And Here it Goes Again

Well, it's been awhile.

Here's what I've been up to.

I came back from Ecuador. It was an incredible experience, ask me about it sometime. I would love to show you all the pictures and share all my stories. In short, we saw 600+ people from the capital city of Quito and the mountainside village of Columbe, outside of Riobamba. 

I returned home completely thankful for health care, hot showers, normal food, and God's blessings of family and friends.

I started the sixth piece of pie. Grandma Smits has encouraged me to look at college as a pie; seeing as my undergraduate degree will be eight semesters long. It's hard to believe that at this time next year this will be the last piece. 

I am happy to be back with my Trinity friends and am ready for a normal routine again. (I was starting to get a little bit lonely at home when everyone was at work or school!) I am looking forward to my OB clinical at Adventist Hinsdale hospital. It's absolutely beautiful there and I'm sure I'll see lots, I'm just not crazy about being there from before 6:15 to 5:15 for the next six Fridays. Those will be long days. 

I'm looking forward to more normal weather, seeing new babies, and finding a summer externship.

South America Take Two

In about 12 hours I'll be headed for Ecuador!

It seems like yesterday I was headed on a plane to Peru. In my head I keep thinking that this will be similar to that mission trip but in reality it's going to be totally different. 

Today my team and I filled 300+ bags of toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, etc, filled bags with school supplies and prizes, and packed shoes and clothes for the people we are going to serve in Quito and Riobamba. 

This trip has been in the back of my mind for over 2 years now. When I was a freshman at Trinity this interim was offered but I decided against it because I had few nursing skills.
One hard semester of nursing later I feel really ready and willing to serve these people!

Originally the interim was planned to to some work in an orphanage and to do mission and health care work in the jungle. This kind of evolved when Phil from the semester in Ecuador program came to talk to us and found out we were all nurses. He pulled some strings and we actually get to go to an Ecuadorian hospital as well as do health clinics for impoverished families. 

I have been so blessed by all the support I've received from friends, family, and my church.

Please pray for safe travels, few bug bites, and for the love of Christ to be shown through Trinity students each and every day!

I can't wait to tell you all what happens on my endeavor to Ecuador!