people were tired of my asking for money. But, most of the organizations that I worked with required you to fund raise because they wanted to equip the rest of the members of the body to be able to serve with us. After giving to Sara's trip to Thailand, I finally understood that idea and began to understand just how much God truly does bless givers.

Two weeks later, right after I graduated from college, I headed out on a trip to California to visit Don and meet his family. The day that I was supposed to leave, I was at my brother's office in St. Louis getting ready to head to the airport. I checked my email for some flight info, and I had a new message in my inbox that read "Update on Graduate Scholar Award". I looked at Chad and said, "Oh, this is just an email telling me I didn't get a scholarship I applied for." And, Chad looked and said, "Umm...that email says 'Congratulations'." And, I said, "Chad! That's a $10,000 scholarship!" And, he looked and said, "Umm...that email says $20,000!" Apparently, they had chosen to give top winners double the amount.

Needless to say, I was speechless. Immediately, I knew it was God's provision. The website for the honor society had said that they would notify winners in April, here it was May 10, and they were just now notifying people. Not coincidentally, they were notifying me after I had finally been obedient with my finances at the very end of April. Also, I had seen nothing on the website about doubling the amount for top winners, but it just so happened that amount would be enough for an entire year of living expenses and tuition for graduate school.

After the shock and elation at God's provision, I was at a loss as to what to do next because I didn't think I was going to graduate school. The next few weeks were filled with phone calls and emails to UCSB and to the honor society trying to figure out if I could still get into graduate school or if I could defer the scholarship. A few days later, I started thinking about the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (a school in Dallas which is designed specifically to prepare students to serve Bible translation) which I had looked into in the fall but decided not to apply to due to a lack of funding. Suddenly, that hurdle was behind me and funding wasn't an issue. So, a month and a half later, I moved to Dallas and became a student at GIAL preparing to go into Bible translation.

God truly does take care of his children.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself."
Matthew 6:33-34a

New Life Took Root in Samun

Hey Guys!

I am back in town for one more day, but I haven't had time to process through everything and blog about it. Also, the Internet isn't good enough to upload pictures. When I was in Umsa I had the opportunity to go on a night hike to another village where a baptism was being held. Martha asked me to write about my experience for another organization's newsletter, so I thought I would share it with you all in the meantime. Enjoy! I can't wait to share pictures and write more!

It was 4:00 in the morning, and the only light that shone before me was the dim, fluorescent glow of my flashlight as we hiked through the jungle on our way to the village of Samun. This being my first time in Papua New Guinea, my feet were not well-accustomed to the muddy, root-covered terrain. Every step across the muddy soil and the tree log bridges was slow and measured. We hiked for two hours with seemingly no sign of light, but we emerged from the jungle just in time to catch the sun’s first appearance on the horizon.

As we approached Samun, we trekked across the dry soil and the gray, scorched remains of tree trunks that framed the village gardens. It was a place of new birth in the midst of cold, dark, death: tiny green leaves sprouted up in the midst of the desolation. As we crossed through the garden, our feet hurried their pace to catch up to the rhythm of the songs sung by what seemed like a choir of angels. The harmonies of hundreds of Papua New Guineans from dozens of villages filled the air, being lifted up as a fragrant offering before the Lord of heaven and earth.

When we got to the water’s edge, the sight was breathtaking. There before me stood hundreds of Papua New Guineans singing praises to God as their friends and relatives prepared to be baptized. A flower-adorned cross stood up above the water’s current beckoning for each to come and receive new life. Cries of “Oh, Papa!” pierced the morning air as the Spirit moved in the repentant hearts of the children of the King.

Jeffrie, a Papua New Guinean man from the village of Angguna, shared a message about the Great Commission and Jesus’ command to make disciples of every nation, baptizing them just as he was baptized by John in the Jordan. And, one by one, 34 Papua New Guineans followed his example and went down in the river, identifying with him in his death and being raised to new life.

With each baptism, I began to see that even the earth reflects the glory of the Lord every time He redeems one more child back to himself. I began to realize that I had already seen a glimpse what the morning was to hold before I ever reached the water’s edge—just as morning dawned in this small village of Papua New Guinea, the tiny leaves in the desolate garden spread wide open to receive the sun’s light, and new life took root in Samun.