10 days

As I get more involved with New Horizons, I'm being presented with more opportunities to share this amazing  ministry with others.  Just yesterday, I was facebooked by 3 people... all friends of friends... who are interested in finding out more about orphan hosting.  All have been looking for a "family missions trip" for some time, but nothings quite worked out. All are considering orphan hosting AS their family missions trip.  YAY!!

I leave for Ukraine in 10 days.
10 days.
I still have A LOT of things to finish up, but I'm crossing off items on my to do list every day.
"Everyone" keeps asking me if I'm packed yet. I can't decide if they're serious, or if that's just something people think they need to say when they know someone is travelling.
No, I'm not packed yet. I'm still wearing much of what I'll be taking with me.
I can start gathering some things together, but I won't be packing until the say or two before I leave.

I've been witness to some remarkable things- God things- since New Horizons asked me to join them on this interview trip.
1. Rick said "yes."
2. Joe and Kyle "yes."  :-)
3. The 1st leg of my international flight lands in an airport where English is relatively common. (Which means I'll be able to find the bathrooms!)
4. Speaking of flights, none of them involve a ridiculously long layover anywhere. In fact, my longest layovers are at JFK.
5. My passport is being expedited and they say it should be ready by the 23rd.
6. I had a fundraiser on facebook to help pay for my expenses. I raised a great deal of money in a very short amount of time. Friends from MOPS, family, people I've met through New Horizons, people I've only met online through New Horizons, people from high school who I haven't seen in nearly 20 years, complete strangers, and even a couple of anonymous donors.... all gave generously so I could go to Ukraine. My Sunday School class is contributing as well.  I'm grateful for every single dollar- no matter the size of the donation.
In preparing for this trip, so many things (big and small) have gone absolutely right... and I KNOW it's God's hand in the details.

Since our first hosting this summer, I've had a growing awareness that some people just don't "get" orphan ministry- especially foreign orphan ministry. And in truth, there was a time- not so very long ago- that I didn't "get it" either.  Some simply aren't aware of how great the need is. Many are peripherally aware, but see it as a lesser "need." Others view foreign orphan ministry as somehow unpatriotic. That I'm less of a "proper" American because I'm hosting kids from Eastern Europe as opposed to our "home grown" orphans.

I "stumbled" upon this video shortly after learning about New Horizons last year.
A friend recently posted it on her blog, and it's as powerful for me today as it was the 1st time I saw it.
If you don't remember anything else about this post, (LOL and why should you?!)
I hope you remember this video.

I hope it effects you as much as it did me.