A PERSONAL UPDATE:

It's been a very busy summer!  . . . I can hardly believe that it is almost over.  Here is a brief summary of where I've been and what I've been up to during the past few months:

I spent the first 2 months of summer finishing up my internship with the
youth at Kenmore Alliance Church in Buffalo, NY.  Although it was very sad to leave the ministry that I have been part of for the past 3 years, I know that I will always treasure the memories of my time spent there.

I was in

3 WEDDINGS this summer!  What a joy and an honor to be part of this special day in the lives of some of my very best friends!

I also had the opportunity to spend a week with the youth group from my parents' church at a Catholic Heart Work Camp.  My team spent the majority of the time
raking and clearing an acre of land for an elderly couple in Prince Frederick, MD.  We did lots of work, but we also had lots of fun!

My most recent adventure happend just last week as I
rode my bicycle across Iowa with my dad and my aunt Mary (and 10,000 other crazy people)!  What an adventure!

What's Next??

This weekend, I am planning a
HUGE GARAGE SALE in order to raise money for my trip.  I stole this idea from one of my teammates and am excited to get everything underway. . .

In August, Ryan and I are taking a trip to Dallas, TX where we will be attending a
OneStory conference with Wycliff Bible Translaters.  As I am preparing for my journey to Africa, Ryan is planning to do missions in Russia.  Both of us are excited to gain valuable skills in cross cultural ministry at this conference.

And Finally:

My official Adventures in Missions Training Camp in Georgia begins on
September 12.

I'll be
leaving for South Africa immediately following my training on
September 19.

Here are some pictures of some of my recent adventures.  To read the captions, move your cursor over each photograph: