Hi friends,
Thank you so much for following me through this journey in North Carolina. This has definitely been a sweet season having all the prayer and support from each of you. Thank you endlessly.
Today was the start of our last week here. It is our last full week on campus before heading back to ATL next Wednesday for debrief. Only a few days left 🙁 I feel like I’ve finally learned everyone’s names here on campus and have started to get into a steady routine. Working at the thrift store has been so fun. Engaging in conversation with guests and other volunteers has been so fun. All the thrift finds are good conversation starters! Most of my volunteer days are spent behind the cash register. This past week a new lady named Margaret started working with us to check people out. She was so fun and had spent the whole shift sharing some pretty cool stories about her life with us. Hearing her speak was a big realization that everyone has a story. We may see people for who they are on the outside, but God has given us so much more than an outward appearance. Each of us has a testimony to share. Remembering that has caused a big uproar in empathy and understanding for the people I meet.
Kentucky was also a weekend trip I was looking forward to. The team was planning to attend a tent revival. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, I decided not to attend. I was very disappointed to not have the chance to go but knew I needed to be home at that time. Initially, FOMO (fear of missing out) kicked in. I really wanted to be with my team, visit another state, and experience God in new ways. Nevertheless, God still showed up in new ways from home. Why am I shocked about that? He always shows up. Anyways, I was able to spend the weekend fully undistracted and resting in the Lord. I also had the chance to fully rest my physical body and give it a break from the hard work the team has been participating in. I also had the chance to serve some of the students on campus by cooking for them. I learned how to make kimchi, made matcha boba drinks, and other fun Asian foods. I was able to engage in intentional and meaningful conversations with others too over the meals I made. I had a blast! God is so kind to provide community and growth in ways I could never ask.
My hands are blistered and my body is bruised from all the manual labor. It is overwhelmed by the type of work. I’ve never gone through this before. Amidst the difficulties, I’m learning to find joy in all situations. I’m finding the core value of reminding myself that God is still good. Paul has been a big reminder of that to me in this time. He was in jail with Silas yet still rejoyced. They were beaten and made fun of and publically declared God is good. Even Stephen prayed to the Lord and declared over the people committing wrongdoings against him as he was stoned to death. God is still good. He will always be good amidst the trials and hardships we face.
Please pray for my team as we begin the closure of this trip. Pray that we will continually serve out of a place of love and joy. Please pray that we will be a blessing to every person we interact and cross paths with. Pray that we will continue to understand and discover God in greater ways and see His goodness in all circumstances. Please continue to pray for the health and well-being of everyone as well.
Current anthem: https://youtu.be/mC-zw0zCCtg
Thank you so much for all the support! You all are so loved. I cannot wait to share more of what God is doing here in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
Allison Tran
