Times of change

hey all

Its time for another update, and another good story.

This week has truly been a blessing. I've raised almost $1000 in a week... which is crazy! Just the other day I was sitting at only around $1200 and I've made it $100 over my halfway point of $2000 dollars! This means I am able to buy my plane ticket and actually go. I will have to continue to fundraise the rest of my trip while I am gone and when we return. We will have till the 15th of September to raise the rest of the $4000. So even though I have made it halfway I still need all the help I can get to make the rest of my funds for the trip. To help give towards this amazing opportunity you can give online directly to me at: http://tiny.cc/fwfv0

We are now at only 19 days left until our departure, so just under 3 weeks. I'm starting to get nervous and excited all at the same time. I've now received all of my vaccines necessary, all 4 total, and all the prescriptions needed. I think I've also finished getting all the things I need for my wardrobe, it now just time to get all the little last minute things, like bug spray, an umbrella, sunscreen and other such things. I've now decided to actually start a physical list for these things since I'm constantly talking to myself about different things I need to get and not writing them down, which isn't helpful. But no worries, I will have everything I need before we leave.

Okay, on to my story, and the point behind my title for this blog. This trip has truly been a blessing as well as a pain in certain instances. My parents have always been a little uneasy about the whole trip and everything it entitles. They have asked very little on how the trip was going or how my fundraising has been coming. All they really wanted to know was specifics on safety and such about the trip. I didn't expect much from them support wise, I'd even been afraid to ask since I knew what their answer would be and I didn't want to face that whole situation. So it came to a huge surprise when a couple weeks ago my dad purchased some glass jars for me to put out at businesses to try and raise funds. That was the first point of change, change in his interest and understanding of how much this trip meant to mean, and change in the physical change of people giving their spare change to my jars. But the story doesn't end there... there was more change to come... much more. It was just the other night when I was sitting in the living room and my dad came and told me he had placed something on my bed, it was his contribution towards my trip. Eventually when I made it down the hall to my bedroom, I found a shoe box and small plastic tupperware full to the rim with coins. My dad has been placing his spare change in these boxes for years. I stood there staring at the change and all I could do was cry. It may seem weird but this meant a lot for my dad to give up what he had been saving for years towards this trip that he still isn't 100% sure about. After thanking him, I went and weighed the change, it came to 31 pounds! The next morning I brought it in to cash it and it came to a total of $314!!! Which is crazy because at that time I needed right around $300 to make it to $2000. So in a way this was meant to be. It was yet another form a change. A large amount of change, emotionally and physically. It was a huge blessing!

I hope this story has blessed you as well. I can't believe how little time we have left and how much we have left to do and raise. I am so thankful for all the help I have had thus far and can't image what I would be doing without all of the support and amazing people that have been helping and praying for me and this trip. I can't thank you all enough.

Until next time,

Much love and prayers

Courtney

wow. thats about all i can say.

hey all.

i figured today would be a good day to blog. i've been dreading bloggin for the last couple days since i couldn't think of much positive to say. so i'd come to the blog, stare at it a bit and just get frustrated that all the information was the same as when i last blogged. i was in a rut, a not good, no faith rut. but... it all changed very quickly today with one simple letter. so, this is the blog you should read.

i have been the negative nancy for much of this fundraising experience. i've been doubtful and fearful and for the most part just not super positive and when i am its forced. so when i sat down to pray the other day i finally was like ok God do you really want me to go? i had to email our team coordinate just last night where we were financially and if we would be able to make it half way and then also pay off the rest of the $4000 somehow by the 15th of september. i with a heavy heart, emailed her back informing her that i was still sitting at $1200 roughly and didn't think i'd even really make it half way in fundraising but that i'd have to figure it out somehow. i felt lost and sad that i couldn't even raise $2000, and started doubting that i was even meant to go. i went to bed feeling guilty thinking that maybe i wasn't able to raise this money since i'd been so negative all along. maybe it was God's way of punishing me. maybe if i had a little faith that people on my list would actually give they would have. lets say it wasn't a good nights sleep, and it wasn't a good prayer night. but all would soon change, i'd be blown off my feet literally.

today, i got a call from one of my roommates who had picked up the mail and she told me she thought i'd gotten money. she told me the address of some insulation place that id never heard of and instantly i assumed it was a bill. she quickly stopped me and was like 'no, i think its money since it ways InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and then your name'. so, i gave her permission to open it up. and the reaction i got over the phone was priceless. i wish i could have recorded it. all of a sudden my roommate was screaming into the phone. i had received $500 from whoever the letter was from.... yeah you read that right $500!! i was speechless. i just sat for a minute before i responded in excitement, close to the level of my roommate. that was the biggest donation i'd received so far, and from a mysterious person as well! i quickly called my team director and blurted out my excitement. she cried with joy. it was a blessing beyond my imagination. yes it was only $500 a small amount of the total, but thats not the point, the point is that its the generosity of others and the ways in which God provides that is soo amazing about this story. $500 is huge!

today was an amazing day, and i soon learned through a text from my team director that another girl had received $500 anonymously today as well. she has now made it halfway and i am stilling at about $1700 so only $300 left to raise in the next 25 days. and unlike the last month to two months when i was doubtful i'm sure that i will make it. i know it wont be the way i expect and so i have no expectations. i'm just going to wait and be amazed. no longer will i be the negative nancy or the doubting doris... i am not going to be the positive patty from here on out.

all of you who are inspired by this testimony which you should be and would like to join in on the miracles of what God is doing in this group... you support would be greatly appreciated it. i am still in need of financial support. its the only thing holding me back from getting to my halfway point and actually going. so, if you are interested and willing to give a little of your spare change towards my trip you can give to me online at:

https://my.intervarsity.org/93552364180bf59c686f7554d3c9a5ab/designate.php?_qf_chooseAmount_directLink=true&acct_id=14168

or you can give through a check [ just email me at courtney.mccarthy@drake.edu and i will give you the information on how to give]. i also need your prayer support. for my team. for our directors. for our roommates. for our travels. for our financial needs. and for anything else that we might face (food issues, language barriers) and most importantly for God's power to be brought through us on this trip. If you have given already and/or are praying I can't thank you enough, it is you that is showing me how powerful God is. if you have given already but wish to contribute more your donations would bless me more than you can imagine. i hope this story has blessed you as much as it has me today.

i can't wait for what the next 25 days hold and for what the trip will bring. only a few more things to purchase and one more vaccination to get before i'm all set. i'll try and keep you updated more before we leave.

God is good. all the time.

much love and prayers

Court