Around the World in 17 Days

I just returned from a trip, literally to the other side of the planet. I traveled to Asia, where I was able to get valuable insight into my future plans, and meet some incredible people. The Father truly did a lot in my life in a very short period of time. It was pretty crazy, seeing and experiencing more than I have even been able to absorb at this point, and probably never will. So here are some highlights, as seen through the lens of my really expensive camera.

Quick note- I will be sending out my first newsletter via the Postal Service in a few weeks with more details about my future. If you would like to receive that, please email your mailing address to grainofsandman@gmail.com. Thanks!

On to the snapshots...

My friend Jacob and I, in fierce preparation for our impending trip. Our friend Erin gave us an emergency care package- top of the list, stroons (straw-spoons with famous Kellogg's friends attached). Nothing gets you ready for a global trek like a good stroon race.

It was great having Jacob on the trip, even for more reasons than stroon support. He was an invaluable encouragement, confidant and in the future will understand places and faces when I talk about them. Goooo Jacob!

Jacob stretched out in the luxurious business class fully-reclining wonderment.. that we briefly walked by on the way to OUR seats. 15 1/2 hours in the air enroute to Asia- but they treat you RIGHT. All the food you could possibly imagine and individual tv sets with over 100 movies, 800 CD's, tv shows and games... and I guess you could interact with each other if you really wanted to.

We spent our first night in Asia on a 17 hour lay-over... luckily in cities where virtually everything is foreign to you, there is McDonald's... We are evidently "lovin' it".

Traveling overseas always entails strange and exotic foods. Move over burger and fries, here comes an entire duck and fried grubs. Dinner is always enhanced when your food watches you eat it.

... gross, but hey, when in Rome...

Faster than a speeding bullet, you can barely see me, but here I come screaming over crocodile infested waters in the dangerous Asian jungles, surely doing something heroic.

...speaking of heroes...

... sinister poses with the 'phants...

...we even got to steal one...

As you can tell, we soaked up quite a plethora of new and exciting adventures...


... drank in spectacular scenes...

... and dove into some amazing relationships...

(a friend from the States with some of our young new friends)

Our friends abroad had a whole host of amazing experiences planned for us, but the most memorable was one none of us saw coming. We were visiting a local village when we ran into a man on a motorcycle who had traveled from his village to buy some local vegetables. He invited us back to his home so he and his friends could play some music for us on these really cool guitars they had made by hand.

When we got there, he had invited the entire village. In they streamed one by one, just to see us! By the end of the night, not only had they played for us, they had taught us to dance, fed us an enormous meal, played games with us, and taught us some of their own local language and songs. Despite a language and culture barrier as wide as the ocean, we had bonded with these new friends. We walked away that evening shaking our heads in disbelief at what He had just allowed us to experience. What an amazingly intimate snapshot of things to come! This night will no doubt stay in my mind as I prepare to move to Asia to serve these lovely people.

There will definitely be more challenges, adjustments and moments of fear as I move ahead, and that was even more highlighted being there. However, it was such an encouragement being able to meet with friends who are currently going through these things, and finding rest in Him. It was good to hear their struggles and advice about what they've been doing.

My plan is to be in Asia full time by next fall. Please be thinking of me in this time of transition and preparation. I will be doing a lot of traveling and sharing with others about my future. It has been easy to be fearful and anxious, but He has been so good, reminding me of truth and I am excited about what He has in store for me down the road. If you would like to know how you can help, please email me at grainofsandman@gmail.com.