Beginning to Blog

Hey everyone!!
 So this is my first time to blog. I wanted some place to express my thoughts as I prepare for Africa. For those who don't know, I am heading to Swaziland, Africa this summer with an organization called Adventures In Missions. I will be there June 22- July 21.To be honest it sometimes is annoying for me to tell Everyone and their mom where i'm at in the preparing process, etc. Therefore, hopefully this will explain where I'm at as far as preparing to head out on my journey to the unknown, both to Africa and thereafter.

I am already having some weighty thoughts and my heart has become even more heavy as reality is sinking in. I mean my world was turned upside down after going to Haiti and ever since I have been back it's as if I have been restless. Ofcourse, I miss that village like crazy and especially the people. That's not the only reason I'm restless....it's the reality of poverty, pain and suffering. It's so heavy on my heart to where I feel as if I can't even breathe. My soul is going to burst any second! So with Haiti in my past and Swaziland in my future the heaviness has just gotten, well, heavier. Each day that get's closer to heading out to Africa I have been reminded of the desires and passions God has so intricately woven into my heart and very being. That passion is to sit in the dirt with the poorest of the poor. I desire to stand along side the orphan and diseased, to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. I desire to be a light in the dark places. I'm sick of being a light in a bright place. I'm sick of sitting in a cushioned pew. I'm sick of being comfortable.

It's so difficult to articulate all that I'm feeling, thinking, and experiencing. So to save this first blog I'll just post a video that I made on Sunday(feb 12). I wrote everything that's in the video on Friday(10) after I had a crazy dream on thursday(Feb 9) night.
Thursday I had a dream that there were sorta these two paths. One was full of fun activites such as rock climbing and all sorts of stuff and the other path had a child of every nationality represented dressed in rags...i woke up and my heart was overwhelmed and hurting. The weight of it all has began to become more real and i can no longer just sit still like everything is ok because it is not.
Please know that i am by no means pointing a finger at any of you because i have to blame myself too.

I hope you can see the yearning in my heart. Please pray with me. I know God reigns and is still in control in the midst of poverty and brokeness. In fact He teaches me more from the Poor and broken because deep down i am too.


http://youtu.be/Rn76uK3gi7E


Love,
Laura Beth Harbin