God provides!

This update is way too long but if you happen to read it PLEASE let me know… otherwise I need to find away to shorten myself so y’all can see just how GREAT GOD is.

As a lot of y’all probably know that I was mugged about a week s ago in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m doing ok, I’m back in states but want to hit the road again. As much as I want to be traveling again I had to come back because without my wallet and phones it’s a bit impossible to travel especially since I do all my filming on my phone. I’m super blessed to have insurance as I travel so hopefully things will be covered but I’m still not sure. But with that update out of the way I really have been wanting to share with y’all the incredible things God is doing and how He has been blessing and providing for me especially in the Caribbean a few months ago. I never just want to post the negative things that happen to me such a muggings, theft, delays, and just any problem in general because thats like .01% of the stuff that happens to me the rest is soooooooo super awesome! So without any more delay here is my LONG update but I hope it’s worth the time and it blesses you…

God provides always but for some reason He really guided my trip throughout the Caribbean. I honestly was wanting to skip the Caribbean island nations until the end of my world trip because I knew that there was nothing cheap about them and I’ve been traveling on a tight budget. Since I was in South America and needed to be back in the states for my sister’s wedding it didn’t make any sense to not island hop my way back to the states. I probably spent a combined 20+ hours looking into flights and the cheapest ways to get from one country to the next for. The night before I was going to book all my flights I got a phone call from my mom saying that we got the OK to travel to Bulgaria to adopt my new little sister. Since I had been able to be in Bulgaria when my parents visited her for the first time and film all of that… I really wanted to try come on this trip as well and film and document it as well. Well, my parents agreed to me coming and helping with my flight back from Bulgaria since I’d be able to make another adoption film. With all of that I had to completely change my travel plans in the Caribbean from spending 2-3 days in each country as I traveled to to states, to now spending just about 1 day in each country on the way to Bulgaria. I had to rework my entire made up itinerary that I had lots of spent time making sure it was the cheapest. Once I made top my new plan getting all the way to Bulgaria the price actually ended up being slightly less then what it was to cost to just get back to the states! Wow, just wow. I was now able to not only visit all the Caribbean countries but also be apart of bringing my little sister home from Bulgaria for about $50 - $100 less then it would cost to just get back to states in my original plan! 

But that’s far from the most awesome part of this leg of my trip, haha that’s just the beginning. I had just spent more money on plane tickets all at one time than ever before. My money had just dropped to an all time low. I was asking myself if I’d even be able to leave the states after the wedding with how little I had but that didn’t last for long. Just a few days after placing this HUGE “order” of flights I got a message from mom with a picture of a check somebody had made out to me for right around half of what I had just dropped on flights!!! It was like God gently telling me “I have it all under control. I’m really dumb and forgetful it seems… God has been providing for this entire trip BIG TIME and some how I from time to time seem to forget that. Like I sometimes forget that the God who created this entire universe and cares about little mini sparrows CARES about me! That should never leave my mind not even for a second and little by little I’m learning to never let it slip my mind ever. So yeah it was now like I basically had only paid half of the price of the flights which was HUGE!!!!

But still that’s just the start… I somehow hadn’t lined up any contacts for the Caribbean. It’s not that I wasn’t trying, its just that this region of the world isn’t super heavily populated by Christian ministries and missionaries at least not ones that are found on Google. I also had been reaching out to people very last minute and was letting them know that I would only be in their country for like 12-30 hours. I heard back from some people online but some countries I didn’t hear back from anyone. From the time I left South America until my flight to Europe I had 8 countries to visit in just 8 days, rushed I know. Now, I want to just go through each of the 8 countries and briefly explain how God provided and a few ways I was able to see Him at work in this region!!!! Soooooo here we go…..

Guyana is technically in South America but is very much part of the Caribbean along with Suriname. When I was in Guyana I was mugged but had gotten my phone back (with the help of some locals dudes but all through God’s GRACE) which was super super EPIC!!! Just a day after I was mugged I was at the airport heading out to Trinidad but I had a very early morning flight so I had spend the night. I arrived to the airport at about 8pm for a 6am flight so I had plenty of time to sit around and just for a visual this airport was small, like real small. There were no shops in the Departures and Check area so I was so grateful for the snacks I was given by my hosts but even more happy by the cold tacos they snuck into my bag, I LOVE TACOS!!! I was just chilling on the airport floor eating my super yummy tacos, feeling so blessed. The few seats that the airport had were taken by a group of foreigners. I got up to throw out my trash and felt like I should ask were these people were from. I asked them and they were from the states and had been in Guyana for 2 weeks, we talked for a quick minute the I sat back down. After a few minutes one of the guys from the group came over and sat down on the floor next to me and we just started talking for awhile. Come to find out this group from the US were believers and came to Guyana to serve! I then talked to some others from there group and we had a great little time of fellowship. I had told them a bit about the trip I was on and they loved it. It was soon time for them to check in for their flight so I went to take their seats and sit down as they were just about to leave. One of the guys from the group who was the last to leave came over to me and slipped some cash into my hand. I was super surprised but thanked him and he walked away after saying how he felt like God told him to give me that gift. I was shocked as I had just met these people and even more shocked to look down and see it was a 50 dollar bill, thats a lot of money!!! I felt so incredibly blessed!

The next day I arrived in Trinidad and Tobago which was my first country in the Caribbean and wow it was a great way to start! I had just messaged a random missionary family online and asked if I could connect with them when I came. I reached out probably just 2 days before to these people I had no connection too at all and they said yes and offered to pick me up from the airport and even let me stay overnight in the church. I had such an awesome time in Trinidad seeing the awesome ways God was at work on the beautiful island. I had the opportunity to meet and hang out with some youth there which was really neat. I also got to be apart of the church and even visit some homes! What was crazy though was the fact that from the time I arrived in Trinidad until the time I flew out I hadn’t spent a single cent on anything!!! That’s right, NOT EVEN 1 CENT. The missionary I was with was so incredibly kind and wouldn’t let me pay for anything but even went a mile further by giving me money for dinner at the airport!!! I flew away from this country in awe of God even more. 

The next country I headed too was Grenda. I had such a short time in this country, I arrived in the late night and would have leave before noon the next day. A very kind local man with an HUGE heart for God and broken people picked me up from the airport to drive me to a YWAM base on the total opposite side of the island. We had over an hour drive but it past by fast as we shared about the journeys God had each of us on. We got to the missions base very late and went to bed. The next day I woke up early and had great fellowship with the base leaders who so kindly made me breakfast before I had to leave again. I just felt so welcomed again, it was just such a great sense of family. I was taken back to the airpot by my new friend who picked me up the night before. Even though I was there for such a short time I had a free place to stay, awesome fellowship, great breakfast, and they even gave me Grenda chocolate which is soooo good!! I had such a little glimpse into how God was using this small country for His kingdom but its was super! I then flew to Barbados which I didn’t have any contacts for but that was fine because it was just a 7 hour layover. I was able to leave few gospel tracts around and check out a simple but stunning beach before hopping on my next flight.

My next country was Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and I had no contacts planned for this country either. I was arriving at night and was just planning on sleeping in or right outside of the airport all night because I couldn’t connect with anyone and could not justify paying crazy high prices for a hotel and a taxi to get to one. Well… my brand new friend in in Grenada had reached out to someone he knew in St. Vincent and I connected with her on the phone and she told me that she would be finding me someone to stay with or would be willing to put me up at a place for the night. When I arrived this sweet older lady and her grandson pulled up and told me that she would be taking me to a hotel to stay because she couldn’t find anyone to host me last minute. She drove me to a very nice hotel and paid for it. I kinda felt bad because I’m always willing to sleep anywhere even if that’s outside, on a beach, in an airport, or wherever… But this sister in Christ who had never met be had already decided that she wanted to bless me with a safe and comfortable place to sleep. I was so grateful and was able to get some much much much needed rest! I felt way way way too blessed like WOAH JESUS IS SOOOOOO GOOD kind of blessed!!! The next day I went into the main town/city via mini van/bus. Just a minute or two on the street I saw I lady who was clearly high asking people for money and food. I asked if I could buy her something and she said yes very quickly and took me into small shop that was serving food. I told her to get whatever and once she ordered I gave her a gospel track. I felt so ready to help anyone that morning after having been so provided for. I know its wasn’t much that I did but I just felt so free to help without thinking even once about the money. I was then able to meet a christian brother who happened to be in town and was from the same area of PA as I’m from. He met with me for a quick minute and greatly encouraged me and even prayed for me before parting ways. Again I got a small glance into how God was moving in this small country!!

I then headed to Saint Lucia which I did have contacts in at a YWAM base were I was planning on staying for just a small donation. I arrived on the island and made my way to the base were I would be staying and was greeted by the lovely couple who ran it along with their young son. They put together a dinner for me and we then had a great evening of fellowship and I had the blessed opportunity to help them with 2 videos that wanted to put together. The next morning I woke up early to catch a ferry to Dominica and they gave me some breakfast and sent me on my way. I went to give them a donation for my night’s stay but they would not let me give it to them at all. I walked away from another country without paying for a night’s stay… oh what a providing God I serve!!!!

I took the ferry to Dominica and had one contact that I had just gotten in touch with that morning. I had asked if he had any ministry opportunities for me during my short stay and if he knew of anyone who could host me for a night or anywhere that was a cheap place to stay. He gave me a contact for a Christian brother who ran a guesthouse but it was far too expensive for me justify instead of the much cheaper place I saw online. I arrived but on the way listened to a very convicting sermon about prayer. I decided to sit down somewhere safe and pray that a place would be come through before going out and booking something online. Almost right after praying I got a text from my contact saying that I had a place to stay for FREE oh my goodness I was ready to cry with just HOW good God is! A few minutes later I was picked up by this very kind local brother who had arranged this place for me. I dropped my stuff off and then found out that some of the churches had come together to pay for this place for me. I had offered to at least pay some but they wouldn’t let me again it was this incredible sense of family I felt right then. I was on island that just a few years ago had been almost completely destroyed by a hurricane and was being slowing built back up but was by far seemingly the poorest Caribbean country I had been to so far. But here I was with the local believers welcoming me, a complete stranger with huge open arms… so humbling. I was able to walk around the depressing downtown passing out gospel tracts and even talking to one guy for over 30 minutes about Jesus! Just like my time St. Vincent I felt so ready to help people and God let me do just that both psychically and spirituality that afternoon. 

After my great time in Dominica I headed to Antigua and Barbuda and whoah it was LIT! I got picked up by a super awesome missionary family who used to live just down the street from me in PA but I didn’t even know them. I had just contacted them the like 2 days before coming and they worked a bunch of stuff out to let me be able to connect with with them! I spent the entire evening with them and got to be apart of their church service before being taken to the place I’d be staying for free which was at a nice apartment at a christian school! The next day I was able to connect with a ministry doing outreach in HUGE ways. I had to head to the airport to catch a flight to to my last country in the region but God had other plans. I have never had a flight canceled on me like this before but when I was at the airport already checked in the flight was canceled and moved to the the next morning. I didn’t really care because I knew everything would still work out. The family that picked me up at the airport just the night before was back at the airport picking someone up as I was supposed to be in the air but God worked it out perfectly because I had help and a ride. They also had asked their friend who I had briefly met the night before if I could crash at his house which was 2 minutes drive from the airport and He said yes and that was such a huge GOD THING because we had an out of this world time of fellowship together sharing about just how amazing CHRIST is!!! He fed me a huge and delicious meal for dinner after I had not eaten for almost 24 hours and we spent the night praising God together! God’s timing is ALWAYS better!!!

The next day I flew to Saint Kitts and Nevis which was my final country in this region before heading to Europe. My flight was so epic as I was in a 12 seater mini plane! A couple who I had just gotten in contact with 2 days prior from my hosts in St. Lucia had heard I was wanting to come and serve however I could. They called me asked if I had enough money to get to the ferry terminal and I told them yes, they then told me that the rest of my trip would be paid for to get to the island of Nevis and back to St. Kitts the next day!!! I was picked up from the airport and taken to the ferry terminal where a brother in Christ paid for my ticket. I then arrived in Nevis and was greeted by this awesome couple who would be hosting me. They showed me around their quiet yet stunning island and then took me to their place. They had literally moved to a spare bedroom upstairs just so I could have privacy and comfort. After a nap they brought down a HUGE HUGE meal for me! I then was able to spend time resting in Christ by reading the Word in quiet and spending time in prayer which was just so needed and refreshing. In the evening I had the awesome opportunity to speak with a bunch of local youth about Christ, Missions, and my trip. We had an AMAZING time together and I sure wish I could have hung with that group longer. The next day I was given a huge breakfast before being taken to the ferry terminal to catch my flight towards Bulgaria. My hosts were so kind not only to pay for my ticket but give me cash for a taxi and food at the airport, I offered to just give them the US cash equivalent but they wouldn’t let me! My final country in this region was yet again all paid for…. AHH HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!!!!!!!!! 

Sooooo yeah I hope you see from all of that just how much God provides!!! I could leave it at that but I REALLY want y’all to understand what all of that meant for me… I spent 8 days across 8 countries and had spent less then $80 cash out of my wallet but out of that $80 only $20 was cash even I had before getting to Guyana!!! I spent just 20 bucks just 20 BUCKS across 8 countries!!!!!! That just doesn’t happen. This was in the Caribbean where they don’t have 5 dollar hostels but rather a the cheapest place is often far over $40 for the most basic of places! Even if I was trying really really super hard and only had gotten one basic meal a day and the most basic place to stay I would have had to pay at the very minimum of $400 over 8 days if not far more. As you can see everything from a small taco to a huge check donation have blessed me in great ways! This is just 8 days of my journey around the world!!! If I could share of all the ways He provides my fingers would no joke fall off by typing so much!!! As much as I typed up this insanely long post to show y’all how much God provides I also typed it up to show myself JUST HOW MUCH GOD PROVIDES!!! 

Even just the other night I was thinking about all the money I lost in flights to South Africa and having to turn right around after being mugged, and how I might not get the money back from the cash and some things that were stolen from me… But I have no right to be thinking that way, none at all. I’m a child of the KING, how dare I worry about the money I might never see again. It’s quite hard some times to not think about things like money but I need to be even more trusting my Father who cares for me every need! I have seen Him do the impossible time and time and time and time again yet somehow still catch myself every once and awhile not remember the GREATTTTT WAYS HE HAS PROVIDED. 

Look, I shouldn’t be here right now even typing this, at the very least I should be hospital room in much pain if not dead! It’s only by the grace of God that I wasn’t in much more physical harm or dead from being choked out while being mugged! To look back and see how God has not only provided for more than my every need but has also spared me is so insane!!! Life isn’t promised to be easy and trusting God doesn’t just make our life a piece of cake. Trusting God actually isn’t that easy but the comfort and peace that come with trusting Christ to protect and care for you is so worth everything. I’m nobody special, I don’t have tons of money in bank, but God is somehow wants me to travel the world and serve Him. If you are a believer you are child of the one true God so please never forget that and PLEASE join me in learning to TRUST GOD more and more!!

Ok now well this was way too long and I’d be surprised if anyone actually read the whole thing but what I’m trying to say is GOD PROVIDES for His children!!!! 
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God. Provides. 
Peace out y’all!