Week 1 Complete with a little zoo action and ending today with my “frienemy” Jillian Michaels

So I have now been in New Orleans for 10 days now- I think???? I am so in love with it here and can’t imagine being elsewhere…. If people are wondering if I am getting homesick- I’m most definitely not- because I am at HOME here! I can’t even begin to describe how awesome God has been in my life this week and how much he has revealed himself to me. It is one of the most comforting feelings ever. I have been so blessed to meet 6 wonderful girls in my group that I am getting to know more and more each day. I get to build amazing relationships with each of them and in some way or another I have seen improvement in them.

Since Tuesday- there has been a little bit of drama between the girls- but that is to be expected because they are pre-teen girls and that is just how Girls are- but part of our role in their lives is to teach them how to handle things in a more positive, and Christ-like way…. We have 8 weeks to accomplish this and I definitely think it is possible.

Not only are we impacting the lives of these girls, but because of them I will never be the same. They have changed my life in unimaginable ways. I will not go back to North Carolina (if I do) the same person.

This upcoming week is going to be a little different. We have a youth group coming in Sunday night and they are going to be running everything for the week. There are several things I am looking forward too. I have never been the like camp counselor over another group sorta- like I have always been the one with the youth group. So I am excited to get to build relationships with the girls coming in as well. I can’t wait to see how are girls respond and interact with the girls coming and this is going to provide our Up2Hope girls with more people to love on and hang out with. And I am also, most definitely, hoping for a somewhat relaxing week to prepare for week 3 (including choreographing a dance to Shackles)!

I am super excited about the relationships that I am building with the other summer missionaries as well as all the staff at BFH- they are awesome and we just have so much fun together- whether it is playing Apples to Apples or getting our butts kicked by Jillian Michaels- “we are all in this together!!!”

I ask that everyone who reads this pray that God will continue to reveal his plan to me on whether or not staying in New Orleans is what he wants. Right now they are several things he is doing and has shown to me encouraging me to stay here.. And deep down in my heart I honestly believe that is what he wants and I am ready for anything he wants me to do. So just pray that things will keep coming together and that he will continue to reveal his plan to me. Pray for safe travels for the youth group that will arrive late tomorrow night and as well as safety while they are traveling here. Pray for all of our girls in Up 2 Hope that they can come in with open hearts and a willingness to learn what we are teaching them and that they will be able to begin applying it to their lives. Pray for all of us missionaries and staff that we can continue to just reach out and love these kids and for flexibility this upcoming week- things are sort of in the air for us. Also please pray for some disclosed things that I will be sharing later this summer. Pray for confidence that I will be able to do it, because I know God wants me to.
Kendall <3