Okay, so it's 10:30pm and I'm leaving my house at 3am! AAAHHHH!!!
I will be in South Africa at 3am Friday (it'll be 8am there) so that's about 24 hours of travel. I'm so excited, I love everything about traveling. Airports, passports, flying, new people, new places. I CAN'T WAIT!!
My dreams are coming true and I'm sooooo amazed at God and all his goodness.
Here are some final thoughts before I go on this life-changing journey!
1. The chances of me actually blogging in Africa are pretty slim. The best way for you to see updates from my trip is Facebook. (My name is Gianna Marie Bellante if you want to add me, lol.)
I don't think I'll really have a good idea of how much I can communicate until I get there, which is fine with me. I'm so excited to really enter into the African world and learn everything I can about everything.
2. I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has given to make this trip possible.
I felt very clearly that I was not to send support letters or do any kind of fundraising for this trip. (Not that there is anything wrong with those things, just that for this specific trip I felt the Lord was asking me to simply trust him and not try to figure anything out myself.) So I didn't.
Yet every time I needed something--money, a tent, a backpack, anything--it came. Through babysitting jobs, friends, family, and even strangers, God just so perfectly and lovingly provided everything I needed.
And he always does, but I'm overwhelmingly amazed every time.
I was laughing earlier because when I applied for this school, it cost $3,000.00. I thought to myself, okay, I can do this. Well, I think I've spent about $10,000.00 at this point. And I'm like wow, I could NEVER HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF EVER. I heard my mom say about adoption once, "We didn't have any money when we started and we don't have any money now, so it's the same thing!" Lol, I think that same thing applies to everything God calls us to do. He just takes care of it. Wow, he is awesome. So, you know who you are, THANK YOU so much for allowing God to use you. You might feel like you just gave me one little thing or just gave a little money but nothing is little in the kingdom of God. You are a precious, irreplaceable part of this beautiful journey and I am eternally grateful to you.
3. I also want to thank my the Joyful Twirlers girls for raising prayer support for me and making bracelet for the children in Africa. I had a blast getting to meet you all, talking to you, answering and asking questions, and making bracelets. I'm so glad to have so many new friends and can't wait to see you when I come home! Thanks for praying for me and recruiting others to join us on this adventure--it means more than you'll ever know.
The Bible says "where two or three are gathered in my name, I am with them." (Matt. 18:20)
If God is in the midst when two or three are praying, imagine 600! I am not even afraid or worried about anything because I know that I'll be covered in prayer the whole time!! Thank you sooo much!
4. Check out irisglobal.org and learn more about Iris Global. AWESOME MINISTRY. I'm so excited to work with, learn from, and serve with them. I don't know what the future holds for me but I do know that these next three months are going to be INCREDIBLE. I'm just so excited.
I think that's everything for now! Not sure when I'll blog again, but adventure of my dreams here I come!!! Thank you to everyone who has given and prayed!
I love you all!
Gianna
I will be in South Africa at 3am Friday (it'll be 8am there) so that's about 24 hours of travel. I'm so excited, I love everything about traveling. Airports, passports, flying, new people, new places. I CAN'T WAIT!!
My dreams are coming true and I'm sooooo amazed at God and all his goodness.
Here are some final thoughts before I go on this life-changing journey!
1. The chances of me actually blogging in Africa are pretty slim. The best way for you to see updates from my trip is Facebook. (My name is Gianna Marie Bellante if you want to add me, lol.)
I don't think I'll really have a good idea of how much I can communicate until I get there, which is fine with me. I'm so excited to really enter into the African world and learn everything I can about everything.
2. I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has given to make this trip possible.
I felt very clearly that I was not to send support letters or do any kind of fundraising for this trip. (Not that there is anything wrong with those things, just that for this specific trip I felt the Lord was asking me to simply trust him and not try to figure anything out myself.) So I didn't.
Yet every time I needed something--money, a tent, a backpack, anything--it came. Through babysitting jobs, friends, family, and even strangers, God just so perfectly and lovingly provided everything I needed.
And he always does, but I'm overwhelmingly amazed every time.
I was laughing earlier because when I applied for this school, it cost $3,000.00. I thought to myself, okay, I can do this. Well, I think I've spent about $10,000.00 at this point. And I'm like wow, I could NEVER HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF EVER. I heard my mom say about adoption once, "We didn't have any money when we started and we don't have any money now, so it's the same thing!" Lol, I think that same thing applies to everything God calls us to do. He just takes care of it. Wow, he is awesome. So, you know who you are, THANK YOU so much for allowing God to use you. You might feel like you just gave me one little thing or just gave a little money but nothing is little in the kingdom of God. You are a precious, irreplaceable part of this beautiful journey and I am eternally grateful to you.
3. I also want to thank my the Joyful Twirlers girls for raising prayer support for me and making bracelet for the children in Africa. I had a blast getting to meet you all, talking to you, answering and asking questions, and making bracelets. I'm so glad to have so many new friends and can't wait to see you when I come home! Thanks for praying for me and recruiting others to join us on this adventure--it means more than you'll ever know.
The Bible says "where two or three are gathered in my name, I am with them." (Matt. 18:20)
If God is in the midst when two or three are praying, imagine 600! I am not even afraid or worried about anything because I know that I'll be covered in prayer the whole time!! Thank you sooo much!
I think that's everything for now! Not sure when I'll blog again, but adventure of my dreams here I come!!! Thank you to everyone who has given and prayed!
I love you all!
Gianna
YAY! You go girl! It is so awesome to hear how God has shown up big time in so many ways for you! Love you!
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