A very special invitation: Come with me to South Africa in September (10 spots available!)

Y’all. My heart just might feel like it’s about ready to burst right out of my chest right now.

I get to share some news I’ve been sitting on for months… and I couldn’t be more excited!

As most of you know, I went to South Africa in January of 2015 and fell madly in love. In fact, I sort of wondered if maybe I had some South African blood in me, because it feels so much like HOME there. 🙂

I love the people. I love the food. I love the terrain. I love the sights, the sounds, the beauty… I love the warm hospitality.

Most of all, I was blown away by the work that Take Action Ministry in conjunction with Help One Now is doing to make a massive difference in some of the poorest and neediest areas there.

See that picture there? It’s one of my most favorite photos ever taken of me. Why? Because it felt like I had found my happiest place on earth. Truly. I cannot get enough of these beautiful children. I just wanted to hug and hold and love on each and every one of them for hours and hours and hours.

As a result of my trip, our family committed to pay for all of the operating expenses of Take Action Ministry. It has been such a joy to serve alongside them in the great work they are doing there and to have many of you join us in this through being part of the TenDollarTribe and through purchasing our products and helping to do amazing things like build classrooms there.

When I left, I felt like I left a part of my heart there. And I wanted to get back there just as soon as I could.

So, in October, for my 34th birthday, my dream came true: I got to bring my whole family back with me to South Africa!!

I can’t describe in words just how much it felt like HOME again to be back on that soil. And to experience it with my husband and kids was just beyond amazing.

This picture captures the joy and LIFE we felt while there. And we came back more committed then ever to be as much a part of the ministry and mission of our now-dear friends there who are investing their lives to make such a difference in these communities.

Many of you have expressed interested in being involved in the work we’re doing in South Africa. Many of you have even contacted me to ask if there was a way you could go and experience it firsthand because you are feeling the tug on your heart of wanting to be involved and make a difference.

We’ve been brainstorming, talking, and planning for the last few months, and I’m SO excited to get to invite you to join me in September for a trip to South Africa that I’ll be leading, along with the Help One Now team!!!

You can read all about the trip, how much it costs, what it entails, and how to apply here. 

3 Important Things For You To Know

1. This is Not a Vacation

We are not interested in bringing people who are just looking for a cool trip experience. I can tell you that there will be many amazing things that you will encounter on this trip, but there will also be a lot of uncomfortable things.

You’ll come face to face with great need and poverty. You’ll probably feel a lot of exhaustion and jet lag. You’ll eat new foods. You’ll struggle with language barriers.

And you probably won’t ever be able to go back to your comfortable life with the same perspective again. There’s a good chance that what you’ll experience on this trip will mess with you in a way that you will come home forever impacted at a deep level.

2. This is Not a Mission Trip

Our vision for this trip is much bigger than a typical mission trip often is. We are looking for people who feel their heart being tugged at and pulled in the direction of being involved longterm in changing childrens’ lives and changing communities in South Africa.

If you are not seriously interested in having a long-lasting impact and being involved in the work in South Africa, this is not the trip for you. There won’t be any specific asks of you financially while on the trip or after the trip, but we are looking for people whose hearts want to be involved in a significant way on an ongoing basis.

We want to give you an opportunity to meet the local leaders, meet the children, hear and see firsthand the impact that Take Action Ministry and Help One Now are having, and to catch a vision for how you might be part of that, too.

3. This Trip Will Likely Change Your Life

I can guarantee you one thing: you will be personally impacted in a deep, deep way by going on this trip.

There’s a good chance that what you see, who you meet, and what you experience will shake you up in a profound way. You’ll likely come back home with brand-new perspective and inspiration that just may change the course of your life for the rest of your life!

Want to join me in September on this life-changing trip? You can find out all of the details and apply here.

I can’t WAIT for September — and will be sure to share lots of pictures and details about the trip here for those of you who can’t join us.

Note: There are only 10 spots available. Because of the limited amount of spots available, we are only taking applications through April 13, 2016. Those who are chosen will be notified that your application was accepted by the end of April. You will have until May 31, 2016 to pay the trip fee.