Hello Friends and Family!

I wrote around a month ago about traveling to Guatemala in August of this year. I recently got the confirmation that I will indeed be going on the trip that will leave August 1st! I am overwhelmed with happiness as well as stress financially in this journey. 

People have come up to me asking why exactly I am going on this trip. When I was young, I wanted to travel and was very passionate about it. This spark ended up not going away, but grew tremendously. Now as my dream will come true to see the world at a different angle and perspective, I also feel this is a great first time experience to enjoy! This trip will be something that not many get the privilege to do and I am grateful I get to do this. 

I have never traveled on a plane. I have never gone out of the country. This trip will consist of many "firsts" for me, which is also very exciting. 

This journey before, to, there and even after will be life-changing. I was told recently that I was "made for this" and I should take this leap of faith. As I was talking to a dear friend today, I told her I had some anxiety about traveling and the unknown that consists of this trip. She told me that God has this in his hand. When I came home, I looked up Joshua 1:9 which states, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go"

The lovely people that are in charge of the Conduit Missions page have created a link to directly donate to my mission trip travel funds. There are many ways to pay online as well as in person.

Http://conduitmission.infellowship.com/onlinegiving/givenow/noaccount/ 

If you cannot donate financially, please join my family and I as we are praying over this financial step into this new journey. As I previously stated in my last blog post, I am so anxious to go and experience the world through this wonderful trip.

Thank you!

-Sarah Fuqua

2015

I started thinking about New Years Resolutions. Maybe workout more? Save more money?  Do a devotional? Then I got it. I wanted to travel.  It didn't matter where, I just wanted to go places and experience more. 

I started feeling excited about all the places I could see and what I could do. I'm 13, so I can't drive anywhere. I've never flown on a plane. I've never left the United States, in fact. Where could I go, what could I possibly do in 2015? I prayed a lot about what I wanted to truly do. I wanted to go on a mission trip. I went to church this past week and our pastor was talking about missions. We are a mission based church who focuses on primarily sending out leaders, so why haven't I gone on a mission yet? I was waiting for something. Every time we talk about missions, I just thought it would be cool to go and travel and help people. Was that what I was thinking when I planned this? I was just going to help people (Wow, I'm amazing because I'm helping people. Watch guys) and feel great about myself? Why would I want to go if it would benefit me? Why do people go on mission trips? 

One great thing about our church is we are always out. Out on missions to Haiti, Guatemala, Nepal and more to come as we grow. I love how many opportunities that are available for someone to go. 

I have always thought about traveling to Haiti. One year, my friends and I planned out a huge bake sale to raise money to go to Haiti. It never happened. People have always asked me if I wanted to go, why haven't I gone yet? I would always reply, "Oh, its just too expensive". After feeding that lie to myself, I just got over the fact that I would never be able to go anyway. Not until I started saving my non-existent allowance. 

Recently, I have been blessed with making good money babysitting and I started to think about traveling in general once again. I put it on my priority list, but at number 9. I kept looking into this one trip that would be ideal, which is in Summer of 2015. I thought I would possibly have enough time to save and then also pay for other things along the way. I started to pray about it more and more, which was not something I would do normally. I felt as if I was truly meant to go. I was. 

 Then I had a dream: I was holding a baby in an orphanage, crying because I simply could not do anything but love on this child. After I woke up from that dream, I wondered if I was going to be strong enough to do this. Would I be emotionally ready? Spiritually?  I mean it is a very hard step to make all by myself.... I wondered if I would just be okay with staying here for that week in Summer, it doesn't make such a big difference, right? So I just put it off, once again. 

I finally thought about it when thinking of the whole mindset: new year, new me! Ok, what do I want to do this year? I could...... Travel lingered in my ear. Uh oh. Not again. 

I'll do it soon, but for right now,  I'll just go on Summer vacation with my family. That way I can travel, have a fun long car drive and just relax with my family. 

I knew that that's really not what I wanted to do. I was not going to escape that persistent feeling of traveling, and not just the travel itself, but the experience and adventure that came along with it. I was going to go. It didn't have to be soon, but I had to go. And now I know. 

I want to go. Travel, see places, experience cultures, hold babies, love on children that don't have anyone to do so and just look at places around me that may have less things, but have so much more in love. These people pour all they have into the community around them. They risk their lives for loved ones and give all they have to each other. They are the church, they are your people, Lord! 

I am positive this is what I want to do. I want to go this year, as long as the Lord guides me. Someone recently told me something that will stay with me forever, "You were made for this, so do it" It may have not applied to going on missions, but missions are one thing that I was made to do. Serve God and his purpose for my life. I may be small, but I'm so ready and anxious to go and experience the world. 

I love you all and thank you so much for reading, 

Sarah Fuqua <3