Hopefullly the blog will be more interesting and informative when I actually leave the country. It's been rather...uneventful so far. A short update: DANITA'S HOME! -and I'll be home for Christmas and New Years, and my birthday :) Then I have training January 14-19, and I still don't know the exact day/time when I'm flying to Nairobi (because I don't have all of my support raised yet), but it'll be sometime directly after the 19th. Meanwhile, I will enjoy this special holiday season while I'm here. I will look back on this time with sweet memories of 'comfort and joy', and I will have those memories to remind me of home while I'm in Kenya. I know it's going to be hard, and I might be homesick at times, but I'm going to focus completely on the task at hand, because that is God's will for me, and the best way to make the most of this experience. I know that I will learn a lot about humility, -and that the way God planted this in my life is part of His plan. I am quite small and insignificant on His grand scale, and I pray that my own self will be overtaken by His Truth so that the children will see Jesus' love through me. Nothing is more beautiful to me than God's Creation, so when I read that "the whole earth declares His glory", I wish for my life to reflect Him like that. It takes time, and it's probably one of the hardest things I have attempted in my life (going away to Kenya, that is), but the point is to simply live in obedience to Christ for the Glory of His Name. -not because I'm such a nice or caring person. I think that's what makes the difference between 'humanitarian aid' and truly reaching people (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) and selflessly loving them in a way that dramatically impacts their life for the better. Because people -although they have excellent qualities- are all flawed, and we all need to be forgiven. We all need God's truth, His grace, and His love. -and you can only find that in Jesus Christ. Jesus said "apart from me you can do nothing", and I have never been more convinced of that fact than now. It's daunting when I think about going far away from everything I know for a long time, but that truth gives me peace. God is watching over me, Jeus loves me, and His Holy Spirit is with me. He will do whatever He wants to accomplish whereas if I were trying to change the world without knowing Him, with only my percieved 'goodness,' it would be a waste of time.
Too many people say they would die for their faith, but they're not living for God. Sadly, that has been true for me, too. God is so unfathomably good, though, and He invites us to live the adventure of a lifetime by knowing Him. It's not that you have nothing to lose by following God, it's just that there's everything to gain!
That's why anything that I will do in Kenya matters. If one person can know Christ because of me, then every minute was worth it. We all love a good cause and a beautiful romance. Well Christ is THE Cause, and a Heavenly Romance, and all of our media, understanding, accomplishments, connections, comforts, and relationships can't even come close to HIS TRUTH, THE REASON for living, the endless frontier that is living for Christ. It's too perfect, we can't attain it. But He can. It's by Him, for Him, and because of Him that we can know Him and live with Him endlessly, forever.
I feel a sense of urgency as our culture gets more and more perverse, false religions are more prevalent, and 'new age' thinking warps the truth: because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one can come to the Father except through Him. In conclusion, it's not my faith but God's faithfulness. I'm going to Kenya to live for Christ and invite children to know Jesus and Savior and Lord as I serve their needs, and teach them the hope that we have in Him.  
Merry Christmas, everyone! May the peace of Christ live in your hearts <3
-Olivia

Thank you so much to Sherrie Ober, Troy Landis, and Cara Hershey for being patient with me and coordinating so much for this trip. Thanks to my brand new MST:  Mary and Daryl Martin, Kerry Martin, Danita Beachy, and Jean Kruis :) for being so supportive and encouraging ; and Amber Huber and Sharon H., Jan, and everyone at Landis Homes. In the last two weeks, I have met a few people that have been to Africa, or specifically Kenya, or specifically on GO! assignments. I can really see the prayers working already; and God is bringing everything together.
There are some response questions to finish before training, a lot of financial support to raise, miscellaneous mental/emotional/spiritual preparation, and overseas medical emergency coverage to purchase- but things are going well. I was putting those hugely important things on the back burner for awhile because I've been so busy, but now I'm working on them again.
I also haven't been very dedicated to updating this blog throughout the process, but originally I didn't plan to include the beginning stages of getting ready while still living my usual life here in Pennsylvania. I will be posting a paragraph or two more frequently now, in order to keep everyone informed. (That'll  keep me more accountable and focused, too).
Today I turned in my resignation form at work: a sad moment, because I am finally at some level of proficiency in my job, and have learned to love the people I work with and the residents that I serve.
But I know good things will come from this, and life moves on to new things.

Introduction

Hi! My name is Olivia. I graduated high school last spring, and decided to take a year off to work, plan, and get involved with international missions. I recieved the Phoebe Yoder award, a $500 scholarship toward any EMM-sponsored assignment. Now, after some thinking and praying, I am headed to Kenya in January for approximately 4 months, until May 2013, on a GO! assignment. I'm currently working through training materials and paperwork, but I'm already excited for all that I will learn through the experience, the way God will work through me, all the sweet kiddos I will get to play with, and the way it will change my life. My goal, by God's grace, is to live for His glory, and to show His love.