Africa 2013 Update...

As many of you know I was offered an amazing opportunity to go back to Africa this coming December for 20 days. But unfortunately I had to turn the offer down. I was so excited at first but after thinking and praying about it, I don't think this is the right trip for me..

To every single person who already started donating to me, please know that all of money WILL be kept on the side for my trip some time next year. Y'all are all so awesome and you will never understand how thankful I am for the support.

I will continue to have fundraisers through this year. And will kept everyone posted on everything.

                                                    XOXO,
                                               Kalin Renee`

Sweet memories..

It's been 124 days since I came back from Africa.

I never understood my passion for a place I've never been

until I stepped on that red dirt on a cool September evening,

being welcomed with open arms and smiles from ear to ear.

It still feels like a dream that I am going to wake up from 

at any moment.

But I have to remind myself that I was there.

Africa has been extra heavy on my heart the past few days.

I literally fell in love with every. single. thing.

in my short time there.

I miss everything and everyone so much.

I wanted to share a story that has been "flashing" through my mind.

On Thursday and Friday of my trip we spent our time at the

Mbekelweni Care Point.

I loved all the kids there, but sweet Nona stole my heart.

She was attached to my side the two days there.

On the Thursday we got to know all of them

see how they did school

and

we dished their lunch.

After that we went on with our day and went back later that evening

and gave them sweeties and stickers.

Friday we only spent maybe an hour or so with them that morning then went to GLA, ect..

As we were driving up at the care point that evening 

all the kids were running up to the van to greet us.

I will never ever forget Nona's face when she spotted me

through the window.

Her face lit up with an overwhelming joy

and the biggest smile you will ever see.

It was like I couldn't get out the van fast enough.

Once I got out she jumped into my arms to give me

a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.

After that she said the words

"I love you!"

in clear english.

It kinda reminded me of the Fathers love for us.

He has an overwhelming love for us.

No matter how often we may fail Him,

His love never changes.

Here lately I've been going through some personal things in my life.

So thankful that God can remind me of His love for us through the

little things.

Heres a picture of me and sweet Nona<3

“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

So thankful for Martin Luther King Jr.

87 days and counting...

Today marks 87 days since I left for Africa.

I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that I was there!

I miss Africa every. single. day!

I miss the mountains everywhere I look.

I miss the red dirt.

I miss the open arms greeting me when I step out of the car.

I miss the little chocolate babies hanging on me.

I miss the big smiles that you can spot a mile away.

I miss the worship.

I miss Pheliswa, Nona, & Sibonello.

I miss the "I love you"s.

I miss the smell of the food cooking at the carepoints.

I miss every. single. thing.

I long to go back every single day. I know that I will be there again.

(Hopefully soon).

But until then I have my memories and my pictures.

Overwhelming Joy..

As most of you know last Monday I left for Africa.

It is so hard for me to put words to the emotions that I am overwhelmed with.

Thank you Jesus for this opportunity for me to travel across the world to live out

James 1:27.

While I was there we helped, loved on, and fed widows and orphans.

God wrecked me all during my short time there.

And I know for a fact I will be back very soon..

hopefully for good!

On Friday Sept 28th, I got to meet my sponsor child.

A few months after we started our sponsorship,

 I had a dream that I got to meet her and just play and love on her.

And for that dream to come true means so much.

God is so good!

She is beautiful in every way possible. And I am so blessed to call her my sponsor child.

Though she was shy when we first met, hearing her tell me how much she loved me

and how happy she was that I was there made me feel good about sponsoring her.

We made cards for each other, danced, made videos to send back home,made funny faces, but most of all just loved on each other and shared lots and lots of laughs.

It broke my heart as I was telling her bye.

It was one of the hardest things I've ever done.

But I know one day soon I will see her again.

So to Every. Single. Person. 

who donated money,bought a headband, a brownie, or a bracelet from me

Thank YOU!!!

I couldn't have gotten there with out each of you.

I am forever grateful 

Well guys I leave 

TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!

I'm so excited and can't wait to come back and blog all the amazing stories that will happen.

Last week we got a phone call from Mission of Mercy,

they told us that our sponsor child's dad passed away.

Please pray for her and that I will be able to meet her while I'm there.

She is being taken care of by her step mom and all of her siblings are sponsored so they are being taken

care of(thank God) but I feel so sad for them.

They are all so young.

I can't imagine losing one of my parents at the age I am now much less being 5yrs old.

So yeah please keep her and her family in your prayers<3

Love you all!

                                                                                                                Kalin<3

OMGSH

Its almost here!!!

Oh. My. Gosh!!!

....................................Africa.........................................

SEVEN DAYS AWAY!!!!!!!!!!

I still can't believe that I'm actually going!

God is so so so amazing.

And I'm so excited to see what he does during this trip,

not only in myself and the team but 

how He will use us there to bless the beautiful people of Africa.

I can't explain the excitement I have right now.

Still to this day it amazes me how God placed a dream in my heart

and almost five years later it is coming true!

I'm a little nervous about flying but I know I will do fine!

The devil is just trying to stop me from going

but thats not happening!

I'm just in awe.
Please keep me and my team in your prayers as we travel across
the world to bring hope to the hopeless.


Love you all!

                                                                                                                     Kalin<3

Life...

So here lately I've had a lot on my mind!

Although I haven't been busy running the road, it seems like I never have time to catch a break.

I been super busy getting everything ready for my trip.

I'm really excited for it to get here,but I want time to slow down so I can soak it all in.

Life goes by entirely to fast.

Like wasn't it just yesterday I was in grade school running around, playing with baby dolls,

with out a care in the world? 

Now I'm trying to figure out what I'm suppose to do with my life.

Like really where has the time gone?!?!

It's amazing how you can "plan" out your whole life, but the truth, is half the time it doesn't end up the way you thought it would.

I thought by now I would be engaged, planning a wedding, and in nursing school.

But in all reality,

I have no earthly clue what my calling is, I'm single, and I'm about to travel across the world to a place I'v never been, much less ever pictured myself going.

I know that everything I've been through the past two and a half years has happened for a reason.

As of now I have no clue what the reason is, but I know years from now it will all make since.

I know I'm going through this for a reason, and I know there will be many, many(!!) lessons from it.

God has me here for a purpose and although I'm not 100% sure what it is right this sec.,

I know it will all bring Glory to Him in the end,

weither it is here in Louisiana, out in Boston, or down in Swaziland, Africa.

Wherever He leads me I will go.

I'm not letting anything stand in my way or let peoples comments affect me.

God has an amazing calling on my life and I will do everything I can to bring all glory to Him.

                                                                   ~Kalin<3

Back2School Project 2012

Hey guys!

It's that time a year again!

Last year I had the honor to be a part of Children's Cups

Back to School Project and was asked to help out with it again this year.

This year for the project they are collecting just

book-sacks and $10.00.

You can drop off the book-sacks(w/ the money) at any of the

Healing Place Church,church services,or drop them off at

Children's Cup's offices.

Below is the link with all of the info for the project!

http://www.childrenscup.org/get-engaged/back-to-school/ 

If you have any questions at all,please feel free to leave a comment below.

                                                                                   Kalin<3

Blessed

Last night I was going through my old blog post, and came across this one.

Wow if someone would have told me that I would be going to Africa

this year I prob wouldn't have believed them.

God is SO amazing!

And

I am truly blessed to to be able to go this coming September.

I am beyond thankful for this passion God has placed in my heart for Africa

and the beautiful people who live there.

                                                                                            Kalin<3

Woah!

Wow!

Thats all I have to say about God's grace.

It is AMAZING!

He is truly blessing me this year!

I am so excited about all that He has planed for me this year.

I know

there will be some hard times

but

I know He wont give me anything I can't handle.

Can't wait for September to get here!

       
                                                                          Kalin<3

"Kisses from Katie"

This was my Valentine's day gift to myself this year.

I haven't got to far in the book but 

I am already in love with it!

I absolutely love Katie Davis' heart and what she is doing in Africa!

She is my hero!

I hope to be like her one day!

"Jesus called His followers to be a lot of things, but I have yet to find where He warned us to be safe. We are not called to be safe,we are simply promised that when we are in danger, God is right there with us. And there is no better place to be than in His hands."

~Katie Davis

Check out her blog!!

http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

                                                                                       Kalin<3

Tuesday

Happy Tuesday!

Not much going on. Taking my week slow since I start working next week.

Which I am super excited about my new job!

As you know(well if you read my last post) I got to be apart of Children's Cups 

Back2School Project.

It was such an honor to be apart of the creative

team this year.

I checked my email today and these two pictures were in there.

So I figured I would share them with you all.

Saturday night 

didn't do to much.

Dad decided to light the outside fire place.

I am so happy we are in our house this fall. I can 

have all my friends over and just hang out around the fire.

I'm happy about that(:

Sunday was my grand maw's bday.

So we went there for lunch and hung out with the family for a while.

Then after that we went to church.

Pastor Dino had an amazing message!

I hate that I had to learn this the hard was.

But I'm happy that God has shown me

He has better things in store for me.

                                                                                                             Kalin<3

Happy Happy Saturday!!

Happy Saturday! 

I hope you all are having a awesome weekend!

I can't believe today is Oct 1st.

And I'm so happy the cooler weather is finally here!

Today we wrapped up Children's Cups Back2School Project!

I am so blessed that I got to be a part of the creative team this year.

So today we packed up all the school supplies to send to

the kids in Africa.

I didn't take a many pictures so I took a few that other

people took lol.

(taken by-Jamie Doyle)

(taken by- Dan Ohlerking)

They had 70 volunteers show up to help pack all the stuff!

How awesome is that?!

Me and Chase!

We wrapped up Charles Young and shipping him off to Africa with all the other stuff.

Lol

So that is it for this post. I hope you have a great rest of the weekend! And if you are in Louisiana

enjoy the cool weather(:

                                                                                                                     Kalin<3

Can't stop thinking about my sweet girl, Pheliswa. It's crazy how much you can love someone without ever meeting them.

I hope and pray I can meet her next summer when I go to 

Africa!