Somehow in the fall of 2009 I landed myself on a trip to Africa with a group of people who's average age was somewhere around 65. I remember sitting in the meetings that led up to our departure wondering what I had gotten myself into. I knew one person, Ken, and he was the one who helped get me on this trip in the first place. I think Ken is 45 or something and that made him the person who was the closest to my age, 29.
During one of our last team meetings, a girl who looked to be my age, drove from Buckhead (that hip little corner of downtown Atlanta) to Chestnut Mountain (an unicorporated tiny town in N. GA) to attend our last gathering. At first glance, it looked as if the only thing we would have in common was our age. She was stylish, fixed up, and hip. I, dressed in my ripped jeans and v-neck t-shirt from target, was not. I don't think we even spoke to each other that day. Not because we were being rude, I think we were both "deer in the headlights" stunned at what we were about to embark on.
It was in the Amsterdam airport that Kasey and I became friends. We scarfed down $20 hamburgers from McDonalds and chatted about how this will probably be our last good meal for the next 10 days. During this Uganda trip, I learned Kasey's story and she learned mine. Turns out we have a ton in common, (travel, adventure, sarcastic wit, love for orphans and missions.) Neither of us was very sure how we actually ended up on this particular adventure, but we were both glad we came. I'm pretty sure it had something to do with God being gracious enough to be involved in our lives and knowing our hearts and stuff like that...
I don't know when it happened, whether it was while we snapped pictures of the kids at Busia School for sponsorship bios, or on one of our sneaking away outings with a few other trip members to find a cold coke or on a bumpy van ride to pray over a potential sight for the Village of Eden (Dr. K's vision for the orphans of Busia). But somewhere along the way we talked about China and the special needs orphans that live their too and how I knew of a place that will let us come hang out with the kids and love on them for a while. And we decided to go.
Most of the time the plans people make of how they are going to live and what they are going to do after a mission trip rarely pans out. Everyday life and busyness usually takes over. But, God didn't let me or Kasey forget that we said we were going to China. And so it was through a book by Donald Miller (surprise surprise), the loss of a good friend, a new understanding of abandonment and a new slight, very small understanding of the heart of an orphan, the need to see the face of God, the longing for adventure, and a hunger to taste real Kung Pao chicken again turned our conversation of going to China into a reality. In June 2010, Kasey, her friend Brooke, and I arrived at Shepherd's Field Children's Village. And I finally had the opportunity to meet in person one of the orphans I had been sponsoring.
That was a really long way to say, that's what makes sponsoring a child at Shepherd's Field so cool. You can go. You can meet them. And I'll take you (on your dime of course).
Hi! This is "Avery's" mom. How thrilling that you got to visit SFCV! "Avery" is adjusting very well -- contact me if you'd like! And, THANKS for sponsoring our baby!!!!
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