Hey Everyone!!

So I feel like I've been on this grou[ blog for a little while, but had some trouble logging in...I keep getting email alerts about everyone commenting on each other's blog and was so eager to figure how to get on here so I can contribute ;)

About me

Anyhow, Hi. My name is Sara (out of about 5 that are going on this trip lol) and I go to Illinois State University and am a junior in the social work major. Here are just some randoms about myself:

-I absolutely love traveling, cultures and people

- Serving is one of my passions

- I enjoy listening to people's stories (everyone has a story to tell)

- I am 4'11'' and the kids I work with keep telling me I look like an 8 year old because of my height...fun right? haha

- I enjoy learning about theology although I don't know too much of it

- I am fluent in Spanish and am Salvadorian (1st generation born in the U.S.)

- I have 2 brothers who are 26 and 14 - middle child and only girl

- My mom is my biggest inspiration - I admire, love, respect, appreciate and care for her deeply

- I know Rachel Lovejoy....we went to the Dominican Republic this past summer on a missions trip and I had no idea she was going on this trip until my other friend told me she was going

- I'm kind of quite when you first meet me, but give me some time to warm up to you....it's part of my personality

- I'm grew up in inner city Chicago (about 20 - 30min away from wrigly field) my whole life until I came to ISU

- I enjoy singing

Why Thailand

I want to go to Thailand because human trafficking has been on my heart since I was a junior in high school. I know that this trip is going to be emotionally and spiritually challenging, but I have such a desire to be stretched, changed and moved by the Holy Spirit that I can honestly say that it aches. I want to go deeper with my faith. I want to see the world for what it is, not for what we often think is idealistic. I want to be broken. I want to be so thirsty and hungry for God in a way that I have not experienced before. I so often put God in a box and I want Him to show me how wrong I am in thinking that way.

I am also choosing to go there this summer because I want to know where my relationship with God stands; am I presenting myself to God in a way that I feel I should or am I really presenting myself to God the way that I trully am? In other words, how real is my relationship with God? I want part of this trip to be a point of discovery of who I am. And the Thai people....wow....as I have been praying for them, my heart can't help but break for the women and children in the sex trafficking industry....There have been nights were I would sob at the thought of how much pain they must endure. I have no idea what God is going to be doing with us this summer in terms of serving the Thai people and Thai people serving us. All I know is that we're not going to come back the same.

I didn't mean this to be as long as it is, but I hope that this gives you a little glimpse of who I am. I haven't been able to see all the posts from everyone, but in my free time, I'll be reading them :)