swing brother swing

Last night i started to watch the movie Swing Kids, and after about 3 mins i decided to be spontaneous and check to see if any swing events were going on in Amsterdam, sure enough there was - only a 10 min bus ride from my huis! I got ready in 10 mins and ran to catch my bus. But, being so excited and in the rush to make my bus, i forgot the name of the cafe and the exact address.. had the bus to take, the stop and knew it was "head North on this street make a Right on this street" HOWEVER i wrote down the stop wrong and got off too soon. it was a very unpopulated area at 10pm. But i saw a woman on her bike and asked her which way this street was and she gave me a ride on the back of her bike (a very Dutch thing to do). People here are really SO nice. So i find this cafe and it was SO fun.. best night of swingin i have had in a long, long time. i connected with everyone SO well and they were all so kind.. i made new friends and one of the swing instructors even gave me a ride back to my huis on his bike too... i was so very Dutch last night! it was amazing!

here is me on the back of his bike :)




In other news; the seminar is going AMAZING!! I have so much I want to say about it but i'm still processing... i will try to post about it soon!!

Sigh no more

Sometimes I feel like I'm simply floating in Amsterdam, no grip of reality or feelings, its quite wierd. But then again I've only been here a few weeks, I can't expect myself to just dive into life here, its been 4 years since I've stepped foot in Holland and life tends to move gradually when starting a new season of your life. So I must just sit and breathe and remember that God has called me here and all will work out in His perfect timing. The Shine seminar starts with classes on Monday, this will be the perfect time to just absorb all the knowlegde about human trafficking, I do believe it will be life-altering.

I'm missing home a little bit now, I think because I'm just longing for that more family feel, which will come in time I'm sure. Its funny how you feel more lonely when on the mission field to. Haha I really want to get married now and have kids, but again that will all unfold in God's timing.

I've decided not to go to Rome with Brooke. I really would like to but it's SO hard for me to spend money on something like that when I know I will need to save it to live, especially when I come back home I'll need to have gas money to get up to Woodward and whatnot so comes sacrifice which I've learned is very common in life :)

I have written several run on sentences in the post, and more thoughts will come these next few weeks since I feel the settling in period has shifted to the gaining more knowlege in this seminar season.

My, my time can get away from you

These past weeks have been good.. kinda weird though... I feel like I've been "trying to find my place" like where I fit into this ministry. I have to remind myself that it will all come in time. I've only been here for almost 3 weeks! We have been preparing for the Shine Seminar coming up this week.
http://www.ywamamsterdam.org/2010/12/shine/
Its going to be rad! We have 14 full time students right now (including myself). I look forward to taking in all the info.. we have something like 29 speakers in 6 weeks! Haha its going to be soo good! People are coming from all over the world. The Shine Seminar is a 6 week conference to promote understanding of sexual injustice and the Christian response to it. The last 3 days we will be hosting a Networking conference with people from all over with all different ministries in human trafficking.. I am REALLY looking forward to meeting all these wonderful people.

My friend Brooke is here working with The Shelter, it's so nice to have her near.. we just got to spend the evening together this past weekend, its crazy how much comfort you can find in another American.

I've decided to change some things around. If I stay for 4 months like I was planning on doing I would have to start my Visa process, however once I receive my visa I would have to also get Dutch insurance right away and start paying for it the day I get my visa. But i'll be gone for the Summer so I won't even be benefiting for what I'd be paying for. Its only $50 to change my plane ticket back 3 weeks so I will be in the 90 day tourist visa window. When i come back to A-town in September/October I will start applying for all this then. So I am coming back home April 28th now.

Before I come back though, Brooke and I were talking about taking a weekend trip to England... that should be soo exciting! I've never been but have always wanted to and flying is SOOO cheap throughout Europe.

Prayer Requests
1. That I would find a good/cheap bike
2. That I would take a step back and really learn at this Seminar/and that I would take every opportunity to learn in life.

All is goed

I met with Melissa Gomez (the Lighthouse Director) yesterday. It started to get me excited because I got to really see how perfect the Lord is in orchestrating this. It is really all coming together and its soo exciting to see God moving the hearts of people all over the world to come serve and love the unloved in this city. It's clear that He is doing a mighty work here and all my desires and dreams will soon become reality.

I just want to be emerged in this life I’ve set out to live. I want to truly live above reproach. The Lord told me many years ago that I would live a life far from normal, it seems pretty normal to me right now but then again my ways of thinking are so different.

Tonight is a welcoming dinner for me and my new friend Bongiwe at The Lighthouse; I am excited to spend time with my “Amsterdam family.”

Here are a few pictures from my first few days here:

My friend Ana and I went out for pizza my first night, SOO good!

Went to the marketplace and i forgot how simple and good the "dutch cakes and sweets" are. They love waffles/pancakes! and its so pretty the way they do things :)

My bed

my messy desk/sink

my window with the beautiful view

Beautiful View one

Beautiful View two

I'm too short for this building

my map to The Lighthouse thanks to my beautiful new friend Tania

DO NOT JUDGE ME! it was only 12 Euros and has two curling irons an elliptical curling iron a CRIMPER (yes! a crimper!) and a flat iron haha hey it does the job for me!


Prayer Requests:
1. I am applying for my dutch residency/visa and medical care on Friday. I do not know how exactly I will pay for this (didn't have it in this trip's budget but I need to get the ball rolling now) and I just want to pray I get accepted (or get the process going soon or else I will not be able to stay the last month of this trip) I am not too worried about it though.
2. Also I want sooo badly to learn Dutch but will not be able to take classes until I come back in September so pray I can catch on rather quickly!