Writing Notes, Holding Ropes, and Shoveling Driveways

The past couple Wednesday nights have been surprising. 

I get the privilege of hanging out with high-schoolers every Wednesday night at my church. At the end of one particular night, while putting away my Nerf gun, a grade-schooler walks up to me and hands me a folded piece of paper. 

She catches me off guard. I'm pretty sure I awkwardly mutter a sincere thank you and question if I should open it. 

I'm all about being smooth and cool around kids. Obviously. 

Written on this piece of paper was the sweetest note of encouragement. 

I had nervously shared about Loma de Luz in front of my church the previous Sunday. This neat girl had written to tell me she was praying for me and that I did a good job on Sunday. How kind is that?

The note currently lives on my wall, alongside its neighbors, a green card and an index card which reads, "for nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37" 

*Fast forward to 2 weeks later* 

Another young grade-schooler approaches me as I duel a high-schooler in a riveting game of ping pong. She hands me a card. You would think after previously being approached a couple weeks before, I would have this whole recipient-of-a-written-item-from-a-grade-schooler conversation thing down. Yeah, no. 

Awkward strikes my life again. 

I open the bright, green-colored card and read it while holding five $1 bills as this dear girl pretty much tells me what it says. She shoveled her neighbor's driveway, earned a little money, and gave it towards my "missions trip". Not to play favorites, but those were probably my most cherished $5 I've ever been given.

The $5 bumps me up from 17.5% of my 'outgoing' goal to 17.625%. Every dollar gets me closer to meeting my future coworkers, listening to a heart beat, giving a smile or hug, telling about God's love, or documenting a blood pressure. That's an important $5.

Outgoing Goal: 17.625%
Monthly Goal: 0.75%

For fundraising, I have two goals I have to meet to get to Balfate. One is called 'outgoing' and the other 'monthly'. When people commit to give a certain amount every month, that starts to fill up my 'monthly' goal. This goal makes sure I have money to eat, pay rent, live, visa details, etc. when I'm in Honduras. When people give an amount once or anytime before I leave, that goes toward the 'outgoing' goal. This pays for my ticket to Honduras, makes sure I can leave when I need to, training, etc.

 Both Sydney's note and Emily's gift and card help me get down there. The road to being a missionary isn't just raising money. It's learning. It's preparing. It's also going. However, it's knowing that you have people behind you, holding your rope. They have your back. Two grade school girls helped me remember a whole lot of people who have my back; who are praying me through this process.

I could continue writing of how much those girls made an impact on me those Wednesday nights. I could write of how their timing was so perfect. I could write how overwhelmed I was feeling about the amount of money it will take to get me to Balfate. I could write how guilty I felt because I feel like I should be doing a better job fundraising while working long hours. I could write a lot of things. 

For now, I'll write a genuine thank you to the parents, grandparents, teachers, AWANA leaders, Sunday school teachers, and any other humans who have invested into those two girls. 

I'm not kidding when I tell you these girls are going to change the world. They've definitely made a difference in mine. 

To the encouragers, Kingdom-builders, world-changers, rope-holders, prayer warriors, and driveway-shovelers, I am every so thankful for you too.