I finished my last day seconded (can you be seconded if you don't have a sending agency? maybe not) to Alongsiders International (www.alongsiders.org).  

That's a short and sweet sentence, but it was pretty rough to see the end of the 2 year stint. Without a doubt, friendships there will last a lifetime, but leave a void on a daily basis for now.

I'm not a kids person, but I whole heartedly embrace their value and imagery of God. They should be fought for, protected, and raised better than many find themselves stuck in.

I love that the office moved to a bigger space (albeit too far away for me to commute to). 

I love that they started in Vietnam, Senegal, Rwanda, and Kenya this year. I love that Pakistan hit 20 participants after much struggle, and that Cambodia tops the scales at over a thousand now.

I love that conversations are happening to help children and disciple teens in the Middle East soon.

I love the testimonies of young adults who were once being raised by a neighbor that treated them 

as free labor instead of a child that now say 'someone asked me to be their "little sister" 

and that changed my life'. 

Go, Alongsiders, go. 

And to the big brothers and big sisters checking on that 1 child in your neighborhood - showing love to a child as Jesus has shown love to you - go, alongsiders, go!

I've taken the approach to heart and have been walking with a few kids in my village. These faces.


So!  I'll be working in my village and the 2 surrounding ones - teaching, helping, providing, loving.

The monks and the village leader want to learn computer and English skills and my name came up. Well, I can't say no to that now can I?

The 2 local free-for-all dumps, some needed toilets, needed connections to water, some needed life skills  are also on my radar and immediate schedule. Oh, and I'm teaching 2 ladies to drive :)

In 2017 I'll incorporate something more.... reading, processing, praying over the next chapter - the US is my destination spring of 2017.  Yes, this chapter is ending.  (Good gosh, even to type that made my eyes water! This is gonna be rough.)  

Please don't ask what's next - if I knew I'd type it out here. haha  And if I knew now it'd be a distraction anyway, God will show me later. I want to be fully present here until the final day.

Last push. Finish well. All in. My best for His glory.