Partnership: Strength for the Journey

I have been so encouraged over the last few weeks. I have had countless conversations with people I only just met about what I am going to be doing this summer. I feel like suddenly I am surrounded, supported, uplifted by the hands of those who are directly and indirectly in my life. My heart is filled with gratitude.

The plans are coming slowly. I have a plane ticket and a mosquito net. I am slowly getting things hammered out and solidified on the African end. The lack of infrastructure in many of these locations makes communication very difficult. So I just take it slow. This is an excellent lesson in patience!

This past weekend I had a table at several church services and a community meeting. It was wonderful to be able to speak with people face to face about what I will be doing. My post cards are flying, which makes me happy! 1,000 refrigerators is the goal!

I’ve never been so encouraged in any of the previous times of service in my life. I feel like people are catching the vision! I am excited by this!!

Maybe you haven’t caught the vision. I hope that I can help you understand. This trip is about loving those who are unloved, those who are often forgotten. This time of service is about, for a short moment in time, lifting the burdens of my African brothers and sisters as I come along side of them. I am going to be partnering with Africans to help them bring about transformation in their nations! This trip is about getting a vision of a broader humanity. Seeing humans, who are worthy of every dignity, and meeting them where they are at. My strongest desire for this time is the LEARN. Sit at the feet of Africans and learn from them… their wisdom, their solutions, their pain… so that I can learn how to carry these burdens with them.

In other news, I’ve made a decision about the end of my time in Africa. My trip will end in Kenya. I am going to be working with the Missionaries of Charity… Mother Theresa’s nuns. They run a home outside of Nairobi very similar to what is run in India. I can’t wait to work with them for a short time, to see how they live out love of the destitute and dying!

The VIDEO!

Watch it. Share it. Watch it again. Tell everyone!

Washing Feet... Considerations through preparation

Life is BUSY. For the months before I decided to go to Africa, I pretty much just worked… and occasionally did things with friends. It was a time of finding my feet again after a challenging senior year of college.

However, ever since I said the final Yes to going to Africa this summer, the rubber has hit to road. Sometimes I feel like a one woman circus, running around doing 100 million different things all at once. It’s feast or famine in terms of work to be done. One day I’ll have 30 emails to send and everything I need to do another pass at stuffing my letters. The next day there will be no pressing emails and nothing else to attend to… those days I feel at a loss, but then remember that it is in those small breaks that I need to rest.

The other day was one of those crazy days. My head hummed for hours, telling me all the people I needed to remember to email about this event, or that contact, or mailing the postcards…ect ect ect. Finally I came to a point of feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. And there, I stopped. I had to stop the lists, I needed to clear my head.

So in mid list of people to contact, I forced a question across my mind… and all else ceased.

The questions was simply…

Why are you going to Africa?

I knew the answer right away.

The answer humbled me, and reminded me of who I am and why I am seeking to do this work.

So, why am I going to Africa?

I am going to Africa because I believe in washing feet. I believe that giving your life in service of others, especially the poor, is one of the greatest ways to use the time, talents and treasure we have here on earth.

In preparation for this time, I have been reading various writings by Mother Theresa. She has a lot of quotes that are used often, perhaps over used. But this is the one I’d like to use today…

“Unless a life is lived for others, it is not worthwhile”- Mother Theresa

Mother Theresa did more than just serve. She poured out her life on behalf of the poor, the voiceless, the dying, the orphan. That is what, in a very small way, I hope to do this summer. I am partnering with organizations and offering them all that I have… the small offering of short amounts of time, my skills and talents, and resources. That is all I have to give at this time.

I am not Mother Theresa… but I do seek this summer to fully give my life in service of those I meet in Africa. To kneel in the red earth and wash their feet. To embrace the crying child and lift up those who are bowed down. To lavishly give love, time, energy and resources to “wash the feet”… to humbly serve the people of Eastern Africa

This cannot be done alone. I hope that each of you will, in your own way, partner with me to give all that we are to make life better for our brothers and sisters all over the world!

Thanks for reading!

Noelle Gornik is traveling to S. Sudan, Uganda and Kenya this summer. She is seeking to love, serve, encourage and learn while in Eastern Africa. Throughout her time she will be working with churches, communities, orphanages, development organizations, human rights workers, and others. Noelle hopes to be able to help in small ways with the current work being down, and also to discern the type of work she is meant to do long term in Africa.

If you are interested in joining my email list... please write me at noelle.gornik@gmail.com. Emails will be sent every 3 weeks.

Concert and Postcards!

Well, things are coming together to really get the prayer and fund raising efforts off the ground! I ordered 1,000 postcards, two sides in color! If you want some, let me know... I should get them this Friday.

Abigail Stauffer, a dear friend and now well known local musician has said she'd play a concert for me! The Common Cup has graciously said that they will host this event. I hope you'll all consider joining us for a lovely evening!