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| I'm in Cali now!
Sorry I haven't been keeping every one
updated. Internet has been hard to get and most of the times I am on I
don't always think to update - or I don't have enough time.
First
I was at Tahoe Family Encampment for a few days. Camping in tents with
cooking over the fire and hearing lessons and singing and devitionals!
It was an adventure! We hit the ground running.
I have been in
Grass Vally for nearly 2 weeks now. We have gotten familiar with the
city and met our new family here. The brothers and sisters here have
been so accommodating and loving towards us.
We don't have our
house yet... or any permanent place we are staying. There is a house
that some friends have and they would like us to rent it, the only
problem is... there is someone living their already. They are about to
move out... but we don't know how soon they will move? So we are
waiting... as patiently as possible.
Lots of things are on the
drawing board, and there is much brain storming going on. I won't say
much, only that I am very excited and all of the prospects of the
things we will be starting and doing around here. It will be good when
we are able to start settling in and setting up our stuff instead of
living out of a suit case.
I love you all!
-Amber | | |
| My teammate, Ann Cardamone, and I have bought tickets for California
leaving on Monday at 5:30 p.m. In the mean time I have a lot of packing
to do and a wedding to attend! My other team mate that is here in
Florida, Jonathan Stockdale, is leaving today for Ohio to get his car
and drive all the way to Cali! That will be a crazy trip! Kelli
Lochabay, who lives near Houston, is leaving the same time Ann and I
are. Jo Yoder from Pennsylvania will be heading for Ohio to help Jon
with driving. Logan Hart is already in California hanging out with the
church there. That is my team! Please keep us in your prayers as we are
traveling and settling in to a new home.
Today a member of
the church here in Florida is getting married and I was invited to help
out with the decorating. Last minute I was invited to the actual
wedding and I am so excited to go. This will be the last big event I do
with this family here. I have been so blessed to serve and learn here
in Florida.
I have bought a phone! I don't have all my numbers
in it yet, but I hope to build up my address book again. If you e-mail
me I will give you my number. (I don't feel comfortable putting my
number on the Internet... no telling who might try and call me)
Special note to Granny B, I keep getting the newsletters that I send
you back. Somehow somewhere I got your address wrong. So there are a
lot of newsletters that you never received. I am going to do my best to
get those to you even though the info is outdated.
Love you all and God Bless!
-Amber | | |
| Team Brazil is now...
**Drum Roll**
Team Grass Vally, California!
I
am so excited. I have heard a little about the work that is going on
there and they need help just as much as Brazil does. Eventually I
would love to work in Brazil again, it was with a heavy heart we
decided to change fields. I have gotten more and more excited about
Grass Vally. Eli Hooper - who will be our AIM coordinator - has been
dreaming and planning to have West Coast AIM there in Grass Vally. It
is an exciting plan and maybe (just maybe) we will aid in the
beginnings of starting and branch AIM program in California.
I
know only a little about the church there and the work we will be
involved in. I know there is youth (I'm told a good number of girls)
and a loving church family that will welcome us in. I am doing my best
to get there by the 23rd. We will see how everything works out
(packing, tickets, goodbyes, airports, etc.) The family here in Florida
has been so welcoming and generous to us. I am so excited to finally be
going to a field - but also sad to say goodbyes to friends I've made
here.
Thank you all for your constant prayers and support. God Bless you all!
-Amber | | |
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Ohio/West Virginia was beautiful. The OVU work camp was a hit - in all the group painted 40 houses in 4 days! It was a neat experience, I was glad to go along and serve with all the high school youth groups and see the people we touched. I rode up to Ohio with North Brevard Church of Christ youth group and we stopped at Ceder Point for an exciting day of roller coasters and fun. I must say their coasters beat Six Flags hands down! We all had fun and I was very blessed to go along with such generous and kind hearted people. During the week 4 people in the North Brevard group changed their lives by being clothed in Christ in baptism - it was awesome to see changes in their attitudes and how humbly they came before the throne. I am so thankful I was a part of this experience.
Since then we have come back to Florida and tried again to keep ourselves busy while we wait for an answer from the visa office. We finally got our answer - it wasn't the answer we wanted, but an answer none the less. Our visas to Brazil were denied. Our team has gotten together to decide what to do, we have several options before us. We could reapply for our visa and wait again, we could decide to break up as a team and go join other teams on different fields, or we could choose a different AIM field that didn't receive a team. Nothing is final yet, we are still considering options and talking about things. I will let everyone know as soon as a decision is made.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. I love you all - thank you for your love and encouragement!
-Amber
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I am still waiting on my visa. We have not even a rough idea of when we will get them. Lord willing it will be soon. While in the process of waiting I was invited to go to a work camp for a week! From what I understand we are volunteering to help paint houses for elderly and less fortunate. I could be a little wrong on the details - but as far as I know we will be doing that during the day and then we come back on to the Ohio Valley University campus and have devotionals and prayer. I am so excited to be working and helping, it makes the waiting less anxious. I am leaving this morning (at 2:30!) to take a bus up there. The group we are going with is planning to take a stop at Ceder Point... I've never heard of it but I'm told it will be lots of fun. My team mate, Jonathan, says it has the best roller coasters in the world - I guess I'll find out?!
Please keep us in your prayers - about our traveling and our visas. I love you all! Hope you are having a great summer!
-Amber
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