100%

I've got so many words, but very little order to them.

100%.  Fully funded.

Wow.

A million thanks to everyone who has been, is, and will be a part of this. You individually and collectively rock.

PTL, I'm Africa bound!

2 Days

It's pouring down rain outside, and today I'm sitting inside, nursing a mug of rooibos tea, supplemented by honey and lime. I had a cold this last week and lost my voice. Last night I had a meeting with friends in the Portland area, and by the end of it my voice was gone again. Tonight I've got another meeting, then another couple tomorrow. Please, please pr-y that my voice holds out a couple more days.

I've got 90% of my monthly support now. With two days to go until the deadline, it's tight. But we serve the G-d of the impossible, don't we?

I put a "shoutout" on Facebook this afternoon, asking if anyone had a question I should answer on my blog. This is the one that came in:

How has my homeschool experience played a part in where I'm at today? 
Man, that's a big question! I was homeschooled all the way from birth to highschool graduation, then after that I went to college. [And yes, the transition went well, I got good grades, and graduated.]

For me at least, homeschooling was an all-encompassing thing. My family studied together, worked together and played together. So I came out of highschool with a really strong support network. That may seem like a small thing, but according to experiential education theory (which was something I dealt with a lot in college), a person is able to go further out of their comfort zone in one area if they're secure in another area. So I suppose it's given me more freedom to stretch my limits (like going overseas, learning a new language, etc.), without reaching the panic point.

Another thing that I think can be traced back to homeschooling would be good research skills. In my family, if we had a question for which the parents didn't know the answer, they'd say "look it up!" So we did. And we'd search until we figured it out. That's helped me with a lot of things in this process of preparing for life overseas.

So that's a partial answer. Like many other tools, homeschooling can be used in a variety of ways. My parents were successful with it, and I'm thankful for the experiences I had. I know, however, that it's not possible for everyone, and that each person needs to do as the L*rd leads. Ultimately, it is our willingness to follow Him no matter what that determines where we go in life.

The elephant story

I've got 6 days to go, and I'm at 78% of my monthly support, and 100% of my one-time expenses covered!  This means I'm still looking for $460/month in support.

With all of the occasions I've had to talk lately, I'm running a little low on words. But I recently rediscovered the following book excerpt, so I'll copy it down for consideration.

“There is an admirable air of humility about the statement that the truth is much greater than any one person or any one religious tradition can grasp. The statement is no doubt true, but it can be used against the truth when it is used to neutralize any affirmation of the truth. 

How does the speaker know that the truth is so much greater than this particular affirmation of it—For example, that “J'sus Chr-st is the truth”? What privileged access to reality does he have? 

In the famous story of the blind men and the elephant, so often quoted in the interests of religious agnosticism, the real point of the story is constantly overlooked. The story is told from the point of view of the king and his courtiers, who are not blind but can see that the blind men are unable to grasp the full reality of the elephant and are only able to get hold of part of the truth. The story is constantly told in order to neutralize the affirmation of the great religions, to suggest that they learn humility and recognize that none of them can have more than one aspect of the truth. 

But, of course, the real point of the story is exactly the opposite. If the king were also blind there would be no story. The story is told by the king, and it is the immensely arrogant claim of one who sees the full truth which all the world’s religions are only groping after. It embodies the claim to know the full reality which relativizes all the claims of the religions and philosophies.”

-          --The G0spel in a Pluralistic Society, Lesslie Newbigin, pages 9-10.

Is it darkest before the dawn?

As I was wandering through a graveyard* the other day I told G-d, "If you're closing this door, you're really gonna have to slam it in my face instead of making things really difficult. 'Cause things getting difficult isn't going to stop me." The conversation continued and eventually I left for home.

And then my support increased by 20%.

Two weeks from my financial clearance deadline, I've still got $765 to raise in monthly support. But things are picking up, and it's neat to see how it all is pulling together.

Oh, and when I mentioned in the last post that my support target might be higher than I thought?  It turned out to be lower. I'm still aiming at $2,085/month, but my one-time costs are actually $167 less. Surprise!

This weekend I'm holding a fundraising dinner. In case you haven't seen the details on Facebook, here's the scoop:

-- Time: 5:30-8:00 PM, Saturday the 21st
-- Place: Willapa Harbor Community Center, South Bend
-- Cost: by donation!
-- Food: Chili, cornbread, coleslaw, and Abby's famous brownies!
-- Silent auction items in abundance, all donated by local businesses!
--> Delivery available. Call 360-942-8600 (and no, that's not my number) 

So come on by, grab some food, visit with old friends and meet some new ones. It's going to be a good time!

Until later,
Abby

-------
* Yes, I do some of my best thinking/pr-ying in graveyards. Maybe I should write a post about that sometime.

Living in the tension

How do you walk on a tight rope? There's the hard way... teetering along, seemingly miles from any support. Then there's another way... with each hand on a friend's shoulder. 

"That's cheating!" you say.  No, not really. It just makes the show less about the skill of the tight rope walker and more about the support and teamwork involved in attaining success. It takes commitment though, walking alongside someone for a long period of time.

Crazy Horse Monument: great vision, even greater determination to see it through

Sometimes life is less about showing off your balance and more about sharing the tension. This afternoon I was contemplating all of the things I'm trying to balance:
-- work
-- support raising
-- planning a fundraiser
-- making phone calls
-- personal life and friendships

As it turns out, this isn't a solo venture. I appreciate all of you standing with me in this endeavor, creating success with me. 

Support raising: I thought I hit 50% of my monthly support this week. Just got an email today that indicates my goal is higher than I thought. Please pr-y. I'm getting discouraged and frustrated. If you're part of a small group, or have some friends you think might be interested in hearing about my anticipated work in Africa, let me know. I'm open almost any evening during the next three weeks.

As I was driving through town in my car today, a Rascal Flatts song came on, and the chorus was inspiring:

'Cause when push comes to shove
You taste what you're made of
You might bend 'till you break
'Cause it's all you can take
On your knees you look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad, you get strong
Wipe your hands, shake it off, 
Then you stand.
-- Stand, by Rascal Flatts

This post has been brought to you by Abby-- scattered, frustrated, and busy... but still standing.

September, and Choices

Sometimes inspiration comes from unusual sources. The other night, as I was relaxing with a TV show, I was stopped in my tracks by this comment "... because choices are sacrifices. You inevitably give up something you want for something you want more." Reaching for a pen, I quickly scribbled down the words... and then proceeded to be distracted from the show because of all the thoughts it inspired. My choice to go to Clove Island is a sacrifice. Some aspects of sacrifice I'm aware of, other aspects I'll discover along the way.

But on the flip side, choices reveal priorities. In the list of "things Abby wants out of life," some things shuffle to the top. And they should. But as higher priorities shuffle to the top, other priorities are of necessity sifting down lower. And sometimes that involves a measure of grief as I loosen my hold on one priority in order to grasp another. Anyway, enough self-analysis for the moment. :) I'm sure you've also made decisions along those lines before.

Me and my nephew: Joseph

August was a busy month, filled with travel and making connections away from home. I was able to roadtrip with my older brother and a friend; visit a couple friends from college (Andy! Jennah!); visit my sister, brother-in-law, and their new baby; and then took the train back from Cali and got home this last Sunday evening.

Now that I'm home, I've jumped into planning a fundraiser and making more connections in my home state. Do pr'y that the connections I made while traveling will bring forth fruit.

My support deadline is at the end of the month, and I've still got quite a bit to raise. Please pr'y that the funds would come in. If I'm not at 100% by the end of the month, I won't be able to go to Clove Island. So if you're considering partnering with me financially, now is a good time to make that decision.

In related news, I've put together a video packet for friends to share with their ch_rches. It's a basic intro to me and the ministry I'll be doing on Clove Island. If you're interested in sharing it with your local congregation or small group, shoot me an email. I'd be glad to send it your way! 

Well, that's all for now. Here's hoping that September is a most wonderful month, filled with stories of G-d's working.