So I have almost been here an entire week and all I can say is WOW! This internship is way more than I thought I wanted (in a good way). Today was our Sabbath day and we got to rest and relax and recap on the past few days. It was so great to look back and see all that God has done. He did a lot already! I already feel like I have a new family. :)
The first day was a bit overwhelming for me. Saying bye to family and friends (crying at the airport), two plane rides, a new state, meeting new people, a new house, and meeting more new people. I finally was able to talk face to face with the people have spent the past few months praying for me, talking on the phone with, and getting to know via facebook. I was a little shocked but definitley excited!
Soon after we arrive we are told that we are going to Utah for a few days (another new state). We were blessed to stay at a friend's vaction house with an increadible view to the mountains. We got to do some pretty intense hiking up some pretty intense mountains, play some sand voleyball, swim, eat well and get to know each other better. So many great conversations happened in the 5 hour car ride to Utah, hikes up the mountain, and through the daily devos in the living room. Although I have been hiking at Devil's Den and the Ozark Mountains, that was nothing compared to the hikes in Utah!
After just 2 days I felt that these girls were my sisters! It was crazy how I was able to relate to each girl in some way other than the sport of volleyball. Volleyball was what brought us together, but we share so many other things in common. I never expected to find other girls with such similar backgrounds as I. The vulnerability and love was something I have never seen before, even with some of my closest friends. There were things that I was able to tell these girls that may take me months or years to share with others. It's amazing how such a loving community allows you to be open and transparent.
Day four was an adventure. Our leaders, Daniel and Graeme, being the adventerous men they are, decide to go for another hike while the girls go and play some sand volleyball. Long story short, Daniel and Graeme decide to scale a super crazy mountain 900 feet high and figure out that there is no way down. With no water left, both become extremely dehydrated and are physically unable move. After many hours of the girls worrying, searching the mountains, praying, and phone calls, a search and rescue team of 25 men bring Greame and Daniel down the mountain and back home safely. I can't tell you how happy I was to see them the next morning! It was almost like Christmas morning.
Now I am back in California, where I thought I was supposed to be originally. The last two night I got to meet several people working with FCA volleyball. It is so cool how many amazing people I have met just because of a little volleyball. I got to meet people from South Carolina, to New York, to Texas, to Illinois, to Florida, and somehow God has brought us to Cali, not just to become better volleyball players, but more importantly to know Him more. Last night at dinner I got to sit next to Tracy Stalls (a former D1 player from Nebraska), and tonight I got to talk with Christa (a former Penn state player, and a current National player). You would think that we would be talking all night about volleyball, but our conversations went deeper and deeper and after just a few minutes of knowing each other, we were talking about how Jesus was wokring in our lives.
Another cool person I got to meet was Daniel's roommate, Bryan, who also works with FCA. We quickly realized we had much in common between our family background and our passion for kids and sports. I was able to share with him the research that I had done in one of my classes last semester, and he encouaged me to join the development team as they develop a coaching philosophy and a new volleyball club! God has done so much work in this ministry and I have never met such genuine and intentional people!
Check out this link to see a video of my first week!
This is just the beginning of what I have been looking forward to for over a year now!
No comments:
Post a Comment