The Story of how God has Planted the Seeds for Argentina

I'm going to tell you all a little bit about how God has led me to Argentina. So here it is goes...pretty awesome story...

In about February or March one of my friends, Ashley Musick, invited me to move to Argentina with her this fall. At this point I was planning on going to grad school in the fall. I also had no connections or reason to move to Argentina. And so, I said that I would pray about it but that I didn't think I'd go.

Then, a few weeks later I led a group of my friends on a Spring Break mission trip to Mexico City. In Mexico City we stayed with Ryan and Amanda Gray who are missionaries there. At one point in the trip I was talking to Ryan about my plans for after graduation. I told him that one of my friends had asked me to move to Argentina. He then informed me that some of his good friends, Jared and Karina Berryman, were missionaries in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He said that right now they are wanting others to come and work with them. So he gave me their contact info.

The first time that I talked to Karina she told me that they would gladly welcome me into their home. They had been praying for God to send people to work with them! I was so excited and ready to come!

For the next few months I prayed about my decision to do mission work in BA. Some days I felt that it would be a great adventure...other days I felt very uncertain. I really wanted to know what God thought and hadn't felt like He had told me yet.

July came and I HAD to start fundraising if I wanted to go. And so I began writing letters and proposals to friends, family, and two churches. Now let me tell you, fundraising is absolutely the most humbling experience ever. After the first few weeks I had some but not enough to make a commitment.

I always had September 6 in my head as the day I would leave. In order to leave on that day I needed to buy my tickets 1 month in advance. Well on August 1st I went with Monterey to camp. I needed to buy my plane tickets the Friday that I was to return home (August 6).  That Sunday that I left for camp, just a little bit of money was in my BA account. Before I bought the tickets I needed most of my funds and so my dad threw out a very large amount as the amount that I should have in order to buy my plane tickets. Basically, I thought that there was no possible way I would get that. In my mind I had already decided that the trip would be pushed back to October.

As it turns out, God has had a plan all along and used that week to speak to me in many ways.  During that week God opened up doors for me to share a part of my recent testimony to my campers and to pray with a young girl. I also taught a class two times a day and was able to share with the kids about how the Lord has used my Cerebral Palsy. And, at the end of the week He opened the doors for me to talk to one of the directors who has a disability. He offered me advice and encouragement. I had never really talked to someone whose disability probably affects them as similarly as mine does to me in social situations. It was just amazing. It's kind of hard to explain, but that week the Lord revealed to me that not only does He love me, but that He wants to use even my greatest pains and struggles in order to reach others for Him.

All week long I received emails from people/churches saying that they were going to give. By the end of the week I had the amount that my dad had suggested...plus some!!!! Wow!!! It was like God was screaming, "AUDREY, GO TO ARGENTINA, I WANT TO USE YOU AND LOVE YOU AND TAKE CARE OF YOU!"

Now I am 19 days away from leaving! Regardless of all my failures and weaknesses, the Lord has blessed me, He is taking care of everything. It is the best feeling ever to know that I am right in the middle of the Lord's will.

Thank you all so much for your encouragement and love!

"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24

Ashley and I at graduation!

The Story of This Summer

Wow, I can't believe that it is already August! This summer has flown by! My summer has been absolutely amazing! In January I felt like God wanted me to spend time with my family and so I asked Shauna Young, the children's minister at my church in Lubbock, if I could intern with her this summer. She said yes and so I have been able to spend the most time I have since high school with my family.

The internship has been great! Last summer I interned with the children's minister at Oak Ridge COC in Weatherford. It was a small church that I completely fell in love with and am still good friends with many families there. This internship was with Monterey COC which is a much larger church. It was good to have gotten experience in both a small church and a large church. I love Shauna and have enjoyed spending time with her and all of the other staff at Monterey. Thanks Shauna for mentoring and being my friend this summer! It has also been great to reconnect with old members that I grew up with and to make new ones through this internship. I love ya'll!

 

                                                       My wonderful boss Shauna!

                                          

This summer I also had a "job" hanging out with Natalie 3 days a week. We have had so much fun doing things like singing our elementary song, going on walks, and playing doctor. Natalie is a beautiful, precious 14 year old. She is a great swimmer, Girl Scout and friend! Tonight was my last night with Nat and I'm going to miss her!

                                                       Nat and I at the Science Spectrum!

One of the bonuses of being home has been getting to hang out with my old best friends! It has been just like old times!!! I also have met some new friends which has also been great!

                                           Some of my new/old friends, Karla, Audrey, me,
                                  Jana and Em. We made our own stir fry for Emily's Birthday!!!

At the beginning of the summer my parents took me to Europe for my graduation present. They took me because I graduated a year early from college, and because it was a great excuse to travel! We spent time in Washington DC, London, Paris, Vienna, and Hungary. I loved England's old buildings; had great, crazy, scary adventures in Paris; loved how clean Vienna was; and loved spending time with friends in Hungary. In Hungary we visited our exchange student that we had when I was 6, and her family. She has a 4 year old little girl who we were able to meet!

Dad & Mom by the Washington Memorial. Mom LOVED having her picture taken...ha

Our fav. spot! World War II Memorial...right by W. Memorial and Abe. 

Mom & Dad by the London Bridge

Me with a London Tower Guard

                                  THE Eiffel Tower, Cool! This is right after Mom broke her rib & arm and before my dad got robbed.

Dad & I in The Louvre, I got lost from my parents in by the Mona Lisa for a few hours. Oops!

The whole fam next to the Arch of..something...in France

Mom & Hanna...she is just pretending to be unhappy :)

Hanna in one of her many awesome outfits!

Oh yeah Vienna. I forgot about it because we were only there for a short while due to a robbing.

The day we got home from Europe I drove to Abilene. From there I went with a family from Abilene  to Six Flags. I had fun with the whole family and especially liked hanging out with their brother Jay. He was very entertaining; speaking Spanish to strangers, offering to steal cars for me, and so forth and so on :)

Jay and I were super heroes!!!

Me with the kids!

A few weeks later we had VBS at Monterey. The theme was "Backstage with the Bible" (or something close to that). The ladies who produced this event did an amazing job. It was pretty much a huge concert for Jesus! I was privileged enough to be buddies with a little girl named Knatalie. She is a 5 year old little girl with Autism. I had so much fun walking around with her, learning how to make her smile, and playing outside with her. She is such a blessing, an angel from God. I also have loved spending time with Stacy, the special needs minister, she is awesome!

Knatalie...she loved to cuddle :)

Later that week I went to VBS at Oak Ridge!!!! It was sooo exciting to visit all of my Oak Ridge family!        I was a group leader and was able to hang out with some of my favorite kids...they are getting so big...and it's only been one year! I also spent time with several of the families that I was close to, which was great. And I was lucky enough to visit on the weekend of my minister's baby shower. His wife Lisa is having twins!!! Thank you Oak Ridge for not forgetting me!

Delaney & I hanging out after VBS

Some of the kids washing feet!

Last but not least, last week I went to Pine Springs with Monterey. Whenever I got there they needed an extra counselor and so I became both counselor of Blue Jay and teacher. It was a great week (I'll write more about that later).

Some of my lovely campers!

3 of the girls from Monterey!

Thank you Lord for a wonderful summer!

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1