Singapore Bound

I'm sitting at gate D15 here at the Portland airport. Teresa, Whitney and a made it through check-in and security without a problem. We have a 12 hour flight from Portland to Tokyo. Then a one hour layover where we are hopefully connecting with the rest of our team. Final leg is our 8 hour flight from Tokyo to Singapore. Be praying that we would be safe, that no sickness would enter our bodies and that our unity as a team would grow as we travel together.

Looking forward to my next post being from Singapore!

-Elizabeth

What's next?

Fall 2009 has been awesome. I have been busily teaching violin lessons, playing for a musical, recording tracks for different CD’s, speaking engagements and prepping for my next international adventure. One week from today, on November 4^th, I will be on board a flight from Portland to Tokyo and then Tokyo to Singapore. The Southeast Asia Home school conference has asked me and a team of young ladies to come lead their track for 6-18 year old girls. This is a daunting yet EXCITING task. For four days we will have over 100 girls to lead in games, discussions, crafts, songs and sharing about the LOVE of God. The age span is huge. We are doing our best to create a wide variety of activities in order to please all age groups. It’s going to be a ton of fun. The team consists of Mrs. Meri Reed, Michelle Reed-Thompson, Whitney Lindsey, Teresa Straub and myself.

Please be praying for us in the following ways:

-Wisdom for what to take with us and what materials we should get on arrival.

-Health, that none of us would get the flu or a cold before we leave.

-Unity, the leadership team is literally coming all over the USA. Pray that God would bind our hearts and visions together quickly. The communication would flow smoothly between us during these last days of preparation.

-Team leaders in Asia. It has been such a joy to look through the applications for those who want to work with us in leadership. God has brought some amazing young woman to help us. Pray that we would be able to help them grow and that we as a team will work well together.

My schedule is crazy up until the day I leave. I would ask for personal prayer that I would not grow weary in well doing, that I would find time to get alone with God to prepare my heart. I love Asia, the culture and the people. This is the PERFECT assignment from my Heavenly Father.

In great anticipation,

-Elizabeth

Conference Loveliness.

The conference was great! We had over 50 people register at the door. All of the speakers and skits went really well. Over twenty young ladies raised their hands at the end to dedicate their lives to the Lord. Everything ran smoothly and I was blessed.


I'm always goofy when there's a mic around. :)


The toughest thing to remember with conferences is being flexible. Allowing the Holy Spirit to lead and direct. This highlighted, marked up and then scratched out schedule above just made me laugh.

Chick-fil-a catered the event. AWESOME! They came in with coolers and racks full of sandwiches and sweet tea. Made the conference truly feel like it was taking place in the south.


After the conference clean up we loaded in the vans to begin the three hour trip back home.
We stopped for gas and then again at the mall for dinner. Couple hours later we pulled into a Burger King to drop off one of the girl's to meet her family. Janelle got out of the front seat of our van and smiled at a lady standing there. The lady just stood there in shock and began to cry. Janelle then opened the main van doors and told us all to pile out, there was a woman for us to pray for. To make a long story short this woman had dropped her daughter off with some friends and was driving towards her father's grave to commit suicide. She had stopped at the Burger King and said, "God if you are really there please bring somebody to talk to me." Right then our van pulled up and Janelle got out, followed by 14 other girls. It was a divine appointment. If you think of it pray for Judy, that God would continue to work in her life and the lives of her family.

-Elizabeth

Traveling to Vero Beach

Traveling today was entertaining. Our trip to Vero Beach was suppose to take three hours. With two stops to fill a van tire and three potty breaks it was more like four. Upon arriving at the church we were so bless. The volunteers here had lunch waiting for us. Which included fresh squeezed Florida orange juice :)


Laurie is so good to me. Traveling to Florida has the disadvantage of a three hour time zone change. Waking up at 7am this morning felt like 4am and last night I was laying in bed at 10pm trying not to think about the fact it felt like 7pm. This morning I opened my door to Laurie standing there with a frappe. She's a saint.


It was so much fun traveling in a 15 passenger van full of beautiful young ladies. The low hum of chatter never stopped.


Julie Jalbert is ADORABLE. She is the master mind behind the conference. Armed with her pink notebook this girl has the details figured out. From skits to registration she's the WOMAN.


Unloading the van full of materials.


SKITS!!! These girls do such an amazing job bringing the passion and love of Jesus Christ to life.


Ruthann is the resource guru. From books to t-shirts she has a plan.



Ruthann, Sharon, Laurie and I in the Florida sun :)

I have just arrived with a bunch of the other girls at my host home for the evening. I am excited to see what the Lord will do tomorrow in the hearts of the girls attending.

-Elizabeth

Back in the Humidity.

Hey friends,

Sorry it has been such a long time. I have settled into my NEW room. It's very strange not having my sister there anymore. The delightful side is having a couch in my room, feel free to come sit and have tea anytime :)

Right now, I am thrilled to be back in Tampa Bay Florida. Laurie Jalbert asked me back for another conference. The flights today went well. I am always AMAZED how long it takes and then I remember that I am going from the northwest to the southeast. My girlfriends here in Florida are dear to my heart. I am super HAPPY to be back.



Last minute conference prep with Laurie, Sharon, Ruthann and Lauren. They are all adorable.


Laurie is my hero. She made all of us grilled chicken for dinner while still answering conference calls. She's a true example to me of a servant leader.


The bins wait by the door to be loaded tomorrow.


What better thing for a bunch of girls to do then their nails?

Tonight we are just relaxing and answering the phone. Tomorrow we are traveling three hours east. Arriving at the church, set-up and then settling in at our host homes. The conference will run all day Saturday. I'll post pictures of the 30 girl road trip as soon as I can. May God bless our bladders.

Elizabeth

"My Utopia"

I leave Summit Ministries in four days. It is hard for me to believe that my time here is already over. I had no idea that such a place existed. I have made the greatest of friends, grown in my leadership skills, drawn closer to my Savior and learned a ton. I left home to come to Summit during a huge season of change. My sister's wedding was the weekend before, my brother Josh was leaving for college, my friends were moving to different states and getting married. I had this attitude that change was my enemy. Everywhere aspects of my life were touched by this battle. Little did I know that Summit was going to be the dawn in my darkness.

The pictures below were taken by Summit staff, I am using them with permission. But I thought it would be wise for me to introduce you to the people and job that have made such an impact on my life.



Jason Poarch, age 25, has been at Summit from start to finish this year. He grew up as a missionary kid in Indonesia and graduated from Bryant University with a BA in Philosophy. He is hoping to join the Marines this fall. I had the privileged of working side-by-side with him everyday. If you could watch Jason walk around the halls of Summit you would see the mood of the students perk up wherever he goes. Jason has been a huge example to me of doing ALL THINGS with excellence. He pours everything he has into his job including making an effort to invest in the students lives.


Koryn Van Dyke, age 19, has been working as classroom staff since her second session working at Summit this summer. She just went home after session 6 for her junior year as an English major/music minor at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. Koryn is full of energy, life and passion. She absolutely loves Summit and everything she was able to do here. As I sit here and think about our time together tears come to my eyes. God in HIS Sovereignty allowed Koryn and I to be friends this summer. Her love of people is AMAZING. She taught me what it means to truly live your life completly surrendered to an All-Knowing God.


Jason showing his sacrificial love for the students.



While we are all all incredibly focused, working with Koryn, Jason, and Judson taught me how to have fun while maintaining the respect of the students. The funniest thing Jason, Koryn and I would do is move the exact same way down a hall. The students never really knew what to think or do. It was hysterical.

Judson Alphin, age 27, is the classroom director and has worked for Summit for the last 3 summers. He is also the Principal of Admissions for “Summit Oxford” in England, another branch of Summit Ministries. He graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan and the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland and will be attending Oxford University in England this fall. The students know and love him as the guy who does morning pledges and prayer with them, keeps them moving, gives breaks, introduces speakers, and without fail, makes them laugh. He is always working and running….not only because he has so much to do for Summit, but because yesterday he fished his 20,000 word dissertation on Winston Churchill to get his PhD. I know, nerd alert.

These people have raised my standards. Each one is an example to me of living life for the Glory of God. I am blessed to have been a part of their lives even for a short while.

While coming home is going to be hard after this "utopian" experience I am leaving with new perspective. First, when you are doing what you are designed to do, the Creator can direct you with a mere whisper. Second, God always has a bigger plan. I don't know how God is going to use this Summit experience in my life. At moments I feel hugely blessed and then in other moments torn apart. But this I do know. Life is to short to sit with my head down. I am looking boldly forward with great expectancy of what God will do next.

-Elizabeth

Coming to the close of Session 5

It's hard for me to believe that we are coming to the end of session 5 here at SUMMIT ministries. These kids have been here ten days and it has gone by super fast. I love so many of them and cannot wait to see how they make their mark on the world. The staff here is settling in nicely and we are working really well together. Tonight is the staff auction, which is when the staff auctions themselves off and sends the money to aid to the church in Sudan. As a part of classroom staff I am auctioning off the opportunity to have Starbucks brought to you during morning class (which is super cool because only water is allowed in the classroom.) and a perfect score on your room check even if your room is a mess. I'm looking forward to how much money that will bring in :)



Benn, Tyler and Wesley take their dish pit job VERY seriously. These guys serve in the dish pit all day. As long as we are cooking they are washing. Their heart to serve are an example to me. (The helmets were in added effect for drama:)


This is where I sit most mornings. Next to the sound board watching the television the projects to various screens around the building.




These are the beautiful people that I work with every day. Koryn and Jason have been here since May. They have been SO KIND in helping me learn the ropes of classroom and welcoming me as a friend. We laugh together a lot.


Amy, Melanie and Julie made apple crisp for almost 300 people. The kitchen staff never ceases to amaze me. The goal here at SUMMIT is to make the most delicious food EVER. Why? Because it gives the teenagers one less thing to complain about. If you like the food, why not like the camp?


This was DISGUSTING. Part of my job here is to help drive the vans when needed. On this day I was helping the students with a community project. We went to a local baseball field/park and picked up all the trash. One of the students found a dead squirrel. He was really proud of himself and enjoyed showing off prize way to much!

Graduation is on Friday night. Then Saturday is saying goodbye and airport runs. On Sunday we change the sheets and another 160 students arrive.

I am loving my life...

-Elizabeth