medical mission trip...

i am so excited to tell everyone that i will be going on a medical mission trip in october of this year! it is kind of crazy how it happened...about a year and 1/2 ago i was really feeling unhappy with my job and just felt like i needed to do something more. i started looking around on-line and found an agency that offered short-term mission trips to south america. i turned in an application but never heard anything back...then i ended up switching positions in the hospital and just making some changes in my life and i didn't think about it for a while.
at the beginning of this year i started reading the blog http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/. then i read her new book "kisses from katie" as well as the book "the forgotten children". both of these books were amazing and really got me thinking and praying about missions again. literally about 2 weeks after i read this book, the agency that i had looked into over a year ago called me out of the blue and asked me if i was interested in going on a mission trip! i couldn't believe it! i called them and got some info on a trip to tijuana, mx. i just didn't have a peace about this though because i couldn't find out anything as far as credentialing on the agency as well as safety issues in mexico right now. but...i was thinking about missions more and more now so i went to katie davis' blog again and it led me here http://www.visitingorphans.org/.
this agency is based in tn and takes multiple mission trips to a variety of places each year. i looked for a medical trip and found one to ethiopia in october of this year. i wanted to sign up immediately but didn't want to rush into something so i prayed about it for several days and then put in my application and my deposit. i have been accepted to go on the trip and am very, very excited!! we will be working in an orphanage and out in the city while there.
right now i'm in the preparation stage so i'm working on filling out all of the paperwork. i'm also working on getting my passport renewed because mine expires in june of this year. the cost will be between $3200 and $3400 depending on the cost of flights and that will include the airfare, 3 meals a day, lodging, transportation while there, and translators....basically everything except any souvenirs i might want to pick up. i've put a fundraising thermometer on my blog to show how much i've raised for the trip and how much is left to go. i'm asking for everyone to please pray for me as i prepare for this trip! please pray for me physically, spiritually, and emotionally as i get ready to go minister to these children. i'm so excited to see what God will do in ethiopia.