Opportunities and disappointments

So, I have some really, really exciting news and then reality falling right behind. Good news always goes first so here we go:

My church is giving the high school students a chance to go on a mission trip to Jelsava, Slovakia this coming up summer. We would be helping with sports, English camps, spiritual surveying, door-to-door witnessing and community service projects. Our youth group has a special heart for these people, the Roma people. For the past three years, the church camp we go to have been taking up offerings to support the Roma people. We bought bracelets and other things to remind us to pray for them. It is like a dream come true to be able to go and meet them. BUT, the cost is whole other issue. It is $875 PLUS AIRFARE, plus the cost of a passport plus money for food while traveling plus extra spending money. Considering a ticket to Slovakia is about $1,500, this trip would add up to be about $2,500. In other words, I'm not going.

Then there is another trip that is offered to me by my school. This coming up summer, my school is going to China. They have gone before (they have connections with people in China) and are planning on going again. We would do lots of touristy stuff, you know, sight seeing and shopping and eating. But one of the days we would also go and help teach English somewhere. I would also love to go on this, I mean, hello, it's China. We would go see the Great Wall! One of the Seven Wonders of the World! Heck, I may never get this chance again! However, the price of this trip will be as much if not more than the Slovakia trip.

And considering how my mother doesn't believe in sending out support letters, getting the money for either of these would be very difficult. Of course, if God is calling me to go, I know He will provide. And it would be amazing to watch Him supply the money. But I am not yet convinced He has really called me to go on either trip. I need to pray about it more.

But anyway, there are my two unbelievable opportunities and the tragic realities that come with them. Pray that I will follow where God leads me and be content if He wants me to stay.

Sarah