Sometimes it's just hard...

As you may, or may not, know- I'm going back to Honduras with a group of United Methodists, including a member of my church, in late October to serve God's children at Worldwide Heart to Heart Ministries. I'm so excited! Serving God around the world has become a very special activity I'm blessed to participate in. I have learned how to be patient, open my heart and mind to different experiences (and FOOD, LOL!), different customs, different views of God and I've been able to meet Christians from all walks of life! I've also been blessed to see God's creation in many other places! How amazingly blessed I am!!
I won't lie, it's not all sunshine and rainbows... I require a lot of sleep and don't always get it. I (along with everyone else traveling the globe) have to be careful about what I eat and drink while still trying new things and being open to food enjoyed in different cultures. There's the language barrier (however, my Spanish, French and Swahili have improved in the past year!!) Customs are different and any small gesture that means nothing to me could totally offend someone elsewhere. I like to have some alone time once in a while and when serving with a team, that doesn't happen unless you're in the shower (and then you probably have little creatures with you) or when using the facilitates, but then you have to make sure not to put the paper in the toilet, etc, etc... Oh the JOYS! :) But honestly, serving IS a joy. I love it. 
Another part of my serving that is hard is affording these trips. It's hard to constantly get in front of the congregation and ask for money to help with these trips. Everyone who has ever given has been so generous and kind with his/her donations. I constantly tell those who want to serve on mission trips to never let the cost hinder him/her. God WILL provide, I've seen it time and time again. These trips are very affordable! The cost of travel to Honduras (round-trip) is only a few hundred dollars, room and board is also reasonable and at least $250 of the money we pay goes to help the sites we're serving. Also... if this trip is anything like the last, we also spend a lot of our own money when we're in town. On the last trip we purchased a lot of items for the state-run orphanage and the two private orphanages we served with our own money. (After seeing what life is like for most of those we serve, you'd want to give all the money in your pockets too- and more if you could!) 
I'm SO EXCITED to go back and serve in this hot, humid, beautiful, poor country! I am SO BLESSED to have a job, friends, and family who all support this Call in my life- my job has even made it part of my job-title! I'm so SCARED about where the $1700 will come from for this trip. I have less than a month to have the money together and have about... $5... Yes, it's hard to say that I can't just reach into my pockets and pay this on my own. But you know what? God ALWAYS provides! The finances will come from somewhere- God did not create us to worry, God created us to freely serve God and to freely love God :)
In case you haven't seen photos from the trip... check out these:

Here are two of the children from Heart to Heart who blessed us with their talents during Worship.

We may not share a language,  we may not understand each others lives, dreams, hopes and desires... but we CAN join together with music and have a LOT of fun!

Sometimes letting a new friend sit on your lap or sharing a hug is all that you can do, and sometimes it's all that's needed.

State-run facilities. Sometimes no words can explain what is going on in your heart and head in these situations.

I ask that everyone keeps me in your thoughts and prayers as I strive to follow God’s call and the tug on my heart to serve!! Please keep ALL who serve around the world in your hearts and prayers. Serving in third-world countries comes with much anxiety and has it's own type of stresses... Whether you are able to make a donation or not, THANK YOU for having an interest in what I’m doing!!! If you are able to make a donation, I'm asking for $1. As the crow flies, the location where this next team will be serving is approximatly 1719 miles from Alexandria. Since I need to raise $1700 I'm hoping to get a dollar per mile. (If I come back, your donation of a dollar actually gets me TWO miles, LOL!)

If you would like to make a donation, a fund has been set up at my church for mission trips. Here’s how it works: Please make the check payable to “WSUMC.” In the memo line please write “VIM fund.” (VIM stands for Volunteers in Mission… by writing the name of the fund instead of my name, your donation is tax deductible and can be used by others who are serving too!)
Checks may be mailed to:
WSUMC
c/o Rachel Miller
115 S. Washington Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

Please note: Unless you indicate otherwise, your name will be shared with me so that I can properly thank you for your donation.
If you don't care about your gift being tax-deductible you can send it directly to me. (Just email me for my address... or send it to the church address, above, but make the check payable to "Rachel Miller" and please put "VIM" in the memo line. Any money that is donated that I do not use will be put back into the fund at the church for future trips.)

Finally, if you'd ever like to find out more about serving in the US or around the world- please let me know! I'm happy to talk with you, pray for you and help you however I can!!

“If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one." - Mother Teresa

God's Peace!
Rachel