Hey, Friends! Happy February!
Has 2010 been crazy for anyone else? The first month was full of surprise and activity for me-and I loved it!
Many of you know I moved to Gainesville last week. A friend at AIM (who coincidentally I had classes with at TFC) offered to let me live with her until my support will let me lease an apartment. She rents a basement apartment from a family, 3 bdrm and 1 bath. And get this-it’s fully furnished! The family we’re renting from is so kind and I am so thankful for them! I moved Friday the 22nd and now officially feel moved in. My room has a certain “beachy” (bright!) feel, which makes me feel right at home! And the special chair my parents got me for Christmas (my dream chair!) is the most perfect place to sit, email, spend time with God, and read. I am so thankful!
That was a crazy weekend! Even with a fully furnished apartment there was a lot to purchase and get me settled in. I ended up buying a bookcase and just brought some books up last weekend. Now it really feels like home! I love seeing my “friends”-Charles Martin, Lisa Samson, W. Dale Cramer, Nancy N. Rue, Edgar Allan Poe, etc. Btw-if you ever need a book recommendation, I’m the one to ask! :0)
Monday the 25th was my 26th birthday-and my first day of full time work! How’s that for coincidence? My friend and I spent part of the day taking pictures for the devotional I’m co-writing. It was fun to “doodle” with another art I love. Photography is a lot of fun! And while I’ll never measure up to the greats, I got a cool compliment this morning! Check this out-Seth Barnes, Founder and Executive Director of AIM-posted a link to my Christmas post in his blog! So cool! Here’s how you can find it: http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=creating-an-awesome-workplace. If clicking on it doesn’t work, just copy and paste the link.
So, my first week was great. I adjust slowly and it will take a while to settle, but I’m pleased with where I am. The commute has been something to get used to-my apartment is half an hour from AIM! We live near a school, so driving in the mornings is a little tricky. Leave too early and I’ll arrive at the same time I would if I left fifteen minutes later. That sort of thing. :0)
I’ll write more later about what’s going on in our program and stuff. Right now I just want to say that I’m so excited about the students coming this summer and about what God is going to do in the nations. If you know a high school student who wants to go on a missions trip this summer (we have 2 week, 3 week, 4 week, and 5 week trips), please tell them about AIM!
Right now I want to tell y’all about a cool opportunity that’s come up. Many of you remember I spent a couple of months in the Amazon Jungle in 2007. One of my co-leaders on that trip was an awesome woman of God and dear friend, Crystal Reitsma (http://crystalreitsma.myadventures.org). She’s in Gainesville right now and I am so thrilled to spend time with her. I have missed her-and Peru-so much! So when she and my friend Connie (the Ambassador Coordinator) started talking about a set-up trip the Ambassador trip to Peru… well, I got really excited!
I know-it’s so soon. The entire cost of the trip is $900 per person. We’re still waiting for a few details to work out as well. Will you pray about this with us? Pray that God will give us direction, wisdom, and He will work out all the details-especially support. If you would like to give towards this trip, just click on the “Support Me!” link to the left or send it by check to Adventures In Missions, Inc., P.O. Box 534470, Atlanta, Ga. 30353-4470. Checks need to be made out to Adventures in Missions and “Kristen Torres-Toro” needs to be in the memo line.
Thank you so much! I didn’t expect this opportunity to come up but am so excited about it. Many of you have heard me speak of Peru and the place it holds in my heart. It’s a place I honestly never thought I’d get the chance to return to. This is an incredible gift, one I don’t deserve but makes my heart leap with excitement!
