I realize that I promised updates/stories/posts about my trip to Jamaica last week and have yet to deliver. I apologize for this negligence. Turns out I'm not as good at making up a week's worth of missed homework as I thought.

Anyway, to start things off, I'd like to tell you all a little bit about peace. After returning to the states at the end of July from Jamaica, I've been busy with life, all the while knowing that something was missing. I felt that while I was serving with NextGen I had found a place where I fit perfectly. The people that I needed to pour into my life were there. And my gifts and services were demanded of me everyday. In short, I was living a life were I was continually receiving and giving out blessings. Coming back to life as a college student seemed so selfish to me. Rather than the balance I had found of giving and receiving, it felt as though all I was doing now was taking. Everything I do at school seems to me to be for my own benefit, and therefore of little benefit in the end. Frustrated and restless, I poured out my heart to God and begged for peace that I knew would come when He revealed His plan for my life to me. Yet the only answer I was given was one to simply wait.

I am sometimes very patient. But I am also a planner. I want to know what I should plan for. For me, this waiting was not peaceful.

I had high expectations going back to Jamaica. Connecting with that place, those people, and God again was a beautiful image to me. And I hoped I would come away from it with a least a small smidgen of guidance as to what sort of plans I should make next. Being back in control and able to plan, I would then have peace. Or so I hoped.

One of my favorite things about God is that I think he laughs at my plans. Not in a menacing way, but in the way that a parent laughs at their young child who attempts the foolish or impossible task. I think he often looks over at me trying to do things the way I think they should be done, smiles, shakes his head, and waits for me to be ready to accept his help. I love that His ways have nothing to do with what I think should happen.

I loved being in Jamaica for a week, back where I felt that connection to my calling. I asked a lot of questions and got many answers. From all of them, I did not receive my desired guidance. The funny thing is that I never noticed. It was only today as I was processing the idea of peace in my head, trying to form my thoughts about it into words to tell a friend who had just asked me about it, that I realized I am at peace with the future. I still have no idea what sort of plans I should make, and I am completely 100% out of control. Did I mention I'm at peace? Without specific guidance or plans or any knowledge of the future, I am content.

I still have many questions and desire many answers. But I'm able to wait till the time is right.

Thank you, to all who prayed for my restless heart these past few months.

Leaving Jamaica always feels a little like leaving home for me. It's funny how you can get so attached to a place. I fly out this afternoon and will hopefully arrive in MSP tonight. The team doesn't fly out until Saturday, but unfortunately, I had to leave a day early in order to be back at school. Thanks for all your prayers and support. I'm hoping to do a little more in depth updating and detailing of the trip on here either later today or tomorrow some time. So if your interested in cool stories, you should probably check it out. Thanks for all your prayer!

The internet was down here for several days, so this is the first time I've had a few minutes to update you all. We arrived in Jamaica just fine on Saturday afternoon. Our flight was delayed leaving MSP about an hour because they had to de-ice the plane after we were all boarded. It was the first snow of the year there the morning me left. (A great day to fly to the Caribbean, right?) I thought for sure we would miss our connecting flight in Memphis, but I think the Lord was looking out for us and we stepped right off the plane on to the next one. We came in to Montego Bay about an hour late, but at that point it didn't affect our schedule at all. This whole week the team is going to two schools in the morning (usually a high school and a primary or junior high school) and a night evangelism show with various things in the afternoon. Today they are heading up the mountain to Robin's Nest orphanage. All seems to be going smoothly. There has been a few things that the team needs to work on to make it through the week. Mainly there have been small problems with complaining and disrespect for the dress code. Please pray that everyone down here would be blessed with a servant's heart.

Fall Travels

Hey again! Fall is in full swing, and the new season brings a lot of new adventures and challenges. I know a few of you know that I'm going back to Jamaica to serve again for a week, but for those of you who don't, well, you do now! Haha. I'm scheduled to fly out next weekend and will be gone a week. I'll be doing essentially the same thing as I was all summer for a team that is taking a week long trip down there. I'm really excited to be going back, but as always I need prayer (who doesn't?). :-) Please be praying that everything in general will go well. Flights, travel, ministry, team relationships: the whole package. Please also pray for me and the work I need to do in order to make this work. I'll be missing an entire week of classes to go, and even though there's nothing I'd rather be doing, I will have a lot of homework to stay on top of. Finally, pray for me as I consider my future and what God has in store for me. I am still unsure where I'll be next year, but I'm hoping that this week will give me some insight into my next step. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. Like last time, I'll try to keep you updated.

Final Letter/Update sent out

Dear Friends and Family,

I have now returned from my trip to Jamaica.  During the past month of growing, learning, and serving, I have discovered a lot about myself and the God we serve.  I want to extend a huge thank you to all of you for supporting me, praying for me, and encouraging me while I was gone.  I am so grateful for your actions to come alongside me and further the Kingdom of God.

While I was in Jamaica, I met many people and experienced many new things.  I loved being a part of the culture down there and discovering the differences in perspective.  While down there I went to the capitol city of Kingston two different times with two different teams.  What an amazing opportunity!  Our levels of comfort are challenged much more in Kingston where the city is rougher.  The ministry is amazing though!  Because Kingston is not a regular tourist area, Jamaicans see us and ask us why we’re there (we stand out from a crowd really well).  It was awesome to get to talk to people about why we’d come and how a loving Savior had touched our hearts.  On our first trip to Kingston we went to two different prisons.  The first was a high security prison and only a hand-full from our team was allowed inside.  The second was a lower security prison for women where we were all allowed to go inside.  The latter was one of our most impacting shows and definitely a treasured memory in my mind.

While in Jamaica, I loved reaching out to adults and children on the island.  It was wonderful to just touch their lives and show them the love of Christ.  One of the places where I felt I had the most impact, however, was on the lives of the high school students who came down to minister and evangelize throughout the month.  One girl in particular had her life changed because of coming on the trip for two weeks.  She had the opportunity to lead a teenaged Jamaican girl to Christ during the first week, an experience she had never had before!  Throughout the rest of our time together, I had several opportunities to talk with her, telling her about my personal journey and encouraging her in hers.  At the end of the trip some of the students wrote me a note, thanking me for the help and impact I had been.  This girl in particular thanked me for encouraging and challenging her to follow God’s call in her life, saying that the way she lived her life would be different because of it.  I am so honored that God has used me to touch the lives of others and encourage them in their faith.

There were a few days where my physical strength failed.  I had food poising one day, but recovered after a day’s rest.  Another day I hurt my knee falling, but thankfully it was our last day of ministry, so I only had to limp around the airport on my way home.  Travels were safe and sickness and injury amongst the teams were almost non-existent.  The Lord provided and protected us always.  Thank you so much for your prayers!  I know that they were heard.

Leaving Jamaica was very difficult for me.  As the plane took off at 7am on the 21rst, I found myself asking God why he was taking me away so soon. I still felt that there was more for me to do there, and I had grown very fond of the life I was living.  I was looking ahead with dread at the next 18 hours which I was to spend in four airports and three planes.  But my traveling became 18 hours of time alone with God.  I spend it praying, thinking, and journaling about the month I spent in Jamaica.  I felt a great peace come over me during this time, and after having a week of readjustment at home, I now feel mostly ready to go back to Winona State University for my sophomore year.

Before serving in Jamaica this summer, I never thought that the path God had for me would call me abroad into missions.  But now that is exactly where I’m being led.  I am already making preparations to go back to Jamaica with the team from New Life E. Free Church for a week in October.  Right now the Lord is teaching me to trust Him wholly, and this involves less planning on my part and more faith, so I don’t have any definite plans for the future past this next year of school.  But I am excited about where God is going to take me.

I’ll end once again thanking you for everything you have done to support me.  You have all the gratitude in my heart.

I never went to a Jamaican church without hearing their favorite phrase; “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.”  Everyday I am touched by how true this really is.  I hope that all these things may encourage you.

 

With the love of Christ pouring out of my heart,

Leisha Mitchem

Final thoughts about traveling etc.

I’ve spend my fair share of time in airports today. And this is what I’ve decided. Airports that have rows of chairs without arm rests (at least partially) are better because they are more nap friendly. Because who doesn’t get tired when traveling/flying? The customs people in Miami are very considerate. Several of them asked me why I was limping/what I’d done to my knee as I was processed. If I had that job, I don’t know if I’d still care some much about one individual after seeing hundreds. The Miami airport is the worst to try to find your way in. Not to mention it’s like 2 miles from one end to the other. I would know because I walked it almost twice. For lack of anything better to do. The St. Louis airport has rocking chairs at the terminals. This is probably the coolest thing I’ve seen all day. I’m wondering whose ingenious idea this was. I have not sat in one yet as they are all occupied, but they look comfy and besides, who doesn’t like to rock in a rocking chair?

If I could petition the official decider of all things airports, I would petition her (cuz it’s a woman) to have free wireless internet in every airport. I have heard of this mythical thing people call free wifi in airports, but I have never experienced it. So far everywhere I has gone wanted to charge me around $8 to connect. What’s up with that? I love face book just as much at the next college kid, but I refuse to pay for it.

Never  use the bathroom immediately outside the gate from which you just excited after de-planing. Instead, walk a ways down or to your next gate and use the rest room there. The line will be considerably shorter if there is even one at all. I think it has something to do with all those people who have a fear of bathrooms on planes and save it all for when they get off. They then stride like they have blinders on to the first bathroom they see. And the only thing worse than a public restroom is a crowded public rest room.

I always thought that small children were a horrible idea when it comes to flying. If I was two and too young to understand why my days was so long and toyless with limited food (not to mention the pressure changes), I don’t think I’d be a very happy camper. I’ve discovered however that kids have a remarkable talent of entertaining themselves. Sure some get crabby and/or cry, but most of them spend the day running around and just being kids. They entertain themselves with carpet or a row of chairs or smart carts all lined up and locked together. It’s so simple. So one of my life lessons for today came from a two year old. Don’t over analyze. It is what it is, so make the best of it. And sometimes it’s more than what it is; like waiting areas becoming mazes and playgrounds. Simplicity is a must.

I’m amazed at some of the fashion statements that people make while they’re traveling. I understand sweats, and I understand jeans, and I understand comfy dresses. But I don’t understand 4-inch heels or mini skirts. I guess some people just like to travel in style. J

Tuesday, July 21

I slept through my alarm this morning, so I didn’t wake up til Larry knocked on my door at 5:20. I got dressed really quickly and zipped up my suit case. Larry drove me to the air port and Roger came with and walked me inside. It was hard to say goodbye. I fly from Mo Bay at 6:30 to Miami, 6 hour lay over, then from Miami to St. Louis, a small layover, and then I finally fly to Minneapolis, getting in at 10:30. Flying out this morning was hard. I felt very sad. To not know how long it would be before I could touch my feet to the island again. I prayed as we were taking off though and I watched the island grow smaller. It was so beautiful from up in the air. The clouds were heavenly and the sun had just come up. It was magical. I still feel the Lord calling me toward missions. As I was listening to him this morning he told me once again that I am meant for great things, but I’ll need to sacrifice some things. I still don’t know what the future holds, but I think that’s the point. I need to stop planning so much and trust more.