Less than 2 weeks!

 I leave to begin touring with the African Children’s Choir in less than 2 weeks!!! Though a little hesitant to be super excited due to the previous schedule changes, I can actually count down to the exact day I leave for tour now!

God has been so good in providing prayer and financial support, and I am 100% funded based on the current budget.  I say the “current” budget because there may be a few more expenses based on the news that we will now be traveling to Australia for a portion of the tour!!! I am so excited!

For those of you who are wondering about my hand injury, the bones are fully healed. Praise God! Though getting the strength and endurance back to 100% will still take time and more exercising/stretching the muscles, I am able to do most of the things I was able to do before the accident. I’m sure after carrying suitcases and backpacks all over the country for 10 months, it will be strong in no time!!!

All of the excitement kicks off with my fellow chaperones arriving in my hometown of Wheaton on August 25^th!!  We will join together and meet the children, who are arriving in Chicago, on August 27^th!!!  As scheduled so far, we kick-off the tour in Lake Geneva, WI, on Friday, September 5^th. For about the first 7 months we will travel throughout WI, MN, IA, IL, OH, PA, NY, GA, TX, NM, OK, KS, and MO (and maybe others!).   During the last 3 months or so we will tour Australia, adding to a total of 10 months of touring with the choir. Good thing I love traveling!

Be sure to check out the schedule online – africanchildrenschoir.com , then on the top left, click ‘Shows’  and down to “Choir 42”.  Certain dates have yet to be filled, check back for updates on new concert dates.

Though the constant role of chaperone “Auntie” is a given, most of you know my other position is Music Teacher – which has multiple functions, but mainly leading rehearsals and assisting during concerts.  Since we do school on the road I will be helping the kids with their lessons, as well as taking care of injuries/sickness (hopefully not very often!) as tour ‘nurse’.  Of course, there are many other hats that I will be putting on and off throughout the tour, but these are the main ones.

I am looking forward to all that God has for me to learn during the next year of life, and how He will use me in the lives of others. Please continue to pray for the tour, the children, the chaperones, and the ministry as a whole. There are many aspects to a tour, not only the parts that you see like concerts and traveling, but also the background office planning and paperwork. Thank you in advance for your prayers!

Hope to see many of you at a concert along the tour route!

P.S. – If you know of someone who would like to receive these updates, or if you would like to change the format that you are receiving them (email/snail mail), please let me know. Of course, I can add anyone at any point on tour, but they may miss out on some sweet updates! J

Life changes at the swing of a bat!

  About a month ago now, my life took a drastic change.  While I was umpiring a softball game, a girl took a practice swing during a live play in which I had to make a call, and my hand took a very hard blow from the bat (If you’re interested in hearing the entire story, let me know).  I ended up with 2 broken metacarpal (hand) bones and in need of surgery.  I now have 4 pins in my hand and a nifty brace to help keep this pale girl obtain a terrible summer tan!!  If all goes well, by the time you receive this letter, I will have the pins out!!   

Until I get the pins taken out, I cannot do ANYthing with my hand.  Thankfully, it is my left hand and I am right-handed so that has made life a tad easier than if it were my dominant hand.  My creativity comes in handy as I try to do normal things, such as blow dry my hair with one hand – that is surely an adventure!! Currently, I am going through occupational therapy, which will continue until the time I leave with the choir, and up to a year afterward on my own. Since I cannot get the pins wet or lift weight with my hand, my activities are very limited. Books, movies, and phone/email conversations have become my best friends the past few weeks.  If you want an idea of what I cannot do right now, try going through an entire day without using one of your hands.  It is surprising how much we use both hands – even for simple things like brushing our teeth!! J

Needless to say, I have not been working at any of my jobs the last few weeks.  I am hoping to start working in the office at the ambulance company, but we’re still working out details.  I have started driving again, as I normally drive with mainly my right hand anyway.  This has given me a little more option in daily activities, rather than relying on my family to take me everywhere.

For those of you who were praying for the Returning Hearts Celebration, God worked in amazing ways!!! Unfortunately, due to my hand injury and surrounding factors (only a week after surgery, healing process, etc) I decided it would be best not to attend.  This was a difficult decision, but I do believe it was best. (Turned out I was able to attend my cousin’s baby shower, which originally I would have had to miss!)

At RHC there were 850 kids, 400 inmate dads, 200 lady guardians (there is a separate program for the kids’ guardians who bring them that day), over 650 volunteers, and at least 20 decisions for Christ were made during the weekend!!!  The Warden has requested another RHC in July, and there is a very small chance I will be able to attend that one since it will be further out from my surgery. 

Despite all of the above news, I do have some exciting news!!! – Choir 42 has started scheduling their concerts!!!  Right now, our first official concert will be in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin on September 5^th.  From there we are scheduled around WI, MN, IA, OH, NY, NM, and OK so far.  Be sure to check out the schedule online – africanchildrenschoir.com , then on the top left, click ‘Shows’  and down to “Choir 42”.  There are still MANY dates that need to be filled in, so if you know of a place/event in which we can sing, please let me know or give the choir a call directly (or both!)!!!

Thank you for all your prayers and support!!!  Life has been tough the past month, but I know that through your prayers and encouragement from the Lord, I will be able to continue in all that comes ahead the next couple months! Thanks again, and if you find yourself to have some extra time, send an email or give me a call – I probably don’t have a packed schedule most days anymore!!! Haha

How time flies...

Wow!  How time flies I will never understand... The past couple months have been filled with numerous happenings, from youth events, to work, to so many other exciting things on this journey of life.   

A couple updates:

1) Many of you know that the tour date for my travels with the African Children’s Choir has been changed to September.  (No, I still do not have a solid leave-date yet.)  So far, this has not changed again, and I currently have about 70% financially towards the prospected cost of tour. Thank you so very much to you who have been praying and also to those who have sent financial gifts.  I am so blessed by all of you! God is good!!! On a preparation note, there is not a whole lot going on besides some office paperwork.  I would like to know if you are not receiving my updates by mail/email, however, because we have had some issues with addresses being transferred correctly.  Please let me know, or if there is a new address/email address that I should be using instead.

2) Work adventures have been exciting and new.  While I have been staying busy with various jobs, at the end of February I began working for a private ambulance company based in Oswego, IL. Though I have only been there a short while, I’m learning many new aspects of the job and love getting to know the patients.  This is not only a job, but also another step towards keeping my EMT license and paramedic school (eventually…).  Over the past few weeks God has really shown me that I need to attend medic school to further my medical knowledge and understanding for the purpose of teaching and helping others. As many of you know, I would like to return to Africa to teach music and medical classes to children/youth.  This past week I had a special child patient whom we were transporting, and the experience solidified and furthered my desire to continue in the medical field in order to pursue this goal.

3) Other adventures that I have had recently are quite numerous. The youth that I work with have had major competitions with Bible Quizzing, games, volleyball, and fine arts (an array of categories – music, art, speaking, etc). They all did such a fabulous job in each of their events/competitions!  One of the major highlights during this competition season was judging the National Highschool Summit Piano Competition that I competed in when I was in highschool. Definitely was a learning experience, but also much fun as another of the judges was the same one judged my piano pieces years ago!!!  Spending time with family and friends is also a major part of my life, and with the semester winding down, many friends have had their music recitals that I have been excited to attend. Awana has now ended for the year, and as summer tries to come (if it would only warm up a bit!), softball season has begun – which means that if I’m not working on an ambulance, you can proobably find me on a field umpiring fastpitch again. :) 

Outside of tour preparations and day-to-day life right now, I would appreciate your prayer for the Returning Hearts Celebration in Angola, LA the 15-18 of May. I will be returning to the Louisiana State Penitentiary with a group from IL to meet with hundreds of other volunteers from across the United States through the ministry of Awana Lifeline.  We are coming together to help with the one day of the entire year that the inmates can spend time with their children in a fun atmosphere and setting, instead of behind a glass wall. Many of these children only get this one chance to see their dad, and there are always at least a few who have never even met their father because of when they were born/when he was incarcerated. It is a joyous time seeing these meetings between a father and child!  Currently, they are also in need of more volunteers, as we have over 800 kids signed up to come already!!

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support! Hope you all have a blessed month of May!!!

Change to African Children's Choir tour leave date

Dear Family and Friends,

   Hopefully you all had a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year! Mine was filled with most of my extended family all in for the holidays, and of course that meant lots of food and laughs!!! As I write this update, it is snowing (again!). Though I love snow, I am ready for the warmth of spring to come soon!

Even though 2014 started out great, much has changed this past month.
First, I am so blessed by YOU – my supporters – as I have received much prayer and financial gifts within a short period of time. Financially, I have received one-third of my goal to go on tour, but there is no way to measure the prayers you have given. Thank you!

Second, I have been informed that my tour start date has changed. I will no longer be leaving in June, but rather September. As you can guess, this was quite a shock and I do not have all the answers to questions that you may have. What I have been told is that the very first African Children’s Choir (Choir 1) began their debut tour in the month of September. Since the Choir with whom I will be touring is the 30th Anniversary Choir, Music for Life wanted to make Choir 42 a special tour year.
This change will not affect my position as Music Teacher or Chaperone, nor does it change the way your financial gifts to me will be used. All funds given will stay in my designated account until needed for the tour in September.

Despite the changes, I have been preparing for tour in various ways. Currently, I have begun voice lessons to help in my better understanding of vocal instrumentation and correct use, versus piano. They are very different! Later this semester I hope to learn more about conducting children’s choirs from area directors/professors. Work, helping out with Awana ministry, and EMT continuing education hours, keep me busy; but I am grateful for the emails, late-night Skype chats, phone calls, and texts from friends and family as well. There is absolutely no way I could be doing this without YOU!!!

Thank you again for all your support as I prepare for this new adventure!

serving the King,
Heather

Picture Update!

AWANA T&T (3rd-6th grades) Fall decorate your leader as a scarecrow game time
Loving game time with these kids each week!!!

Cousin Josh's 13th Birthday - Pizza Cake!!!
Spending a week with my cousins in Ohio was awesome!  Lots of fun, laughter, and music happened!!!

AWANA Grand Prix - Representing the ACChoir! (A replica of what I will be living on for 15 months...)

Some of the awesome 8th graders in my Trek group!

Family Thanksgiving 2013

Except for a few ingredients (and of course the turkey and lingonberries) all this came from our garden!!!

Candlelight Carols 2013 - From the other side...with my college roommate

Crazy friends enjoying a night out seeing the ZooLights at Lincoln Park...and of course laughing a LOT!!!

Hello again everyone!
 Life has been busy. No, not the kind of busy as when I was in school, but still busy. I'm now working multiple part-time jobs (janitor/secretary with my grandparent's business, teaching piano, balloon arranger/artist at a balloon shop, and any other jobs that come up!),  doing various work/projects for my mom & grandparents, taking care of the garden, and serving in AWANA with both the Jr.High Trek group as well as the Sparks/T&T girls.  Every week's schedule is different, which I do not particularly enjoy, but this is where God has me at this time - I'm learning to be even more flexible with time than I already was!
 At this point, I am waiting for June to arrive.  'For what?', you ask. Well, if you didn't already know, I have been accepted to be a Choir Tour Chaperone with the African Children's Choir.  I am so excited for this opportunity to serve! I have always wanted to work with kids, in ministry, using music (and I love traveling), which makes this practically my dream job! Granted, I will be raising support and not receiving a paycheck.  With this opportunity I will be traveling for 15 months, mainly on a coach bus, with about thirty 7-10 year olds and 8 other chaperones. Most of the tour will take place in the United States, but some weeks may be in Canada. Approximately the last 3 months we will be in the United Kingdom, before the kids head back to Africa.
 Though I do not know my specific job other than chaperone (every chaperone has a job such as sound tech/head education teacher/music supervisor/etc), I will wear many hats during the tour. From what I have been told so far, my music tours with the Moody Symphonic Band have prepared me well (other than the fact that they were 2 weeks, not 15 months...haha). This is just one thing of many that have come up the past couple months that I have wondered why God had me involved with certain extra activities or learning opportunities - both in life and in the classroom. Many times this month the things that I have learned, even from years ago, have been necessary for me to apply to my life.
 Tranisitioning from school life back to home has been a challenge, especially when I'm starting to think about preparing for the next step of my life with the choir.  I am still learning so much each day; but God is good and He is gracious to let me fall, stand back up, wipe off my knees, and help me go at it again.  So many times we forget that He is there holding us up, desiring that we would take His help - not as wimps, but trusting in the God who IS our Strength! We cannot live life alone. We need the Light to guide us. We need a single set of footprints to remind us that He is carrying us. We are not alone (Romans 8:38-39). WE NEED THE LOVE OF JESUS!

1st NFL Game ever

The 5 Browns Concert! (one was feeling ill so she didn't stay for the cd signing)

Cubs game with my Uncle Rich!

Museum fun with my sister and cousins!!!

Summer!

 Dear Friends,
 There have been so many changes and so much that God is doing and teaching me in my life that updating my ministry blog has taken a back seat. Hopefully I will write soon, but for now here's a few more pics to update you briefly on what has been going on in my life. In regards to the many changes and learning that has been happening, I ask that you continue to pray with me for the next steps in this life-long journey of following Christ. Hope to talk with you soon! Blessings!

The wonderful ladies of 4 West!  So many memories made on this dorm floor - gonna miss them!

The awesome youth/college/singles group at my 'Chicago' church! Miss them!

My Graduation Fan Club aka my Family!

The lady grads of 4 West!

Hockey Fans!

The Awesome Eagle Cabin - cabin counselor and team leader at Great Lakes Bible Camp

Teaching Bible hour to my 1st grade class at VBS - Colossal Roller Coaster World

A week with some of my cousins is bound to have a lot of memories and laughter!

Met "Daddy Ray" Barnett - founder of Music for Life/the African Children's Choir at an interview weekend to work with their ministry...still waiting to hear back