On my way to Africa!!!

I have wanted to go to Africa for a long time! I remember choosing Cedarville because they had a cross-cultural nursing minor and I could go with a nursing team to Togo, West Africa. However, the year that I was able to go there were a lot of people and I was an alternate. I then tried to make other plans which also fell through. That summer though was a summer that changed my life! I ended up going to an orphanage in Albania for 4 weeks, but since it wasn't nursing related I had to find another cross-cultural nursing internship. I requested to do my internship at the Pacific Garden Mission Homeless Shelter Clinic in Chicago where I had been volunteering on my spring breaks with the women and children for the previous 2 years. I was granted my request and loved my summer in Chicago and working at the clinic so much that I sensed God was leading me there after graduation. I volunteered at the homeless shelter for the first couple years after moving there, but eventually was part of the full time nursing staff for about 2 years. It was an amazing place to work and I still miss the people that I worked with there and love to go back to visit!!!

Anyway, so that being said, I've never gone to Africa!!! I've been to China, Europe, Central and South America, and some of those places multiple times . . . but never Africa!
God has given me the chance to go for 2 weeks in March to Kenya!!!
I hesitated a lot on deciding to go on this trip. What was God's will in all this??? Let's just say I felt like God opened every door imaginable and then let me feel a peace about walking through the door to go to Africa! I pray that my heart stay open and teachable to all that God has for me on this trip!!!

I originally was joining 3 other girls but one had to cancel due to an injury to her ankle =(
So, now I will travel to Kenya with 2 friends and we will get to spend our time there with a friend who is working in the IU/Kenya partnership hospital for 6 months. I heard about and studied this Kenya project during my masters studies, so I'm excited to get the chance to see it in person! We will also travel some and go on a couple safaris as well as to a coast city which is on the Indian Ocean! I am so excited for all that is in store for us during this trip!!! I can't wait to come back with a million photos and stories to share!!!!

My mom has been to both Ghana and Uganda and I still pray that one day I have the opportunity to travel with her and meet the people that she has grown to love!!! I believe God will give me that opportunity one day!!!