Answers to prayer

So, I'm getting things organized now for my trip this summer. I need to make a few more phone calls and write some emails, but hopefully all my travel plans will be together by the middle of next week. I can't believe that I'll be on the road for nearly five weeks before I head back to Ukraine!
In some ways I am looking forward to it and also not... (you know for an editor I really should watch my own spelling more--I know you don't most of my mistakes because I catch and correct them, but it is pretty bad sometimes!).
The whole answer to prayer thing comes in that a church in Pennsylvania heard about me and has committed to support me for the next couple of years! It was such an encouragement and confirmation to know that these people who hardly know me are willing to step out and support me. So that was a big encouragement and brings me up to the half way mark of my financial support needs! Yipee!
Just wanted to share that with ya'll. Thanks for praying!

Some things to pray about...

Okay, so my life has been a bit of a whirl wind this week trying to get my feet back on the ground here in Minnesota. I feel like I hit the ground running and have been catching up with myself ever since. :)
I'm trying to get myself going at the office here to complete the necessary work before I begin traveling in the end of June. There is also packing to be done at home and making all the travel arrangements. In between that and trying to catch up with friends here (a large number of which are moving too) it's been a little busy! But also fun!
I'm really enjoying my time back here in the States. It'll be nice to settle in in Ukraine, but in the mean time it is really wonderful to have a few weeks to meet and enjoy friends here in the US.
So, on to the prayer requests:
Aside from enjoying my time here and having fun with friends and all I also need to think about raising support in three areas. There is the obvious financial need and of course prayer support, but I am also looking for people who in addition to praying for me or supporting me financially or completely aside form those things, I am looking for people who will reach out to me as a person. You know, somebody who will send a birthday or Christmas card or email, send a care package or maybe even think about visiting me at some point. I guess, I'm not just looking for people's money, but for their personal involvment. It takes a lot more effort to do that than just write a check, so I would appreciate prayers for people who will become involved in those ways. As well as financial and prayer partners of course. :)
I'm also working on putting together some information about me and what I do and I would appreciate your prayers for that too.

Anybody home?

This is how I feel right now. I think I better go home soon (I'm at the office right now) before I keel over or throw up!

Home again, home again...

The trip from Ukraine to Minnesota went really well, once I got on the train I had a panic attack because I realized I hadn’t packed my air ticket. :P Thankfully I knew that I had printed it out and then I remembered that I had picked up this paper with some receipts form my India trip and stuffed them in my suitcase and so I checked it out right away and it was my ticket! Phew. So then I went to sleep right away and slept until we got into Kyiv basically. Once I dropped my stuff off at the kamera (baggage storage) I popped in McD’s for bathroom, drinks and a cheeseburger (which I really wasn’t hungry for, but it was the principle of the thing, and I was really glad for it later). I had checked the time for when the Polit buses leave to the airport and there as one at 7:55 and one at 8:15, so I planned on going on one of those.

It actually only took me about 20 minutes from the train station to the Consolariat, but of course that wasn’t from the train platform. Got the invitation for my visa no problems and went back off to the train station. There was a polit but that was leaving in 15 minutes, so I reserved my spot and to the driver’s dismay (he didn’t think I would make it back in time) ran off to get my stuff. I made it back without any problems and so was off to the airport at 7:20! I was able to check in right away and then I just hung out on my computer for a few hours. J My plane was half an hour late, but we arrived in NY just fine and boy is JFK a mess! I think they’ve changed the layout of it and now you have to go through security another time and it basically just means more lines and more confusion. On the other hand the people are very helpful!

Anyway, I had to change terminals, but I was able to check my baggage right away and then I was able to walk over to the other terminal, which was nice because it was warm and of course it felt good to walk. My second flight was late taking off because of a traffic jam on the airstrip. :P But we ended up arriving on time anyway. I only slept for a couple of hours on my second flight and not at all on my first one, so I wasn’t feeling to good by the time I made it back, but that was ok. My friend Shannon and her husband, Greg, met me at the airport and took me home, where I was met by two of my roommates (I now have three, I just can’t keep up with all these things). It was great to see them again and be back with my stuff. It is absolutely amazing how much a person can live without and barely miss!

Home again, home again...

Well, made it back safe and sound to MN. I'll post a lovely update of my trip when I can, but for now, just wanted to let all my loyal readers know that I made it back safe and sound. For the amount of travel and time change, I am doing quite well. I think I'll make it until ten or so tonight. I was going to play Sims 2 with Becky all day, but we ended up grocery shopping and hanging out instead. Not exactly a rough day. I must say though that I do enjoy having proper chapstick again!

In the beginning...

Well, I finally have my very on blog. How exciting. :-\ Nah, I'm sure I'll enjoy it! I'm just not sure anybody else will read it!
I chose my page title because I wanted something that would have some meaning to me. Since I travel so much, I figured Journeys was a good description of that. But then I also wanted to let people know that I believe in something (that being Jesus Christ) and that I am growing in that. So that's were the "in faith" part came in and how it all came together.
I'm going to see if I can put up some pictures and then I'll probably have to get off for today because otherwise I could spend a lot of time on this little place!