Zip Lining!

Has anyone been zip lining? If your answer is no... you must go!

I went yesterday and had an absolute blast. I was blessed to go on a relaxing and exciting day of fun with Karen to Catalina. We took the early boat (7:45) from Dana Point and arrived in Catalina around 9:15.



We walked over to the zip lining place and I listened as other groups got their safety education. I wasn't nervous about the heights or the safety of the equipment, only about being in the right position when landing. I pictured plowing over some 19 year old, 120 pound guide like a bowling ball into the last standing pin.

By 10:30 all of the members of our group (10 total) arrived and we got fitted for our harnesses and helmets. Then we sat down and got the instructions. For ultimate speed and control, we should be in the cannon ball position: knees tucked in, hands on the handle bars and leaning back. If we were coming in too fast, we would be signaled to do the starfish: legs out, elbows up - then we would tuck back into the cannon ball for the landing. The landing scared me the most. When you get to the end of the line, the guide is on the ramp. If you are going too fast, he throws out a stopper to slow you down. Theoretically, he times it so you get right above the platform. He is behind you, pushes you up, you put your feet down and you stand. Do it wrong, you break your legs.

Around 10:50, we boarded the bus and headed to the top of the hill. Then one by one, we did our first zip. There were five in all. One guide went down first and was the receiver who helped us land. The giver stayed and sent us all down. When it was my turn, I got butterflies in my stomach. I just wanted to do it right. When you stand on the edge and are ready to go, you don't jump. You might scrape your butt on the platform once the line dips. You just have to lean forward head first and take a big step. Then lean back, stretch your arms and tuck into the cannon ball.



To be honest, I don't remember the first zip. I was too concerned about being in the right position. And I was right, I should have been. I didn't hold my feet up enough and they dragged on the ramp when I got to the other side. Not a lot, but enough to slow my momentum down and I couldn't stand on the platform. My feet were there, but I was leaning back. My guide was under me trying to lift me up, but I didn't know how to help him! Poor guy! Finally, I was upright and I stood up. The next time I would do better. I was just too tense! The guide said I needed to lean back more - stretch out my arms - not have t-rex arms!




Line two was the longest line. My cannon ball was much better and I had to do the starfish. Then I got up to the ramp with no dragging. It was much better than the first one.

Line three was the steepest line with a huge drop. That one was fun.

The fourth one was where I really got it. They showed us how to do some tricks and encouraged us to loosen up and play around. In order to turn backwards and waive, we had to let go of the handle bars with one hand. I was nervous I wouldn't get back turned back around in time, but I decided to go for it anyway. When I took off, it hit me that I needed to relax and trust the harness. I didn't need to hold so tight to the handle bars. The harness was supporting me completely so I just needed to loosen up. Then I let go and turned backwards. It was so fun. My landing was the best on that one. Now that I got it, we only had one left.



(Do you see me? I am just about in the middle. Click for a closer view)

The last one went through some trees and we got to enjoy our last view of the ocean. It was such a fun experience. It took about two hours in all. The guides are really friendly and safe. They get to know you and encourage you doing the whole process. I highly recommend it. They book up weeks in advance so be sure to plan ahead and book tickets in advance. If you go to Catalina and try to get tickets that day, you will be disappointed.

The rest of our day was really relaxed and nice. We had lunch with a friend of Karen's who has a house on the Island. She took us up to her house (on her golf cart) and I got to see her spectacular view. It was gorgeous. After, we walked in the shops, had some yummy food, bowled on these tiny little bowling lanes with little balls and then headed back on the 7:00 boat. We were back in Carlsbad around 9:00.

It was a great day. Catalina is beautiful. It feels like another world out there. I feel like I went away on vacation to a little paradise. Thanks Karen!

The Plan

(Email update sent July 30)

Hello!

I hope you all are having a great summer. I am doing well. Thank you for all your prayers and support. It has been a challenge waiting for things to happen and I appreciate all the encouragement sent my way. Some things are still up in the air, but I am finally able to take steps forward to go where I know I am supposed to be. Here are some updates and what my plans are:

George and I will not be going to Uganda. The hospital wanted George to work there, but the government would not allow them to hire him. In the name of protecting Ugandan jobs, they wanted the hospital to employ a Ugandan lab technologist. So, that door is shut. It was disappointing, but we prayed that God would clearly open doors for us or clearly shut them. In this case it was a solid no, so we are thanking God for making it obvious. We only want to be where God wants us. We completely trust His plan and know his timing is perfect.

So, where does that leave us? It leaves George and I knowing we are called to be missionaries, but still waiting to find out where God wants us long term. Our time apart has been tough, but during this time we have drawn closer to the Lord to seek His will for our lives. It has confirmed to us that we are supposed to be married and so I am making plans to move to Kenya.

On September 17th I will be leaving for Nairobi. By the time I arrive it will be the 19th and I will be met by George and members of his family. I will live in Kisumu for a few months where his family lives while we continue our search for long term ministry options. During this time we'll be able to do pre-marital counseling and move forward in our relationship. I will also take lessons in Kiswahili which is the language of Kenya and Tanzania.

While we are looking for a ministry to work with long term, we want to do ministry in the community of Kisumu. We'll be working with Trinity Fellowship, a ministry George has worked with before. We'll be going to different high schools every day in the surrounding areas and developing relationships with their students. We'll be able to share the gospel, disciple them and encourage them to make a difference in their community.

Hopefully by the time we are married, we will know where we are going to be headed. We are in the process of researching different ministry opportunities and praying about them. There are a couple leads we have that we are excited about. One, especially, in Tanzania. We have a wide set of gifts (George – lab technologist, teaching, evangelism; Me – administration, service, encouragement, ) and want God to match us with with a ministry that could use a pair like us. Our goal is to help people come to know the Lord and have hope – especially those who are in desperate situations and are very much in need.

I just finished working at Aloha West Insurance. I will have about six weeks to prepare to move to Kenya and spend time with family and friends. I have so much to do in that time, but it has all been neatly organized in an excel sheet that I will enjoy checking off as I complete them! I would very much appreciate your prayers as I get ready to go. I have moments of panic and fear and then peace and faith. I don't know what exactly the future holds, but I know God is telling me to go... so I am. Leaving is very bittersweet. When I left last time, I thought I would be going for a year and coming back. This time, I don't know when I am coming back and that makes me sad. I would love to live close to my family friends and stay here forever, but I can't ignore the calling God has placed on my life to be in East Africa. Please pray for strength as I navigate this sea of many emotions.

My journey is not a solo one. I could not do this without help and that is where you come in. I need people to partner with me through prayer and finances. George and I have to raise about $1500 per month to live on. For anyone feeling called to come alongside George and I and help with our monthly support, you can send your support for now to:

Rancho del Rey Church

3132 Tiger Run Ct.
Suite G-105
Carlsbad, CA 92010

Be sure to put my name in the memo line

You can also go online at www.ranchodelreychurch.org. Once we are with a ministry long term, I will let you know the new place to send your contributions.

This email is very long now! I am going to start blogging regularly now so please visit my blog at http://www.thisisstaciesblog.blogspot.com/ for more updates and stories as I get closer to leaving. Thanks again for your support. You guys are great!

Love,
Stacie

Email Update from July 8th

Hi!

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. I had a great day and was blessed to hang out with friends and family. We watched the fireworks in Vista and it was the best one I have ever seen. It was bittersweet since I knew I most likely won't be able to see that again for a few years. You might be wondering, does that mean you know what your plans are yet? Nope. We are still waiting.

One update I have for you is a sad one. Most of you know already that George did not get the visa. We knew that would probably happen, but we still hoped it would somehow work out. We know God is powerful enough to make that happen if that is His will for us, but it appears this is not the right time. We don't know why, but we trust God's sovereignty and are just rolling with it. So, you'll have to wait a few years to meet him. It makes me sad, but that will make it that much more special when he finally does get to come.

Uganda Update - nothing new since the last email. George's paperwork has been submitted and we are waiting to hear back from the governemt to see if George can work there. The director of the facility really wants us there and is trying hard to get it to go through. We were told to expect an answer a week or so ago, but nothing yet. No matter what country you are in, I guess all governments are slow!

Not having a plan and not knowing that the future holds is so hard for me. George and I both have been anxious about this. We feel like this is where God wants us to be and are ready to get started on whatever the Lord has for us there. I just want to know what will happen so I can make plans. Each day I pray and ask God, is this the day we will find out? Each day that passes without an answer makes me lean on God more and more for peace. I have been trying to put Philipians 4:6 into practice. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Each time I find myself feeling anxious, I turn those thoughts into a prayer and thank God for what he has done. It has been a good lesson in taking my thoughts captive and truly trusting in God. I am reading a book called Life Interrupted and it talks about being thankful when things happen we don't expect. Often it's God's way of moving us in a different direction to get us to where He wants us to be. We need to give God credit for bringing us to this place and trusting Him to get us through this. The process can be painful, but the result is being more refined and getting closer to God in the process.

I would appreciate your prayers for the following items:

1. Approval of George's paperwork in Uganda
2. Clear vision for how we can use our gifts to serve the Lord wherever we end up.
3. Good use of time as I prepare to head out on my own as a missionary. I need to take advantage of the resources and time here to prepare mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally and financially for the unknown that lies ahead.
4. Development of a good support team and finding the right covering to help me while I am overseas.

At this point, I am shooting for an end of August return date. Nothing is set yet as we are waiting for the paperwork, but for now that is my plan. For those of you who want to support me financially, for now donations can be sent to:

Rancho del Rey Church

3132 Tiger Run Ct.
Suite G-105
Carlsbad, CA 92010

Be sure to put my name in the memo line. Thanks again for your love and support. My furlough has been longer than expected, but I am so grateful for the time here. In addition to preparing to leave, I have been working and spending time with friends and family. God is good and I have much to be thankful for.

I hope to have more information on the next update...have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Stacie

Email Update from June 9th

Hi!

It has been over a month since I last emailed and I hope you all are doing well. I have waited to send an update because I keep hoping I will know where I am going next and what my plan will be. However, I still don't know any of that, but I want to keep you all involved and ask for your prayers. Over the last month, I have been praying about where God wants me to go.

Most of you know that my boyfriend, George, and I are looking for a place to serve together. We have been dating for eight months and are willing to go wherever God wants us. In April I met with the director of a hospital located in Uganda. The more we talked, the more it seemed like the perfect place for me and George. George is a lab technologist and started the lab in Tonj. The only staff position available at the hospital was for a... lab technologist! I would go there as a missionary volunteer. They have a prayer team dedicated to working with the parents and children that come for treatment. In Uganda, when a child has a disease, it is assumed the parents must have sinned to bring that on. For that reason, those children are often discarded and left to die. We want to support the parents who continue to care for their children despite the stigma attached. The prayer team counsels them, shares the gospel with them and provides support. I would be a part of that prayer team and also assist the leader with administration. I couldn't write a more perfect position for me if I tried. Over the last month, George has applied for the job and has traveled to Uganda for interviews and toured the hospital. After his visit, he fell in love with the place and saw a future for us there. I can see God putting the puzzle pieces together and it seems that is where He wants us. There have been several hurdles we have had to face. Primarly with paperwork. In order for George to be able to work in Uganda, he has to give certain documents to the minisitry of health. Some of that paperwork he has, others he doesn't. George has been going all over the place to get those documents - to his college, to Nairobi.... It has been very difficult.

While all of this is going on, we have been working on getting George a visa to visit the US so he can meet all of you guys. I was able to spend a couple weeks with him in Kenya in January and met his family and friends. Now I want him to meet mine. Unfortunately, getting a visa for a single young man in Kenya is very difficult. The US assumes everyone is going to stay illegally. It has been a long process and soon we will know if he will be able to come. His appointment at the embassy is next Tuesday. He'll know that day if he gets the visa or not. If he does, he will be here on June 27th.

Although nothing is certain, I am trying to put together a tentative plan and begin preparations to go back to Africa. I hope to be headed back by mid-August. Even as I type that, tears come to my eyes. Although I know I am supposed to go, it is very difficult to leave friends and family again, knowing I won't be back for probably two years. While I have been here for almost three months now, it feels like it's not enough. Two months will go by quickly and I am desperate to spend time with everyone.

There are many things I need prayer for, but I limited it to three for now!

1. Future ministry plans - it seems like Uganda is where God wants us. However, He may shut that door if the paperwork George has is not sufficient for the government. If that's the case, we know God must have another place He wants us to be. George and I would be very sad because we really love what the ministry is doing in Uganda, but we have faith that God knows best. It would be hard to go back to sqaure one and begin the ministry search again. I am itching to be back there and working again. I feel a bit lost right now. Pray that I would be patient and wise.

2. George's visa - Again it is extremely unlikely someone in George's position would get a visa to the visit the US - even if they had all the right documents. Fortunately, God is powerful and can get him that visa anyway. I am praying that God places the right people there to process his application and conduct his interview. His appointment time will be 1:00pm on Tuesday which is 3:00am on Tuesday our time. Again, we both would be sad if it doesn't happen, but still trust God has a reason for that too.

3. Finances - I did a rough budget to determine the amount of money I would have to raise monthly to be in Uganda. It works out to be about $1500 per month. That is a little more than I had to raise to be in Sudan. Before I go, I will also need to raise about $3000 to get me back to Africa and find a place to live. Those numbers seem impossible, but with God all things are possible so I am going forward with these plans trusting He will provide. If you feel called to be a part of my "sending team" here is where you can send donations for now:

Rancho del Rey Church

3132 Tiger Run Ct.
Suite G-105
Carlsbad, CA 92010

Remember, if you are supporting me with automatic deductions to In Deed and Truth Ministries, you can email Jeamette at jeamette@indeedandtruth.org to request it be stopped and mail them in for now.

Thank you to all of you for traveling on this journey with me. Everything is so uncertain right now, but I am certain I am supposed to be serving the Lord "out there". My heart is split - here and there; and I miss being able to daily care for people who are hurting and lost. My life has been untraditional and not at all where I thought it would be. It's scary and overwhelming, but my faith has grown in the midst of this and I have learned to truly live in the now because I really don't know what tomorrow will bring. Thank you for encouraging me and supporting me and allowing me to serve on your behalf. I will continue to keep you updated as God confirms where I am supposed to be (or not be!).

Love,

Stacie