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All the Things Summer 2015: Trainings, Puerto Rico, and India!

It’s Tuesday afternoon and a flash thunderstorm just rolled through, clapping the sky and sending down sheets of rain. The last of the June thunderstorms – it was amazing. 

So far, this month – this summer – has been one of abundance. Wealth in the form of sunshine and beauty, tiger lilies, and evenings spent on my hammock until well after firefly hour (is there really any other way to tell time? “Dark thirty” comes right after that), laughter with friends, co-workers, and roommates, and, of course, peaches. All of my favorite things wrapped up in one month. It’s been beautiful; it’s been extravagant. And I am so full of joy and thanksgiving, for such incredible gifts!

Please forgive me for how long it’s taken to get back on here. The move – or actually, moves – went well. They took a lot out of me, but the end result was that I now live in my dream home with people as creative as I am. Which means, that pretty much I live in an ongoing storybook. For instance:

  • We have an Alice-in-Wonderland-themed kitchen
  • There’s a disapproving Ent outside the kitchen
  • My roommates’ cat (which has 3 names and a tail named “Steve”) lives in a cupboard under the stairs.
  • And there’s even a “Spare ‘Oom”!

It’s literally more than I dreamed of when praying about where to live, with whom, and in the perfect location. I even shaved 3 minutes off my commute!

The move happened at the perfect time. We still haven’t set up the Spare ‘Oom, but other than that, we were finished in a few weeks. Then came the beginning of Training Camp season at Adventures. In addition to my regular things, I also helped teach a blogging breakout at a training in May, and co-taught a blogging training for Story Leaders this past weekend at a World Race Launch in Atlanta. It’s been fun teaching about something I’m so passionate about (stories!) and helping others write the best ones they can from what they are living on the field!

Then, sometime around Memorial Day, I got sick. Only I didn’t want to be sick, decided I wasn’t sick (because I “don’t” get sick), and spent 3 weeks recovering from strep throat/upper viral respiratory infection I wasn’t sick with, complete with a week where I could only eat ice cream/milkshakes (and quickly realized my childhood dream of only eating ice cream wasn’t as great as I always thought it would be). So that was fun. 

Last weekend was that training I mentioned above, and now I’m looking ahead into July wondering where June went. And if I thought June went by quickly, the rest of the summer will be on warp speed.

So before anymore time passed, I wanted to update y’all on what was going on and what’s coming up!

Next week, July 8-18, I will be co-leading a youth group trip to Puerto Rico! That’s right- I’m going back to the “land of my people!” Woohhhooo! I’m so excited! I’ll be co-leading with 4 other people, 2 of whom are also Adventures staff. We’ll have a group of 85, so it’ll be a really fun logistical puzzle moving everyone all around the San Juan area. Please be praying for us as we go! Pray for me as I lead again (it’s been a little while). Pray for those we will meet and minister to, and for the teams themselves. I can’t wait to see what God does!

*Photo from my trip there in 2012

Then…at the end of July, I head to India! WOOHOO!!! If you remember, this was one of the “5 Things I’m Praying About This Year” I wrote about in April. I’m officially on the team (Connie is leading it), and excited. Because this trip is going to be very different:

We found out a few weeks ago that we won’t be able to go to Asha House. And I was so bummed. I can’t even describe how disappointed I was. Honestly, I prayed about not going to India and instead going somewhere else, with a different trip. But the more I prayed, the more peace I felt about where I was going. Because this might have been a surprise to me, but it isn’t one to God. And the orphanage we’re going to work with is a partner of Adventures, an organization many teams work with. So I’ll be able to see this ministry firsthand, which will help me in writing about it in the future for Adventures. And on the tail end of this trip, a handful of us will fly up to Nepal for a few days. My friend Connie is going for her business, Purchase Effect. I’m going because I’ve always wanted to go, am hurting for those so affected by the earthquakes, and just want to see what God will do there in our little group. We’ll return the second week of August (tickets aren’t purchased yet, so I don’t have the exact date).

*Photo by Connie Rock, 2014

So while this trip to India looks very different from what I thought it would originally, I am still pretty excited about it!

Currently, around $1000 has come in towards that trip. Tickets from ATL to India are more expensive than estimated, meaning I still need to raise $2000 to cover it and ground costs in India (I’m only fundraising for India, as the 2-3 day Nepal portion is vacation time. I’m praying for an inexpensive flight and the ground costs there will be minimal).

To give financially, you can click “Support Me” on the top left of the screen for an online donation, or send a check to:

 

Adventures in Missions, INC.

P.O. Box 742570

Atlanta, GA 30374-2570

 

Please make all checks out to AIM and write “Kristen Torres-Toro” in the Memo line.  

Thank you SO MUCH!

 

Finally, one final development that I’m so excited for: my friend Brandy and I decided to create our own softball team for a local fall rec league. As of yesterday, ourselves and 18 others are officially signed up for fall ball! This was also on my list of “5 Things I’m Praying About this Year“, so I am pumped! WOOHOOO! Games start August 18 – about a week after I get home from Asia!

That’s it! Thank you all so much for everything! Thank you for praying, for your encouragement and for your financial gifts. Please be praying for my trips this month… I hope to be able to update you on Puerto Rico before heading out to India, but the turnaround time will be short. Either way, I’ll write in August and let you know what happened. Prayer requests concerning this month:

  • Safety in travel (including the fact that I might drive in Puerto Rico)
  • The teams and ministries in both locations
  • For the full funds to come in for the India trip, preferably before July 31.
  • That I will be open to and willing to follow God’s leading
  • Just for awesome ministry and conversations with people

Thank you! Hope you are having a great summer!