Here we go again!

Allow me to begin by saying how much I love that video/song. It's called "Ok, Go" on YouTube. If you haven't seen it yet, you are missing out. My blog history tells me that I haven't updated since September 28, 2007. Yikes! So much is happening.

Currently, I am waiting for my flight to London. I am on my way to Yemen for another medical mission. It will be similar to the Mongolia trip. A team of 15 of us will be teaching the Yemenis pediatric heart surgery on children under 12kg (25lbs). We will be doing more teaching in Yemen than we do in Mongolia. I am really excited about that part. The actual surgeries are rewarding, and it is an honor returning a healthy child back to his/her parents. But it is just as important to empower the national people to provide excellent care to their own.

Please pray for safe keeping for the team while we are in Yemen. The U.S. State Department & Condi Rice will be caring for our security needs while there. The State Department is not normally active in securing the safety of missionaries, so it is a gift from God that they are willing to help us. Also, pray for the infants, toddlers, and their families that they will be healed and will will understand the love of Jesus through our actions. Also, pray for teachable spirits in the national doctors and nurses as well as for us as we work with them. Finally, pray for me and the team that God would be glorified whatever may come.

We will be working for 2 weeks on this mission. Then it's off to Cairo for some anthropological fun! I just don't understand why they don't fix the Sphinx's nose. He is starting to look like Michael Jackson! Shame, shame!

And just for kicks because I am already going to be so far around the world, I am going to fulfill my longtime dream of going to Australia. I'll be there for a month traveling around and visiting friends from Mercy Ships.

I figured that since I am starting grad school in the fall I should probably try to satiate my travel bug for a while. Short of a quick trip or two here and there, I will be grounded for the next 3 years! I imagine this will come as quite a shock to my system. I have been accepted and will be attending Emory University in Atlanta this fall to pursue a dual masters degree in Global Public Health and Acute Care Peds Nurse Practitioner (MPH/MSN).

I am really excited to start this next adventure. I can hardly imagine what the Lord has in store for me next. I have been so blessed to be a part of His work in such unique ways over the past year. My life has certainly been different than I imagined it as a teenager. I am just amazed that God allows me to be even a small player in the story he is telling. I pray that he would be glorified throughout my days!

More to come later. Must board for the next adventure!