Dark chocolate, procrastination, and dedication...

First, I'm craving dark chocolate.

Second, creating a blog the day before a big trip is commonly called procrastination.

Third, maintaining a blog takes something called dedication. If you're reading this blog, thank you! I will update it as much as I can, pictures and all.

• Tomorrow I leave to go to San Francisco for a night, and then fly to Venice on Friday. I'll spend most of my trip in Slovenia, which is part of the former Yugoslavia. It's far from 3rd world as many think and is as developed as the U.S.
• I'll be helping out Todd and Sarah Hunnicutt, a missionary couple from Big Valley Grace and First Baptist. I am extremely excited to have the opportunity help alongside them as they organize their annual English camp in Kranj! I will also be working with another program, teaching English to elementary kids. Seriously, going to be fun.
• And finally, I'll finish up the trip with a little traveling! Ooo, I can't wait to show you the pictures. But, I don't have them yet.

I can't wait to meet the people of Slovenia that I have been praying for! I know that they are an amazing people. I also know that it is a very dark country. In addition to friendships that long outlast my stay, I will offer them something that we all crave: hope. THEY HAVE THE CHURCH BUT NOT JESUS. Many of them will say they are Catholic, but they don't believe in God. I want to show them what they're missing! It's not about the rituals. We aren't there to just "lay out the gospel" (not a bad thing!), they need to see that we care because Jesus cares. I hope to show them that Jesus is not about rules, but about freedom!!

I'll try to make your blog-reading as fun as possible. I'm a VERY visual person, so I'll post as many pictures as I can! And I won't make them long and boring! I hope...