Venezuela

I just got back from Venezuela on Tuesday! I took a trip to visit friends and celebrate all that God has done there over the last 11 years.

Venezuela has a special place in our hearts. After Bryce finished his Masters at Virginia Tech in 2005, he went to Maracaibo, Venezuela on STINT (Short Term International Intern) with Campus Crusade for Christ for 1 year. Two years later, right after we started dating and I graduated from Virginia Tech, I raised support and did the same-STINT for 1 year in Maracaibo.

Halfway through the year while I was there, Bryce came to visit for 10 days, and while on a trip to Los Cayos (beautiful secluded islands off the coast-Morrocoy National Park), Bryce proposed to me!

The ministry in Venezuela has been incredible to see. Just 11 years ago, Campus Crusade starting sending teams of Americans down to start a movement of university students. Over 11 years so much has happened! God clearly had a plan for this ministry and these students. In just these past 11 years, it has gone from nothing to a growing movement in 5 cities, with almost all Venezuelan Campus Crusade staff in each city, national conferences each year with about 250 students attending (and most of them are new each year), and Venezuelan students going on mission trips all over Venezuela and around the world. Our God is awesome!

Last Saturday, I was blessed to be able to attend a celebration for all that God has done there. There were almost 300 people at the celebration banquet, including students, Venezuelan staff, American staff past and present, parents of students and others who have had an incredible impact on the ministry and have helped our teams.

I had so much fun! I was able to reconnect with all of my team members from my year, I met other Americans who served on teams in Venezuela at different times, I spent time with the Onishis (the Campus Crusade staff family that has been there for 8 years working in the ministry), and spent time with Venezuelan girls that were in my Bible study when I was there.

I'll post pictures soon! I'm actually in bed pretty sick...unfortunately I came home to find out that I have a parasitic infection :( So I've been in bed with hardly any energy waiting for the medicine to start working!