Transitions and the gray area

As a society in general we tend to fear change.  I smile when I hear people say "I'm just one of those people who doesn't like change"... because aren't we all?? I don't know anyone who jumps at the chance to change things up. We like our routines, we like knowing what lies ahead; we like security, stability, and tend to prefer a black-and-white mentality.  Yes or no, right or left, this house or that house, this job or that job, etc. 

My journey of the last five years has brought me from a person who was very black-and-white to someone who now embraces and even enjoys 'living in the gray area' - what I call a life in transition.  I used to fear the unknown; now I find so much joy living it. 

Example: When I moved back to the States last December, I didn't know ANYTHING.  I didn't know where I was going to live, (not just what house, but what state or country...), if I was going to get a job, what kind of job, if I was going to move to Thailand or Korea or back to Africa or stay in the States, if I was going to 'settle down'.... I knew nothing. And I was totally fine with that.  You just simply can't have walked very far in my shoes without knowing with 100% certainty that with a little faith, everything will work out.  I wasn't freaking out at all, in fact, I was very much enjoying the unknown, embracing what the future held.  However, everyone around me was freaking out for me! Others asked me so many times, with panic in their voices, 'What are you going to do? Where are you going to live? What about money? What about your health'...etc. 

Within a week of returning to Minnesota (where I was raised and my family still lives) I knew I didn't want to stay there. (Sorry guys, it's not  you, it's me... and the brutally cold winter after wearing flip flops for two and a half years)  So I came back to Washington, and in less than two weeks I had a job, car, and a place to live.  See?  No use in freaking out.  God had it totally under control!

The last six months here in Washington have been great, and I've very much enjoyed my time at Disney.  But it's just confirmed to my restless heart that I don't belong here, at least right now. I need to be out in the world, in the gray area of living in faith and serving those less fortunate than myself.  This is my last week at Disney, and while I'm sad to say goodbye to the people, I'm so very excited about where I'm going and what I'm doing.

I'll spend the first week of July back in Minnesota with family; the second week I'm working at a kids camp.  After that I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen, but I do know that I need to raise approximately $30k to fund my next two and a half years.  Yes, in case you hadn't heard that, all crew on board the Africa Mercy, from cook to captain to surgeon to housekeeper to HR facilitator is paying for the privilege of serving.  Please click on the "donate" link above or to the right to head to my donation page.  All donations are 100% tax-deductible. 

If you have any fundraising ideas or would like me to come speak/share with a group or organization, I would love that.  Please contact me as soon as possible at krissyonmercy at gmail dot com.

A few photos (because a post with this many words definitely needs some photos) from my last African adventure... K