The Simple life of Fiji

Hey there friends,

     The simple things about life are really the things that mostly blow my mind. God takes a silly random situation and turns it into an extravagant adventure. We have only been in Fiji for a little over two weeks, but that seems too short when I reminisce on all the amazing events that have taken place and the times God has shown up. Before I came to this school I would never think that I, Eleanor, would have the confidence to preach. Before I came to this school I would never be able to believe that I, Eleanor, have power in Jesus's name to lay hands on people and see them healed. Before I came to this school I would never of been able to comprehend that I, Eleanor, would have the authority to be building up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. But I, Eleanor, would have never been able to accomplish a single thing without the grace and love and blood of my Savior, Jesus Christ.
     Just last week I was in this beautiful valley in a village in Fiji, my nine other team mates and I were all squished inside a tiny church building that was only made of a tin roof and a few wooden beams and the earth being separated by only a single bamboo mat. Luckily we had mosquito nets thank you Jesus! We bathed in a river for the week, and every where I looked I would see breath taking mountains and stormy clouds. Anyways, this Church was so filled with God's presence it was incredible! One day we were preaching at church, and I was so distracted that day. It was like I couldn't grasp my thoughts or focus. And when it came time for ministry and to pray for people, I just stood up at the front not really feeling God's anointing. An old Indian lady came up to me and asked for prayer for her arm because it was in horrible pain, so I did. And instantly the pain left. I was shocked. And then my friend Holly asked me to pray with her for a woman who was def in one ear. So we did, and instantly again she could HEAR. Like actually HEAR. It was amazing. By that time my heart was pounding so hard, I didn't have to feel any certain anointing at all. All I had to do was lay hands on people, release the Kingdom of God on the person, and Jesus's healing touch would cover the rest.
     After the service was over Holly and I decided to go on a walk and we found some cheap 20cent popsicles. They were actually quite disgusting, but when we started to leave the house this Muslim man asked Holly and I to pray for a woman who couldn't hear. So we prayed and asked God to heal her, claimed the Kingdom of God over her, and she wash healed. Her face LIT up she started laughing and pinching our cheeks. It was incredible.
     It has been just little random events that God has been showing up at. I am so HONORED to be God's humble servant, to go to the places I never dreamed of just to spread His Kingdom. Its truly exhilarating. Go God!!

Missing you all, keep me in your prayers!

Things to pray for...
Bed bugs
Stomach sickness has been pretty bad in the team
Finances!!
More healings and more people getting fired up for the Kingdom of God!

Thank you SO much!!!

-Eleanor

to be: CHALLENGED

            All my life I have been faced with challenges, I challenge myself every time I pick up a paintbrush and try to make a masterpiece, I challenge myself every time I decide to go on a new adventure, I challenge myself every time I decide to write. Lately though the challenges haven’t been quite the same, haven’t really been able to control them. Yes I can always cover up a painting if it doesn’t go the way I wanted it to, I can always run back home every time I get lost, and if the words aren’t flowing then my eraser is my best friend. My motto though has always been, if I cheat my way to get an A on a test then I’m truly only cheating myself. Ever since the moment I had set eyes on coming to Australia, it has been one challenge after the next. I almost backed out multiple times, but in the end I pushed myself on an airplane with not even half the money to pay for my school.

            Money hasn’t been the only challenge, every day God throws a ball at me; I believe just to see if I can catch it or if I will stumble. Of course God knows the result, but I don’t! One major challenge that He has been tossing my way has been ministry, street ministry. As a school we go out in pairs and just wander around the city and meet people. Sometimes we just casually talk to someone about their day, and other times we might share our love for Jesus with them. Our goal isn’t to do “evangelism” but to just live life the way God’s Kingdom lives and hope that the people we met get a taste for it too. The other day my whole team went out to the city in pairs again, and my friend Holly and I were chilling on the stairs at the train station.

            There were hordes of expressive and colorful teenagers filling the platform. There was a preacher with a microphone condemning all of them for their sins, telling them they were going to hell. It was a harsh message that did not reside well in my heart. One teenager accepted a track from a preacher and caught it on fire in the man’s face. I was overwhelmed, but I was in constant communication with God the whole time. So I asked Him to have someone come sit next to that we could talk to. Not a moment later a guy sat down next to us, so I struck up conversation. It wasn’t a few minutes before a girl came over, upset about the preacher because he wouldn’t answer her “simple question”. I asked her what it was, and then an hour later Holly and I had poured what the Kingdom of God is truly meant to be into that girls soul. Not one of condemnation but of life and freedom and love. To man we probably hadn’t accomplished much, but in her heart I know we spoke truth and she won’t be able to ignore it.

            We are heading to Fiji in less then seven days, and just two days ago I was over $1700 short. I couldn’t even buy a plane ticket. But ya know I prayed to God and told Him that no matter what happens, if I don’t get to go to outreach God is STILL good. He has taught me so much already, every day I discover something new about His heart and its amazing. Within hours money started pouring in. I now am only $400 short, but my plane ticket is bought so hopefully I get the money soon so I can eat too. But I know God won’t let me starve, He takes care of His daughters. J

            This has been an incredible journey God has been taking me on, and I’ve only been gone for 2months. Can’t imagine what wonders God will show me in the next months ahead. Thank you all for your amazing prayer and support, without it I wouldn’t be where I am at now.

An illegal Birthday

Well guys, another year has been added to my life. I am officially 19 years of age!! One more year of being a “teen”. So great!! My birthday was amazing, filled with two days of festivities! Because first, I had my Australia birthday since we are a day ahead of the States here. And then the NEXT day it was my birthday in the States, so I got even MOOORE happy birthdays!!! I got showered with love, hugs, chocolate, and delicious CAKE!!! They show me soo much love here, I can’t complain. And that night we had to break off into pairs and go out to the city and do ministry. So my school mate Tye and I decided to take a guitar out to the city and see what adventures God would take us on.

So I bundled up with lots of layers, its still a bit chilly here. Summer come already! To get to the city, we had to take a train so Tye and I caught got on and sat down. I casually propped my feet up on the seat in front of me and Tye fiddled with the guitar. It was only minutes before THREE Australian Police came up to our row. I just thought they wanted to check my ticket so I gave that to him, but they were all glaring at me!

         The Police asked me if I was aware that it was illegal to put my feet on the seat, and I apologized and told him no. Then he asked me if I would step aside and talk to him. So we walked to the back of the train and he asked me a list of simple questions, like my address, and what I was doing there, and I couldn’t even remember the base address!! And every time I spoke he shushed me and told me to talk quietly because they were also interviewing Tye at the other end of the train to make sure our answers lined up!! I was shaking and so scared it was awful.

         So he finally sat me down, started writing me a ticket, and asked me for my date of birth. I informed him that it was my birthday. He looked up at me and then scratched off the ticket and said that “He would let me off for this one since it was my BIRTHDAY” and as he walked away, one of the Police officers told me that he never gives off warnings. Ahh Australian Police are SOO intimidating and scary!! And then I started crying because I was freaked out, and the Policeman then came back and asked me WHY I was CRYING. Wow really? Haha Then he laid newspaper down on the seat in front of me and said that if I ever want to prop my feet up on the seat that all I had to do was take off my shoes. And then he laughed at me.

         But even if I was totally shaken on the train, Tye and I met a lot of cool people, I played the guitar and worshipped God as we walked across the city, and really got the heart for Melbourne.

         Ya see folks; Birthdays with YWAM are never anything less then an adventure. Remember, don’t ever prop your feet up on the seat in front of you on the Australian Trains, or the mean cops will get you! And that is the moral of the story. The End.

Hello my dear friends from the States!

Oh traveling how I adore thee! Took me a good three days to make it to Australia, but oh was it worth it! I started my escapade at the Norfolk Airport, I decided that day to completely tire myself out so I went to a rope swing at a lake and swung on that all day until I actually took off on my plane.






It was a brilliant plane, because as soon as I got on my flight to DC I was KNOCKED out. And then once I transferred to San Francisco, the whole 6 hours I slept. But of course that one was delayed, so lucky me missed my plane to Sydney, Australia by an entire HOUR. They couldn’t put me on a flight until the following day at the same time, so I had a good 24hours to wait in California. They couldn’t put me in a hotel, so I slept on the airport floor. 


God has blessed me with friends EVERYWHERE so my friend Renate came and picked me up. I hung out with her adorable family all day, we even visited the golden gate bridge! It was amazing, quite eerie though. They have a Coast Guard base designated to rescue people that jump off the bridge, the people that jump off to commit suicide. Didn’t exactly fancy that.

Then on the way to the airport I realized I left my bag with my tickets at Renate’s place, so we had to turn all the way around and got stuck in traffic. I JUST barely made it on the plane. After getting through security I 
walked onto my plane without waiting. It was scary, but God helped me make it!

I sat next to a fascinating Australian man, he told me all sorts of interesting facts about Australia. And I got to tell him about Jesus! He told me He didn’t believe in anything.  That gave me a nice smooth transition to telling him all about what I believe in. 

After that, I knocked out. Honestly slept the entire time. The flight went by super fast. I was so lucky.

I’ve been chilling and getting over jet lag now that I’m safe and sound in the base. I live in a cute two bedroom apartment with a mini fridge and a water boiler. Oh and a toaster! Everyone here is SO sweet and welcoming. I love it.

I can not believe God got me here, I still have only half the money for the school but I know for a fact that God is still promising me He will provide. So please pray that God gives me the rest of the funds.

I miss you all already!

-Ellie

My next crazy adventure: AUSTRALIA

My amazing dear friends and family.

           

            Guess what crazy Ellie is doing next? Going to Melbourne, Australia for another Youth with a Mission School. Its called “Kerusso-Kingdom of God School. It’s a four-month long school that will roughly cost me about 4000 dollars, not including the plane ticket. But money is just a number right? I raised over 7,000 dollars in such a short time for my last YWAM adventure! But let me tell you about the school and why I feel God’s hand is directing me there.

            While I was gone halfway across the world, God inspired me so much to just GO for it. Don’t hold back. Breathe and experience new life though HIM. New STRENGTH. Breaking my ankle and having six screws put in there was an obstacle, depending on metal crutches for 2 months was an obstacle, being constantly sick in Bangladesh and India was ANOTHER obstacle, having little money for food and traveling in India and Bangladesh was an obstacle, but did I over come it? HAH no. GOD overcame it. HE gave me strength every step of the way. He was my healer, my provider, my father, and my everything. Being taken away from everything that I find familiar in the States and being thrust in a whole new world was exciting, and scary.

            I never knew God could place such LOVE in my heart for such a corrupt country! India and Bangladesh was far from the clean, safe, and comfortable Germany. But God opened up my heart to all of His treasures. He opened up my heart to the street kids, to the mother’s and father’s who couldn’t support there children, to the old beggar who sat in the trash all day because He couldn’t walk. God broke my heart for these people, but He filled it with HIS love.

            Having all of that put into perspective over a seven month span of time, God just put a heart in my for missions. I have such a passion to show God’s TRUE GENUINE LOVE to all His people. I can’t stop until it is finished. And so now God is carrying me in His hands to Melbourne, Australia.

            “Kerusso-Kingdom of God School” is all about spreading God’s KINGDOM. What is God’s Kingdom? I believe God’s Kingdom is the Kingdom of HEAVEN. The Kingdom that God has been preparing for US. In God’s Kingdom there are no tears, no death, and no pain. There is nothing separating us from the presence of God. We are in direct connection to Him. Sometimes we forget that Jesus, before He left, gave us a gift. And that’s the Holy Spirit!

            The Holy Spirit is there for us to TALK TO. For us to FEEL and EXPERIENCE. He is not someone far off in heaven; no Jesus said we get to receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts. And that with the Holy Spirit, we are going to do GREATER things then Jesus did on earth! John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” TRUE THAT MAN! Jesus didn’t leave us helpless; He left us with gifts that we need to accept! What is the Holy Spirit to you? Is He your conscience? Is He your friend? Is He the person you talk to everyday, do you ask Him questions? Do you ask Him to fill you with incredible love? Have you opened your hands to the Holy Spirit, and said, “I want to receive all YOU have for me, I want to receive every gift you want to give to me.” Try it man, I’m sure you will be moved.

            So yes, that’s not even a proper definition of what I will be experiencing at this school. I am so psyched, so ecstatic that GOD wants to take ME on this next adventure. Now don’t forget GOD has ADVENTURES for you too! Whether it’s in Virginia, The States, Europe, GOD has amazing and intricate plans for you! Time to open your hands, accept His gifts for you!

            So please pray for me, pray for money, for strength, for vision, for guidance. That God will walk every step of the way with me.

            Hope you have a radiant day!

-Eleanor

To be: FRAGILE

       In one instant, in one sudden movement, I thought I lost what was most precious to my heart. It was just like any normal morning when I was trudging through the snowy bed of the forest with my friend Joe. Pretty much every day I slip in the snow, but I rarely ever fall. That day was different, because that time when I slipped I felt a snap in my ankle and I was suddenly in dreadful pain on the cold and wet snow. Joe ran to get more help, and within minutes he found Josh. My vision was pulsing at this time and the words "God your so good" was the only thing that seemed to escape from my mouth. Josh threw me over his shoulder and carried me all the way through the forest to the castle. Once there I waited with Laura for a van to take me to the hospital.
      After a couple of x-rays the doctor came in and told me that my ankle was broken and that I had to go into surgery as soon as possible. I had to have 8 screws put into my ankle. I was so scared, all because I am a silly clutz I have to have surgery? They told me that they wouldn't put me under, instead just give me an epidural.  I was scared even more, but the surgeon was so sweet he held my hand while they gave me the epidural. They did have to give me some sleepy stuff because I was shaking so badly because I was afraid that they were going to cut me open and that I would feel it. But time flew by and within 2 hours I was back in my hospital room.
     Being stuck in an Eastern Germany hospital was not at all fun, the only two people that knew English was my surgeon and my physical therapist. It was quite lonely and incredible boring. But God and I became super duper amazing best friends. The thing that haunted my thoughts the most was not being able to go on outreach to Bangladesh. The German doctors told me that I needed to not put more then 20 killos of weight on it for the next 6 weeks. The last week before my christmas break was spent in the hospital, which made it even harder to say goodbye to my YWAM family.
     I was home for two weeks, with the heavy sadness and silly hopeless ankle that couldn't function. I went to the doctors that Monday, and they took out all eight stitches. I nervously asked my doctor that spoke English his opinion on me going to Bangladesh, and he said that there was no reason why I shouldn't. My heart leaped. God, my awesome and most powerful healer, gave me the answer my heart so heavily longed for.
     I had the most amazing visit at home, but I knew that Germany was where I was supposed to be. So here I am now, in Germany, walking on my ankle. They said I couldn't fully walk on it for 6 weeks, but God is such an amazing and a miraculous healer, I am already limping across the castle without crutches. I'm putting all my faith and trust that by next week I will be walking on my ankle perfectly normal. God is the best, the bomb diggady, and super amazing. I thought my heart was broken, but He mended it in 2 weeks time. Go God!
     So yeah, leaving for Bangladesh on Saturday. Probably no more blogs, but I'm for sure going to be sending out News Letters through email. So you should message me your email, or email me at  Eleclaire@aol.com if you want me to send you news letters. :) Oh Germany adventures!