Wow, I haven't blogged since I first got here, that is sad. Sorry everyone, blogging apparently wasn't my favorite thing to sit down and do. I journal daily so that is where all my writing goes to. As an intern I am suppose to journal and read my bible everyday. We are reading the whole Old Testament. I am in Ezra now. I actually really like reading, I just have to make myself sit down and read.
Since I haven't posted for a long time I am trying to think of how I have changed and what I have learned since I have been here. I know a lot of my mindset has been on how what I can learn to take home and share with the youth group. I try and write everything down and remember what I feel my girls and the youth need to know. For a while I was in a stage of realizing how much God loves us, how much He loves me. It was really cool and now I have lots of verses marked of God's love for us. I also learned that what God says or prophecies over us will come true, His word never fails. In knowing this I should have faith that what He has planned for my life will not fail to come true so I shouldn't worry and just trust God. Easier said than done but it has been a good revelation for me. Especially since my leader told me about what he sees in my future, teaching and preaching to others and being a leader and whatnot. When he told me all of this and had everyone pray for me I got so excited! I was like my dream for my future is really going to happen! Who knows when or how I am going to get there but I know that I can and I will. : ) I feel like my faith has strengthened and has been stretched in a few different directions. I have learned so much more about our God that I had never learned before. I have learned more about the power of the Holy Spirit and about the gifts that God gives us. I am excited about learning everything here and almost even more excited for when I go home and really put it all to the test. Though I know going home with be difficult and a challenge, I think it will be a true test for me and for what I have learned here.
Well I am going to try and blog more for my last month here since I have really not done any this entire time. I have lots of pictures up on Facebook also.
Love From Near and Far,
Amanda Larson

Let the work begin!

Hello everyone!
Well almost two weeks here. It is crazy because I feel like I have been here for so much longer.
I have started to really miss my family lots and everyone now, but my dad gave me an idea to pray about that I have decided to do. He said I should pray about not talking to anyone from home for 5 days. So I prayed about it this morning and it was just pretty clear to me that it would help me out. So I have decided to fast from my laptop and ipod for 5 days until Sunday when I can talk to people again. I am going to be trying to spend more time in the prayer room while not talking to people and spending some time with God. I am trying to fill myself up with only God, and turn that longing for my family into longing for God. Should turn out to be a pretty good week.
We had our second and main intern orientation this morning. Got my binder full of my schedule, calendar, assignments and all that fun stuff. We are going to be reading through that whole Old Testament and also reading Heavenly Man by Brother Yun, and Loyalty by Bob Sorge. I will be doing preschool in the morning with two of the younger children, Zander and Christina. They are both three years old. I am pretty excited to start. After doing preschool at work with the kids I have a pretty good idea of what I am going to do. I can't wait, going to go over letters, numbers, and sing songs, plus some arts and crafts when we are able to. I think it is going to be a challenge at the same time but also contain a lot of joy and joy will come from it; for both me and the kids.
I will have time in the evening to do my planning the next couple weeks while our extra help is still here. So I am gonna have to try and get everything done that I need. All my reading and journaling and papers I have to write. I have to write a paper a week and them book report papers after both books.
Today during out orientation we did this thing where we all wrote thank you notes to everyone, even ourselves. I thought it was really cool. We got to hear what other people though and it was great to hear words of encouragement. I think that will help me also since I will not be talking to my parents. Having the support I have here is great. I have made some wonderful friends that I know won't leaving me stranded. But I am excited to spend more time with God this next week, and use the prayer room more; I feel like God has a lot that he has to show me.
I love you all and love your support! I will send out an email next week after my fast! : )
Love From Near and Far,
Amanda

Sunday morning : )

Well, I was going to post this this morning but then the internet went out so I was unable to so I am posting it now, haha.

Well it has been a lovely, rainy Sunday morning here in Belize. :

Things are still going well, definitely being stretched in a few different ways. Learning a lot and a little homesick but still going. Spent yesterday morning in town and walked all over putting up fliers for a women's conference that is going on in February with ladies coming down from Colorado. Town was pretty cool. Really small and lots of new people to meet.

I really want to see a storm while I am here, I hear they are pretty intense. Just to see one thunder and lightning storm would just make my trip that much better. : )

I think it was Friday we had lots of wind and ended up without power for almost 4 hours. Not a huge deal but was a new experience. And a couple nights this week two other interns and myself have stayed up late just talking, telling God and life stories and just chattin it up. The people here are still so amazing. Lots of support when I'm homesick or struggling with anything. I definitely miss everyone! But still goin on well. We are leaving for church soon, love you all and talk to you soon!

Love From Near and Far,

Amanda

And for Sunday evening it was quite a good day.  : ) Church this morning was pretty good. I don't know too  many people at the moment but I am getting to some. After church a few interns and I went into town with a few of the kids and went swimming in the Caribbean Sea! How cool was that. Very salty though and the waves were a bit intense, but it was still fun. Then went and got little cups of ice cream and played at the perk with the kids and talked for a while. It was some good time spent out of the house. Though vacation time is going to be over now, haha, we have our second intern orientation tomorrow where we will get our for sure schedule, so work will be starting now. : ) I think things will still be good though.

As for tonight, we had an amazing dinner of Potato soup and Ketchi roles, yumm! And the building I am in is 3 stories high, but if you go out the door to the outside in the laundry room, it goes out to a mini balcony, but it has no railing, at all! So from three stories up it looks pretty crazy high. But if you climb a ladder you can go up to a platform kinda think that had the little water bottle thing on top that you can chill up there and just have some peace and quiet time or just look at the stars. It is quite amazing, and tonight I finally got myself to get up there! I was so proud of myself! At first I wouldn't do it because it was like I could get up there, but I knew I would have to get back down somehow and I really didn't want to freak out in from of everyone, so I just wouldn't go up. But tonight I was able to do it. : ) Went up there and chatted with Roy, Natalie and Jocelyne. They are truly some great friends.

So right now Natalie and I are just chillin in the upstairs office, both on our laptops just doin whatever. : ) I hope everyone has been able to see my pictures on facebook. They are pretty cool. A lot of them Jocelyne has taken because I am terrible at remembering to grab my camera when we go somewhere, haha. Love you all and will talk to you soon! : D

Love From Near and Far,

Amanda

Still alive!! :)

Hello everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to sit down and write an updated blog entry. Things are going amazing. :) I really do love it here. Tuesday morning though I missed my flight. that was the worst morning ever. Just bawled and went home. My luggage went to Belize City without me. Though after getting my flight rescheduled and getting some rest at home Wednesday morning at the airport went really well. It was just my parents and I and we facetimed my sister on my dads phone. Saying goodbye and that whole day went very smoothly. Made it here!
When I first got here it was very overwhelming. There were extra people here that they hadn't planned on and dinner was getting ready and it was all busy busy. So Melissa let me. All my parents and let them know I made it. I cried a bit then and that night but since then I have been really. Made some new friends with my roommates they Re really cool and so nice. Everyone here is so welcoming and friendly. It's like a big family here. :)
I haven't been on a set work schedule yet but hopefully next week we will get them. So far we have just done random things and cooking and clean up after meals. And lots of dishes! Dishes are never ending here!
It is quite beautiful here. :) Palm greens and lots of green everywhere. One of my favorite things has been the fireflies all along the lawn before bed time. They are so cool to just watch. :)
We have devotions every morning. Those always go really well. I enjoy them very much.
I will try and get pictures up on Facebook soon! Love you all!
Love From Near and Far,
Amanda

Last week Home!!!

This week has been quite amazing! Christmas Eve spent with my whole family was great. I loved being able to see everyone before I left. : ) Christmas day through Wednesday my parents, sister and I went to Lincoln City and stayed in a beach house for a few nights. Awesome time to spend together right before I leave. My sister was able to stay the whole time also. It was great to see her again. I don't get to very often.
Thursday night... Hmmm, let's just say I have amazing friends and girls in the youth group and from Young Life. They put together a surprise going away party for me! I loved it! Went in for a meeting with Ben, the youth pastor, and end up getting kidnapped and taken to The Rock for a surprise party and video they made of them saying memories with me, my favorite jokes, and time we spent together. It was great. : D I love it.
Yesterday a few of the girls and I went to Vancouver for one last girls day. Love my girls so much. I will miss them like crazy! Today my mom and I went to REI and got a few last minute things for me and some things for her. Also last day for Olive Garden... Can I just say, YUM! : ) Love you mommy!
Update about Belize adventures...I get to go to Guatemala!! I am going to be apart of the Hiking team going to remote villages. Not exactly sure what we will be doing, but you better believe God's love will be spread.: ) I cannot wait to use some of my Spanish. It is going to be quite an adventure.
I have been more on the excited side instead of the emotional side lately. Trying to keep it that way since I know I will be coming home soon. I can't wait to be able to share stories from Belize, I know I am going to have so many. God has given me this opportunity, and now the opportunity to go to Guatemala, where I used to want to go, and I will be able to test out my Spanish, which is always exciting for me! Haha. I
ll try and blog again soon!
Love From Far and Near
Amanda

Pills, Bags and Busy.

Well, things are still going pretty well. No big hick ups or bumps in the road. Got my medicine last week for my trip. Finished my Typhoid vaccine pills and Sunday I have to start taking my Malaria pills. I have to take those once a week my whole trip, plus 4 weeks after I get back. Should be fun, hah.

Today was also my last day of work! I am going to miss my kids from work and coworkers a ton. I got a couple gifts from moms of kids. Lots of hugs from them. Love them very much. : )

I have done so much shopping for Belize. I will be taking down 2 suit cases with me. I have soo much I have to take. One of the weirdest things I have to take is laundry soap, cause I have to have a specific type that can't be found in Belize. So 2 suit cases to carry all my things and and everything that I need for 5 months.

I took everything off my walls so my mom can paint while I am gone. My room is gonna be so empty! I leave in 11 days. Wow! So excited and nerve wracking. I am looking forward to it though. I am also looking forward to Christmas! Last time for me to see all of my family together before I leave. I love them all very much. :)

I will try to figure out how to start an email list for weekly, or every few weeks updates.
Love from Near and Far,
Amanda

Mattew/Mateo 28:19-20

This has been one of my favorite verses ever since I learned and memorized it in quizzing. : )
¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
                                      Matthew 28:19-20

¹⁹ Por tanto, vayan y hagan discípulos de todas las naciones, bautizándolos en el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo,²⁰ enseñándoles a obedecer todo lo que les he mandado a ustedes. Y les aseguro que estaré con ustedes siempre, hasta el fin del mundo.^"
                                      Mateo 28:19-20