Ju & Lu

At YMI, I have the great joy of meeting people from all around the world.  We have missionaries that will come visit for a while and right now, we have 2 wonderful international interns in our office!  I want to introduce you to them.  

Meet Julia  :)
I met Julia for the first time when I went to Brazil last summer.  Her father, Juca is the YMI missionary in Brazil.  I spent lots of time with Ju during my time there.  She is a teacher and so I got to help her teach her 2 and 3-year-old kiddos.  Julia loves kids and she loves Jesus!

Full Name: Julia Cerpe
Birthday: June 16, 1990
Favorite color: Teal
Favorite Basilian food: Brazilian Stroganof
Favorite American food: Salmon and green beans
Favorite childhood memory: Climbing trees with her cousin
Favorite sport: Futsal
Favorite thing to do on a Saturday: any extreme sports (snowboarding, bungee jumping, skydiving), hanging with friends
Favorite hobbies: Singing, listening to LOUD music, watching movies, eating, playing soccer, running, arts and crafts
Favorite Bible verse: Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be rightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Meet Lucero  :)
Lu is the daughter of our missionary in Peru!  I met her when I started working in the YMI office.  She is a sweet spirit and is always eager to laugh!  I am loving getting to know her!

Full Name: Lucero del Rosario Serrano
Birthday: September 11, 1990
Favorite color: Purple, Black, Pink
Favorite Peruvian food: Cebiche
Favorite American food: Thai Food
Favorite childhood memory: Going to her grandmother's house and listen to her stories about her life when she was younger
Favorite sport: Running
Favorite thing to do on a Saturday: Watching movies, reading
Favorite hobbies: Hanging out with friends, reading
Favorite Bible verse: Psalm 18:1-2 "I love you O Lord, My strength.  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Parent's Night Out

On Saturday, I got to run an event called "Parent's Night Out."  We partnered with a local church to provide a place for parents to drop their kids off for a few hours while they went out on a pre-Valentine's Day date!  We had over 60 kids show up for the night and our team of volunteers did a great job!  The night was spent maintaining some level of "organized chaos" and making sure that kids were safe and contained  :)  We taught sports, played games, ate pizza for dinner and even had crafts for kids who wanted to take a break from all the physical activity.

Our team of WONDERFUL volunteers:

Kyle, Tori, Linsey, Sarah and Tori

Lindsey sharing a Bible story with the kiddos!

God is so good to bring kids to us to hear the Gospel!  We are so thankful to have partnered with a local church for this event so that the church can follow up with the families who participated in Parent's Night Out.  Our hope is that this event may end up directing families to church or even sports camp this summer!  Woooohoooo!

Thank you again, for your continued financial support and prayers for me and YMI!

Blessings,

Morgann

Training and New Friends

I have stopped keeping track of the weeks I have been at YMI.  This has just become my "normal" and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As we gear up for a long slew of training camps back to back, the office is buzzing, phones are ringing and the final details are being solidified.  We have people in and out of the office, people leaving to travel, people returning from trips and so much more.  Right now, I don't really have a "typical" pattern for my days.  Each day brings something different and I love that it keeps me on my toes. 

The highlight of my week so far has been that I got to do my first volunteer training on Monday night!  I trained three high school students so that they will be ready to serve at an event tomorrow evening.  They did wonderful!  I am so thankful for the opportunity to get to serve with them and see how God uses us for His glory.  Here are a few pictures of training!

Another really fun thing that I have enjoyed is getting to know the wonderful people I work with!  On a day when no one is travelling or in meetings, there are ten people in the office.  Most of those people I had met at some point before coming on staff, but I only really knew a couple.  Now, I have made so many new friends!  They are such a blessing in my life.  Seriously, this workplace is wonderful.  

Praises: 

1. Everyone in the office is healthy!  Last week was a little rough with sickness.

2. Volunteer training went well on Monday evening.

3. God is surrounding me with great community in the office!

Prayers:

1. Pray that training camps will go well in the coming weeks/months.

2. Pray that the event goes well tomorrow evening and that kids will come to know the Lord.

3. Pray for safe travels for those who are traveling in the coming weeks.

Thank you for following my journey as the Lord calls me into full-time ministry.  Please feel free to share this blog URL with others who may want to pray for me and see what God is doing!

Top 10

Well, friends.  We are nearing the end of Week 4 at Youth Missions International.  I thought I'd give you my Top 10 highlights from the last month  :)

10. Going through Mission Mobilizer training and understanding more about YMI.
9. {nerd alert}Arranging my desk so that it feels comfy
8. Getting to do my first round of recruitment for an event next week!
7. Spending time getting to know my co-workers (who are also my friends)
6. Spontaneous soccer drills during break time at the office.
5. Beginning to raise my salary and seeing how God provides!
4. Stuffing envelopes at the office with Rose while watching "Say Yes to the Dress"
3. Staff meetings when we pray for/with one another.
2. {nerd alert #2} Reorganizing our storage unit.
1. Knowing that YOU are reading this and supporting me in prayer!

Love,
Morgann