Hello Everyone!! I have been so crazy busy and  haven’t had the ability to sit down to write a blog post. So I am currently sitting in a cold van after breakfast writing this on my phone. Here’s a bit of an update. Last week I had to go to the minor emergency because the whole left side of my body was numb for a few days so I went in and found out it was caused by two pinched nerves. So I have been on steroids and muscle relaxers to try to unpinch the nerves so those made me really drowsy for quite a few days. My leg is still quite tingly but it’s alright. Anyways, that was last week. 

This Sunday we left Georgia and headed up to Black Mountain, North Carolina. There are about 50 girls here, from J and K squad and we are doing a bunch of different ministry/service work all around the area. We wake up bright and early in our freezing cold tents (woke up and it was 40 degrees out) and head up to breakfast. We then have quiet time until we leave at 8:45. From there we head to our ministry site and help in whatever way they need until 12, have lunch, and then work again until 4. Head back to where we’re staying and chill out and do it all again the next day. 

On Monday we went to this camp that is used for a bunch of different purposes and deep cleaned the cabins. And then after lunch went to weed a garden. These were both really fun. And then yesterday we went to this church who has had a laundry list of things they need to do that has been adding up for years and they don’t have the time or people to do it. So the 20 of us were able to come in and do it. 8 of us helped clean out a bunch of rooms, striped the wallpaper off and then painted them so that they can now have more rooms to do children’s ministry. Another group stained a playground set, some people spread mulch, some weeded. It’s so amazing to me that a relatively small group of people can give up 7 hours of their day and do things for people that would’ve taken them years to do on their own. Same with cleaning the cabins. Would’ve taken 3 people days to weeks to clean all the cabins but we came in and did it all together, listening to music, laughing, and did it in 3 hours. 

This makes me really excited for when I get home in 8 months, to create a club or just group of friends that one Saturday a month we find a church or organization that has things that need to be done but don’t have the man power and go and help them out. 

One other thing that has been so amazing is getting to praise and glorify God in small ways. Small acts of service that no one notices that they were done, but would notice if they are not done. Getting to say, thanks God that although I was on my feet all day yesterday working, you rejuvenated me so I could do it all again today and love your people well. It’s so exciting that I get to do this for 8 months straight. 

We have 1.5 weeks of this left and then 5 days in Georgia and then head to Cambodia on October 15th. I love you all, thank you for praying for me and supporting me through this all. 

Love, Lauren