Where Do I Begin...? (Day 1)

Danita waiting to check in at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport

Day 1:   I was up most the night finishing last minute packing and having to be at the airport at 4am the morning of July 6th. My mom drove me to the airport and when we got in the terminal there was no one kinda felt erie but we had a little wait to get checked in at the desk. It was such an emotional time because this was my first international trip without my parents and my first missions trip with a big group. 

Once I boarded my flight at 6am I felt my life changed completely! When I arrived to DFW  I met my buddy and fellow AYCer Melinda from Midland, Texas. Melinda and I got to our gate to catch a flight to NYC. While finding a place to sit Melinda, found a green shirt dude!  Hector a fellow AYCer from Larado, Texas was on our flight too! We sat in the waiting area and had a good little conversation. Come to find out he spoke SPANISH too! So needless to say you can guess the whole conversation turned a complete 180 degrees from English to Spanish (insert a little LOL) pobrecita Melinda when a bit later here came another AYCer Spencer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Spencer had a dark red shirt on but thankfully he found us green shirts!  We were ALL headed in the same direction our final destination? You guessed it SWITZERLAND! It was really fun to meet up with a couple of AYCers before we met the entire group. We got to chat and got to know one another a bit before take off. We all sat in different locations in the plane with the exception of Melinda and I we had seats together. I also found out there were a few other AYCers at DFW but on different airlines, we'd soon meet up within a few hours. Thankful for Facebook, we find out who's where and what. A three and half hour flight later we landed at JFK in New York city! It was very awesome to see city from the air, central park I couldn't see Lady Liberty  but I did see the entire city wow it was amazing I've never been to New York City before and to see it from the air was more exciting. We got to the gate and the guys were waiting for us to go the Swiss LX terminal but the first stop was to get luggage although Spencer and I had had ours sent all the way through to Geneva Melinda and Hector had to pick there's up. We got kinda lost and we couldn't find our way to the tram very confusing but thankfully we had a few good navigators who got us to the right place! We got to Swiss LX terminal and met with a few fellow AYCers and got all checked in. A bit later the rest of the group arrived and we had a group meeting and Bro. Mann gave us our badges and we ALL headed to the gate to take us to Geneva...yep! Group A a group of about 54 and five chaperones. The other group (B) and 21 young people and two chaperones had already left from Washington, D.C. We had a little wait and everyone was anxiously waiting to board, we all got to know one another and it sure felt like we knew each other for a very long, long time! Many of us from different parts of the US. Although, my group was just half of the entire AYC group it was pretty big! We took a group photo and boarded it was a loooong walk through the hall to the plane, we got settled in our seats and about to take off. The attendants were very nice and attended us very well. It felt awesome to be getting to GO! 

AYCers first meeting at DFW AA gate. Hector, Danita, Melinda and Spencer

24 Hrs AWAY!

Final count down is down to 1 day! Yes, wow thank you Jesus for allowing me to make it this far as of the next 20 hrs or so I will be on a plane heading to DFW and on to NYC to meet with my group and on to Geneva! I'm all packed and ready to go and excited to meet with my fellow AYCer's and to participate in a life changing experience is going to be incredible! I'm excited for what is to take place during my journey to Switzerland-Liechtenstein. I hope I can keep up with my journals and blogs so that everyone can enjoy this journey with me too. I can't wait! Please keep us in your prayers that God will protect us and use us so that we can be a blessing to the churches and whomever we come in contact with, may the presence of God shine through us wherever GO!

Do what I LOVE to DO....

While shopping at a popular store and looking for an extra journal to take on my trip, I was having somewhat of a down kinda day and in going through the journals and note books, trying to find a nice but rather cheap one, I found one and on the top of the flap it says: "Do what you u love to do" I kinda smiled and felt a peace in my heart that lifted the downess and I think God was telling me "Enjoy doing what YOU love to do NOT what other's think you should do!" I know He's telling me continue doing what I love and thats to serve Him, DO His will and keep searching for what He has in store for my life! I will also take this as a reminder to enjoy working in my church, traveling, going on fun adventures, enjoy my family and friends, making good memories, meeting new people and making new friends. Yes, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! 

3 MORE DAYS!

AYC T-Shirt. THANK YOU GYD!!!!

Today is the "official" day to pack and get things ready to depart on Friday! I'm amazed how its ALREADY time to leave! I'm so thankful that God has allowed me this opportunity to go on this missions trip! I'm more nervous and more excited than I ever was and now that its just a mere few days way my nerves are kicking in but the good kind of nerves not the worry ones. This being my first missions trip without my family is very exciting and I know they are excited too. I'll try not to miss them too much.  Preparing for this trip has been incredible from beginning to end. I've been so blessed from my own church, every church and everyone that has sponsored me and blessed me its hard to explain my gratitude for everything they have done for me to be able to get to GO!!! I didn't think I would make it but God has every step ordered for each of us and He even knows exactly what we want so He even throws some of our wants and surprises in there too! It's amazing to serve an AWESOME GOD who knows the desires of our hearts!!

5 more days...till departure time!

Cards from "my kids"

Woke up this morning realizing that next Sunday I will be waking up getting ready to attend church clear across the Atlantic ocean! Its also my last in my home church till after the first of August so needless to say it's not "goodbye forever" but a practice as till that day comes, when God sends me to the place He's called me to GO too. (And if this is the place He's called me too, I will stay also!:)  


My Sunday school kids gave me a "going away" party in my Sunday School class this morning. (tearing.) They presented me with some very sweet cards that said how much they appreciated their teacher! I have some of the BEST kids you will ever know even though they are not mine they sure have a place in my heart! I know that God has great things in store for their lives and I'm excited to be a part of it. LOVE THEM.  


As they days draw near to departure time to Switzerland-Liechtenstien I am getting more excited and feeling more nervous but I am also being reminded that God has ALL things under control and He's got great things for me, it is such an amazing feeling when you know something awesome is going to happen!