Peace Out!

Yes, so tomorrow, bright and early (though technically, it will still be quite dark), my outreach team heads off for the beautiful country of Thailand! As I will be without a laptop for the next few months, I will be unable to update my blog. However, we will have a Team Blog which we hope to update at least once a week while away. Here's the blog and please keep us in your prayers!

Thailand and Belfast Team 

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Next?

So, God has this thing that He does where He constantly messes with my plans. Such as, having finally figured out what's next after this DTS and then being blown away by yet another opportunity just three days before I leave the country. Yeah, thanks for that one. 

I have no idea where God is leading me in my life, and I've realized that I really can't plan out my life either. Kind of sucks when your Meyers-Briggs defines you as, "...well-organized, and will work hard at maintaining structure and resolving ambiguity. They have a tendency to be fussy, especially with their home environments." Not saying my personality is the only thing that defines me, but it does ring true in many areas.

If anyone reading this gets the chance, could you shoot a prayer my way? There are a million and one things I want to do, and very few resources to do them all. Currently, my support base is minimal, namely, my family. If missions is something I want to pursue long-term, then I really need a wider support base, which I hope to grow and maintain when I go home sometime next year, however long a stint that may be. Also pray that God will give me really clear guidance, like writing-on-the-wall type guidance! Thank you so very much one and all! Peace Out!

Untitled (I welcome any suggestions!)

If every Thought were an Action

and every Action a Sound,

would we awake to Laughter

or to Weeping all around?

If every Tear could be heard

when it hit the cold floor,

would we notice the Hurting

or Ignore as before?

If every Lie we ever told

was written over our Skin

Could we hide the Markings

or would the Ink seep in?

Would our Blood turn black

from the Deception we’ve sown?

Would we Lie to ourselves

to mask the Pain we’ve known?

If I claimed to be "godly"

Holy and True,

would I still cross the street

to avoid people like you?

 

 

Goodbye and Sa-Wat-Dee Kah!

The time is quickly approaching, and as I now have my visa, I can officially say, "I am off to Thailand next week"! 
So, yes, perhaps I am announcing this a tad abruptly, however, as I only received my visa as of yesterday afternoon, I felt it best to wait until everything was set in stone. It now is! I will be leaving for Bangkok on Monday, with a two hour layover in Mumbai, arriving in the morning (meaning I have to spend the entire day recovering from jet lag...fun). After a few days of orientation to Thailand, we will be headed to our leaders familys' ministry up North, where they run a home for girls and young women, providing them with education and a safe place where they learn to work together and live in community. After a few weeks, my first ever hot Christmas and birthday (Twenty Y'all!), we will be headed back South and working with different ministries in one of two cities, with a focus on children and women in prostitution with possibly slum ministries as well. 
I am incredibly excited to be heading out this upcoming week. In all honesty, I don't really know what to expect from this time, as I have never been to Thailand. But I do know that God has big things planned! 
The team is very excited, however stressed they may be in terms of packing and cleaning beforehand, with a Christmas party planned every night from now until we leave. Exciting, but very tiring!

This may be my last post for awhile (unless I find time this weekend to shoot off another quicky). With that in mind, a few areas that could really use prayer:
- that the team will have all their finances by the time we leave (we are still short quite a bit of money)
- for safe travels via plane, car, etc and that no one will get travel sickness/jetlag
- that God will be giving us clear insight into which ministries, churches, and charities to get involved with when we're there
- for a fun Christmas and birthday (and with that, no homesickness for any of the team)
- and just for a really great, amazing time in this beautiful country!

Thanks so much to everyone who has been praying and donating money to me, my team, and the rest of the DTS as well. God Bless you all and have a Very, Merry Christmas! 

Leave Your Mark

I had the amazing opportunity a week ago to join in with a community project here in Harpenden. A Youth Council went around to different schools and asked the kids what made Harpenden, well, Harpenden! The Council then proceeded to design a mural for a tunneled-walking path which would showcase the pictures/words that the kids had used to describe their town. The artists were all volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and frozen fingers to painting the mural every week. 
I stumbled across one of their painting sessions a couple weeks back and got roped into painting for a few, frigid hours. Despite the cold evening air, I asked if I could come back again the following week to continue painting and bring a few friends along as well. So, the following week, I returned with four DTS students in tow and we began painting again. It was so much fun to spend time with the volunteers there who are hilarious and just fun to be around, and also paint something that will be in town for, possibly, years to come. 
We came back the following week as well, to finish up a few details and outlining. At the end of our time, I stood back to look at the finished project. It looks beautiful! It's bright, true to the kids designs and to the town, and just a real testimony to the hard work put in to it. 
Now, had you asked me a month ago if I was an artist, I would have scoffed and laughed at you. Am I an amazing artist? No, but I realized while painting how much I enjoy it. I also was aware of the significance of painting a Harpenden mural despite the fact that I am not from the town. It really reminded me that this is a town of foreigners and locals, young and old, people from different backgrounds. Yet, we can all come together and make something beautiful. Cheesy, I know, but it made me smile!
So, here is the Facebook page of the lady, Melissa, who co-ordinated all the volunteers and painting. She's such a lovely woman and I hope to keep up contact with her!
HoneyBee Arts & Facepainting

Painting the Tunnel

My lovely painting ladies (Courtney and Tia) and me

The hands I painted!

The Real Thanksgiving?

In all honesty, I'm quite tired trying to convince my American brothers and sisters that Canadian Thanksgiving IS a real holiday and celebration. I'm not too fussed about the date I celebrate Thanksgiving. I'm just thankful I get to celebrate at all! 
So, yes, I have already celebrated Thanksgiving last month, but I am in no way complaining about another delicious meal and more dessert than my poor stomach can handle! But I suppose that is not the real reason behind Thanksgiving. It's about being thankful (hello there, Captain Obvious!) So, I thought, what better blog to write than one dedicated entirely to Thankfulness! 

I am Thankful for:
- the shoes currently on my feet which kept my feet incredibly dry whilst in Glasgow (thanks to Jaime and her practical yet incredibly stylish footwear).
- bonfires that leave me reeking of smoke and fingers glued together with marshmallow remnants.
- the Blessing Boutique here on base, where ALL of my clothes come from.
- the sound of my dear friend Caleb practicing music in the lounge ("practice" is a relative term as he is one of the best musicians I know).
- the wonderful sound that begins every Skype call.
- friends who I can goof off with with no fear of judgement or rejection, who don't mind awkward silences or the odd butt-slap every now and again.
- my outreach team, including the amazing staff, the most adorable children ever, and a team of hardcore, God-loving, talented people.
- time to write this blog update (it's been awhile; I'm sorry).
- the provision God has shown me from providing a hiking backpack last year to someone buying me a coffee yesterday. He has never left me in need of anything; how flippin' awesome is that?!
- taste buds that allow me to enjoy wonderful food and beverages.
- the opportunity to come to the United Kingdom and not just visit but live here and fall more and more in love with this nation
- the amazing people who have spoken into my life over the past couple of years, encouraging me to grow in my relationship with God and become the woman He's created me to be.

And last, but in NO way least, my wonderful family whom I love immensely! They have supported me my entire life and loved me, even through my miserable angsty teen years. My mom, who is hilarious and caring and has always pushed me out of myself and instilled in me what it means to be a woman of God. My dad, who, despite the awful Dad Jokes (sorry to out you), is an amazing guy who has always followed God's calling even when it cost great amounts. My sister, Jasmine, who is incredibly talented, loyal, sweet, honest, and about to embark on her own YWAM adventure come January. I love you all so much and could never ask for a better family...simply because I don't know if there is one!
- 

Tartans, Bagpipes, Kilts... OH MY!

Last week, as part of the DTS curriculum, we bussed up to Glasgow, Scotland for a week of evangelism teaching and local outreach in the community. Sounds a lot more glamorous than it is; there is nothing fun about not showering for a week and sleeping in a hall full of females all desperate and queuing for the loo in the morning. However, despite the occasional elbow to the face as twenty girls crowd, trying to apply mascara, it was a great week. 

If any of you have ever watched the film Braveheart, you’ll understand that the Scots love a good fight, love a cause worth fighting for. During one of our prayer sessions for the city of Glasgow, we began to call the men and women of Scotland to arms, so to speak. It’s interesting how you can see the enemy’s grip on people’s lives once you know what they were really made for, who they really are. As a people who were made to fight, made to go forth in action and passion, it’s hugely impactful to see how many gaming/music/entertainment stores there are in the city centre. It just seems obvious that if the Scots are called to be warriors, that the enemy would try to stifle that calling by boxing them into their own lives and a fantasy world. Interesting, and incredibly deep…not just a coincidence, I think. 

Sadly, my days were quite full, to the extent that I was unable to experience true Scottish culture, something that I hope to do in the future, though. Perhaps next time I venture on up, I’ll actually partake in part of my heritage (Go McKinnan Clan!). I look forward to it, truly. I thoroughly enjoyed myself! What’s more, I loved being able to pray and declare who and what Scotland is: a land of the free, a land of the brave, a people who fight for justice and who love mercy, a strong nation!