Last Day Here

It's the day before I'm scheduled to fly out to Tanzania! I can't believe this is really happening, but the ticket is purchased and my bags are packed! I wanted to take some time to connect with you and give you a brief recap of my journey so far.  

My senior year of high school was a whirlwind of trying to figure out God’s plans for my life. I am interested in pursuing a Masters in Biblical Counseling as this would help me work with vulnerable children and show them the love of Jesus. However, after many long conversations, I felt led to first pursue service on the mission field alongside people who would be willing to mentor me as they daily submit to God’s calling.  

At the end of July 2022, I was officially approved to intern with Mavuno VIllage in Tanzania and Serge in Burundi. Then came the race to meet deadlines, submit forms, and jump through all the hoops necessary to serve in Africa. Now, I’m finally packed and ready to go. This process was hard, but I’ve been reminded of the promises and closeness of God.

One of the ways God showed himself to me was through your encouragement. Your prayers are what got me through the anxiety of not being in control. So many people have dropped everything just to go on a walk or pray with me. So many people have given me sweat pants or suitcases or whatever odd thing I needed. So many of you have given me advice when I didn’t know what to do. 

One of my highlights was seeing so many faces at one time during my Graduation/Send Off Open House. It was humbling for me to be loved on and prayed over as I take these steps in faith. I wish I had more time to just sit and chat with each and everyone of you who came.

Overall it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. There were moments filled with confusion and anxiety, and there were moments filled with peace and excitement. To be honest, this has been hard. It’s hard leaving my family and friends. It's hard knowing I'll have to relearn so many little things like laundry and language. It's hard having to trust God again and know that he'll care for me. 

Even though it’s hard, I’m still going to get on that plane tomorrow, because God is leading me and because you are helping me. Thank you all for praying for me, sacrificing, and encouraging me in my mission and my faith. 

On the fundraising side, I surpassed my initial goal of $2500, which means that Serge will purchase my return flight ticket soon. Unfortunately, I won’t have a return ticket by the time I reach the Tanzanian immigration officers, so would you pray that I do not have any problems. I still need $6,181 to be fully funded, which covers my other travel expenses, fees, and living expenses. If you feel led to give, you may do so through this link.

Also, I know my family and I are going to need a lot of prayer during the next few days of transitions, so if you'd like to commit to praying for me, please do so by clicking this link to let me know. My updated prayer list can be found here.  

Thank you for your grace and for coming alongside me in this crazy adventure!

Love,

Hannah

Open House

This past Saturday, we hosted a Graduation/Send Off Open House. We gave thanks for God's grace in helping me successfully complete high school, and we prayed for his continued grace over my life as I step into internships in Tanzania and Burundi.  

Thanks to everyone for coming out to pray over me and celebrate with me! Thank you also to the countless number of people who invested in me throughout my life.  

Shout out to Eden who drove me all around while we ran errands for the party

Flower shopping was fun! 

One of the finished bouquets 

Access to a pool made this day extra special. Thank you, Gockleys, for opening your home, your hearts, your resources, and your pool.  

My cousins are the cutest and messiest s'more eaters ;)

I love you guys

This was just supposed to be a party, but I also learned that there is a whole community of people who are willing to come and help me out. Getting ready for Africa has been really overwhelming for me. There's so much I don't know and so much I'm not good at. It's really encouraging to know there are so many people who are standing beside me in this journey. 

Every time I need something, I turn around and someone's offering to provide for that need. I wanted sweatpants to pack, and a friend gave me hers. I didn't have a working suitcase, and more than one person offered the ones they had. I needed a place to have this open house, and friends offered their home before I even had a chance to ask. 

I've been reminded what it means to be a part of the church. It means I have support and family and help at every corner.

Getting Ready

Hi!

I have 13 more days before I fly to Tanzania!!! I still can't believe it's happening 😲

I've been helping Divya make some skirts for me to wear when I get there. I'm not supposed to wear pants outside of the house due to culture and modesty concerns. 

Here's Divya working hard and fast at the sewing machine

Immediately after taking this pic I had to undo my work because of a little mistake 😭

Divya was teaching me how to make pockets! 

I've also been reading different books in preparation for my time in Africa! They also have the added benefit of giving me an excuse to not pack for a few moments 😜

The picture is a little blurry so here are the titles

Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan

The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures by Jayson Georges

Promises in the Dark: Walking with Those in Need Without Losing Heart by Eric McLaughlin

Foreign to Familiar by Sarah A. Lanier

Broken Memory: A Novel of Rawanda by Élisabeth Combres

Tanzania/Burundi Support Letter

Dear friends, family, teachers, classmates, church friends, neighbors, mentors and everyone who has impacted my life for the better, 

It is impossible to fully express my gratitude for you, and I am humbled by the way you have cared for me in various ways throughout my life. I would like to share my latest adventure with you and ask that you commit to praying and supporting me through this upcoming year.  

This past year, I wrestled to fit all my incoherent thoughts and dreams into a coherent plan. I considered different colleges and careers but could not settle on any one idea. Over the course of many long conversations, I realized I wanted to serve on the mission field alongside and be mentored by people who daily submitted to God’s calling. However, there was too much to do in too little time. I was far from certain that my dream could become reality, yet God perfectly orchestrated two internship opportunities in neighboring African countries at just the right time and with just the right people. 

Lord willing, on August 30th, I will fly to Tanzania to serve as an intern with Mavuno Village, a ministry that cares for vulnerable children. I will help teach English at the Tree of Life School and serve alongside a missionary as she establishes new counseling services in the area.

Then from January to June, I will intern with another mission organization called Serge in Kibuye, Burundi. My primary responsibility will be to care for the missionary children, while their parents serve God through medical work in conjunction with Hope Africa University and Kibuye Hope Hospital. I will also help teach a class at the elementary school, support hospital staff, and participate in English-French conversations so I can learn French and to give the French-speaking staff an opportunity to practice their English.

I am excited for this opportunity, but the challenges that lay ahead are daunting. Would you be willing to pray that God would guide me during this time and that I would experience his peace? Would you also pray that God’s glory would be on display through my weakness? I know prayer is the most important part of this whole endeavor, and I greatly value the time you take to speak to God on my behalf. 

If you are willing to pray, please click this link and let me know. On the tough days that will definitely come, it would be such an encouragement to know that my friends and family back home are praying for me. I will update my prayer requests here.

I also need financial support. I need to raise $4,000 for my internship in Tanzania with Mavuno Village and $5,431 for my time in Burundi with Serge. This total of $9,431 covers travel, passport and visa fees, and other ministry expenses. If you are led to give, you can do so through this link.

Thank you for joining me in this crazy adventure! 

With love,

Hannah