As the semester is quickly coming to an end, tour is getting closer, too. I can't believe I'll be heading out in exactly 11 weeks. It feels like yesterday I arrived home from last year's tour. Here's a [not so] brief update of what's happened the last couple of months as preparations for this year's adventure are now underway.
First
A few weeks ago I thought I was going to be backing out of tour due to the fact that I couldn't find anyone to sublease my place. I couldn't afford to let a couple thousand dollars go to waste on rent when I could be there taking classes and potentially graduating early. However, I had someone commit, the landlord approved the sublease, and the girl signed today. Hallelujah! I should really learn to quit stressing and just wait patiently as God works things out for me. It's a lesson in progress though…
Second
The team seems like a very well rounded group so far. Everyone has been very proactive in connecting and getting to know one another ahead of time which will greatly help in cutting down on the level of awkwardness when we first meet one another in our full, spandex glory. My impression so far is that:
1) everyone has a sense of humor (thank goodness)
2) they are all really passionate about learning about the cause and connecting with the communities we'll encounter to share why we're biking
3) almost everyone is new at biking (so someone needs to become a pro at changing flats ASAP…. because everyone knows I'm pretty much a useless bike mechanic and I tend to get my fair share of flat tires).
4) everyone seems really open to learning and being vulnerable enough to not only impact the lives of the people in Thailand/Burma that we're biking for, but also to see changes in their own lives.
It's been really fun watching and talking to each of them as they go into this tour unsure of what to expect. The more vulnerable mindset we all keep, the more we'll all get out of it. I love the saying Venture people throw around for team participants to live by on tour:
"Be like spandex: flexible, vulnerable, and a little translucent."
When you're living in community with one another for 8 weeks, you get to know one another pretty well whether you're ready to or not. The more quickly your embrace it, the more you'll get out of opportunity.
Third
I'll be fundraising for the $1000 I have to raise that all goes directly to the Venture projects in Southeast Asia for food security, discipleship, and education. If you feel lead to donate, go to and be sure to click http://www.ventureexpeditions.org/page/donate-now and be sure to click on my name in the drop down box. I'll be having at least one yard sale fundraiser, but the date and location has yet to be determined. I'm thinking possibly mid April? It'll just depend on when I'm home from school.
Also, as a lot of y'all know my mom has a photography business. She's agreed to give half of the proceeds from photo shoots I help to schedule to me for tour. So all you seniors, families, engaged couples, etc., get in touch if you need pictures, because I'm a pretty critical photographer and I think she's pretty darn good. But don't take my word for it though, her photos speak for themselves.
Fourth
I had the opportunity to talk to Brian and Amanda Elliott who are missionaries to the region of Thailand and Burma that we're biking for. Although they aren't working in Venture's community centers right now, they have spent time working there in the past and still have close ties to Venture. It was really great to hear more about the area they are located, their work, and just talk to them about them about a few specific prayer requests they have. Talking to them firsthand just helped to make everything we're biking for seem more realistic. Sometimes it's easy to forget the severity of the situation over there and just how culturally different it is when I'm thousands of miles away on the opposite side of the planet. It was also encouraging to hear the progress that's taken place so far and just how the funds raised over the years have been and continue to be put to good use.
If you want to read more about them and the work they're doing, check out their website:
Fifth
I'll be heading to Minneapolis April 4th for the leadership retreat for all the Venture tour leaders for the summer. I'm so excited to meet at least one of my co-leaders (shout out to the wonderful Carmen!). While we're there we'll be learning all the legalistic and strategizing type stuff that we'll be handling on the road. Oh, and if we're lucky we'll get an early lesson in how to drive the 15 passenger van and trailer. Lookout, world.
Okay, I believe this about covers it for now. I'll be writing a post about the exact cause and situation in the Thailand/Burma region in the next couple weeks. If you followed along last year, it's the same cause that we biked for then. I don't want to overwhelm y'all with more information in one post than I already have.
General prayers are appreciated as we begin to get a feel for what this summer will look like. Apparently every tour is completely different, so even though I've done this same route before, it'll be very new for me, too, especially from a different point of view as a leader. As I mentioned in my last post, I'll only be biking about every third day this summer, which will give me a chance to encourage and support (both emotionally and physically with food) the team. Leading will be a new experience for me, but the closer it gets, the more excited I get about the new challenges and joys that will come with it.
General prayers are appreciated as we begin to get a feel for what this summer will look like. Apparently every tour is completely different, so even though I've done this same route before, it'll be very new for me, too, especially from a different point of view as a leader. As I mentioned in my last post, I'll only be biking about every third day this summer, which will give me a chance to encourage and support (both emotionally and physically with food) the team. Leading will be a new experience for me, but the closer it gets, the more excited I get about the new challenges and joys that will come with it.
I'll leave you with a picture from our first team google hangout meeting. So far there are 16 of us, so not everyone made the picture. All are equally as fabulous though. :)
Blessings,
Sara
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