Take 2 :)

I'm back in action here in Southwestern Florida, folks, here in Immokalee, Florida.

After some much needed r&r back home in cold, miserable Cleveland, it's time for take two of my adventure.

Being home was great, got to spend time with family and see some friends! Sadly, was unable to see everyone I wished to, but keeping in mind my time here is temporary and I will be back home for good before I know it.

I came back the 3rd of January, and then two days later we had our first immersion group from John Carroll come down. It was an amazing, incredible group of people, and it was so much fun having them down here and helping them get to experience Immokalee for themselves. We took them to morning placements (Habitat for Humanity, Social Services, CIW), and then in the afternoons they volunteered at the Early Childcare Center. At night, they came over to our house, and we all piled in our living room for a speaker and then some games to follow. We went to the lake and the beach, had a bonfire and a cookout, it was awesome. It was a real blessing of a group and everything went lovely.


Clarissa and I at the beach with the JCU Immersion Group :)


JCU Immersion Group #1 with us at Lake Trafford :)

Following week, we started back up with our volunteering.
I decided this time around, I am not going to work at the ECC anymore, though I love the babies and miss them dearly. I am devoting my mornings solely to working at Pace. I've come to really love it there, and believe it to be leading me to what I want to do in life. 

I thought it was teaching. 
I thought it was teaching little kids.

Don't get me wrong, I love little kids. But this teaching experience down here has truly taught me so much in patience, humility, unconditional love, patience, planning ahead, flexibility, communication, and oh-did I mention patience?
I feel God calling me in a slightly different direction-that being in some kind of career working with at-risk teens. My plan could definitely use some fine-tuning, but my prayer since being down here is that God will lead me and show me what He wants me to do with my life, and each day it is getting a bit more clear. :)

I am happy and I am blessed.
I need to work on my listening a bit more though, and be more aware of God trying to speak to me.
Life gets so cluttered with noise and junk, stress and things just not going my way.....I have to remember to allow myself to be led, and guided in the right direction, rather than trying to make my own plan. 
Silly me, things never go according to my plan anyways.

But yeah, it's been good. It's been real good. I have some people planning to visit me soon, and I'm very excited for that. There is midyear retreat coming up as well, very excited to see my fellow volunteers..I love the work I am doing down here...More immersion group planning....Things to keep me busy and take up time, and I just want to soak in every minute of it, because before I know it, my time here will be done.

Another thing I've come to love and appreciate being down here, 
is the beauty in nature, the beauty of creation. It never ceases to take my breath away. The skies at sunset just look like this beautiful painted artwork that God just threw on a canvas just by Being......

I love it.

Oh, and I have gotten to play volleyball at the park quite a few times since being back...and that just makes my life complete. 

:)

Sorry for the rambling, but if you follow my blog regularly, you have most likely come to realize that rambling is my blogging style. :)

Peace, love, and all good things,

Amanda