All Trained Up

I just finished a week of intense training in Washington D.C.  Now I'm hanging out with a good friend in Westchester, Pennsylvania (possibly the cutest town in the Northeast), and wanted to share some highlights from the past few weeks with everyone (in no particular order):

1. International Justice Mission is the most professional non-profit I have ever had the privilege to observe. I am so impressed with their integrity and research based work. It's no wonder they have such a strong reputation all over the world. 

2. More than once during training I heard a variation of the phrase "We depend on the Lord because we cannot make it without his help. We are often working with situations that are extreme and cannot be resolved without God's help." I'm so excited to work with an organization that believes prayer is essential. 

3. I have been praying a lot about leaving my wonderful community in Dallas and asked God for at least one person to be able to confide in and He answered!  I will be sharing an apartment with a legal intern for the first 1 1/2 months (she returns to the states on August 15th) and then in September, another intern will move out to Cebu and the two of us will live together. PLUS, this way, my rent and utilities will only be around 200$ a month!! Woohoo!! 

4. I bought my ticket for Seattle (where I will visit my family and fly out from). I leave Dallas Sunday, June 28th at 8:11pm. I'm still figuring out final dates for departure to Cebu, but it will (most likely) be within the first week in July.

5. As of right now, with monthly pledges and one time gifts I have $6000 raised. The number I am shooting for is $17,000. It usually takes at least 5 business days for IJM to process gifts, so if I haven't received your gift yet, that's why. I have received quite a few promises from people about monthly support, and I know it will come in. Thanks to everyone who has given!

6. I had a yard sale at Southwest Harvest Church in Duncanville, Texas and sold everything I own. The only things I have left are a box of books and some clothes. It was very surreal to watch all of my stuff go to new homes, but very freeing also! Plus... I raised over 775$ in sales and donations and was promised a 25$ a month pledge.  Thank you Duncanville and Southwest Harvest!!

7. My friend Lexi threw me a Filipino fund-raiser! We tried to make some Filipino dishes (and they tasted very little like the dishes I remember... we had to make a few alterations!) Around 13 people arrived and left me very generous donations totaling over $500.  Then Lexi called me a few days later to say someone left an anonymous donation of $400 extra dollars under her rug! 

8. I graduated with my Master's in Social work on May 15th! My mom, sister Maralee, and brother Kyle all came down to help me celebrate, and Sarah and Erin threw me the best graduation party ever! Complete with a Pinata and everything! It was amazing.... PLUS I was given $1300 in gifts and donations towards my trip.