Trip to South Korea

Well, today is the day! We leave for Costa Rica tonight and I couldn't be more excited. As I prepare to leave for my second international mission trip, it brings back so many memories of my first. I remember the call to go to South Korea and the peace I felt while I was there. It was a once in a lifetime trip and I have so many wonderful memories from my 2 week stay. We did so many things while we were there and also met so many amazing people. It would be hard for me to recap the entire trip and put an experience that was almost indescribable into words. 

 

For my last "missions" blog post I'll be leaving you with pictures, which speak volumes over words. I will say that this trip shed so much light for me and gave me so much perspective. I never understood how difficult Christians across the world have it and how lucky I am to live in a country with freedom of religion and acceptance of the Christian faith. I have never appreciated the worldwide Christian community more and realized how much we all need each other. Every single person I encountered in South Korea was beyond sweet and caring. They all took such great care of us and treated us with great respect. The Korean culture is full of humility and service to others, something I believe the U.S. could learn from. It was hard for me to leave Busan because of the connection I made to the city along with the connections I made to the people I met. I never knew I could meet girls my age from the other side of the world and that we would have so much in common, that in 2 weeks time we would become lifelong friends. So please enjoy my pictures from Busan, South Korea, a place and people that will always hold such a special place in my heart.

 

 

 

My awesome team!

 

Busan is a seaside town and that means lots of beautiful ocean views!



We hosted a campus ministry party!

 

 

My favorite Korean food - Kimpop!

Our hosts - love these girls!

 

 

Sharing our testimonies and singing worship music for a Korean high school.

 

Helping campers learn to bake a cake!

Korean Karaoke

 

 

 

Karate Lessons

 

 

Teaching English at a Korean college

 

Busan has such breathtaking views!

 

Korean soda

South Korea -- always in my heart <3 p="">

Mission Trips Part 5 -- Dallas, TX

Thank God it's Friday! This week has actually gone by pretty quickly for me, but nonetheless, I am still very happy that it's Friday. This time around I am writing about my fourth and second to last mission trip experience. If you are getting a bit bored with this little segment then just hang in there because I only have one "mission trip post" left (besides the one I will write about Costa Rica). Speaking of, 1 week from today Josh and I will be on a plane to Central America! :)

 

One of the last things I did before graduating college was go on a mission trip to Dallas, Texas during Spring Break 2011. This trip was definitely different for me because it was the first mission trip I had been on that I wasn't fully excited about. I was going through a rough time in my personal life and had signed up for this trip prior to knowing I may not be in the best mindset for missions. I was hesitant, but I trusted Dallas was where I was meant to be. Going to Texas ended up being really good for me and God truly met me where I was at during that week. He allowed me to reach out to others who were struggling while I was feeling broken myself. He gave me the peace, patience, and strength to joyfully serve on that trip while I was going through a hard time. As much as I was there to help others, God also used the trip to heal me and work in my life. Pretty awesome how He can do both at once.

 

 

Like any other mission trip, there was a lot on the agenda for our week in Dallas. One of my favorite daily activities we did was help out at a day camp for some of the local kids. These kids came from lower income families and knew very little about God. That's where we came in! We had so much fun with those kids and in only a week, I became very attached to my little group. We played games, did crafts, ate snack, danced, sang, and most importantly had Bible story time. I had an awesome group who really wanted to learn more about the Bible, which is always encouraging. I loved spending time with those precious little people and man, did they fill my heart with happiness!

 

 

 

I went with a fun group and we really enjoyed our time in Dallas. We stayed in a little apartment and slept on the floor. It wasn't glamorous, but it made for the perfect home during our stay. Our group cooked together, ate together, had daily devotionals together and we even got to go to a professional basketball game together!

 

 

I experienced one of my least "glamorous" mission trip moments on this trip. A lot of people think mission trips are so clean cut and glossed over based on the pictures they see or what other people tell them upon returning. The reality is that mission trips can also be really dirty and downright nasty! Our group helped clean out some government housing that had been abandoned. These people knew they couldn't pay rent and instead of just moving out, they decided to trash the places first. Just imagine going crazy and destroying your whole house while throwing food, trash, and any other nasty substance you can think of everywhere. We put on our gloves and went to work. It was an experience, but one I am thankful for. Talk about the lesson of humility.

 

We did a few other random things while we were there including helping organize a massive closet. Well, there was more to it than that. Basically, there was an organization that had a lot of donated clothes and we organized them into different sections, so that local people could come in and find what they needed. The clothes were free to the public and it was a really cool ministry. We also helped serve food to high school students and joined a local church that Sunday to aid with their Sunday School classes. It was pretty cool because their children's Sunday School classes actually met at different kid's houses each week. That's what you do when you don't have a big fancy church building like we are used to. The week put a lot of things in perspective for me.

 

 

 

I think this trip taught me that God can always use you, no matter what shape you are in, as long as you are available. He can also heal you and work in your life through the most unexpected circumstances. God is pretty awesome like that! This trip taught me to push back my emotions, so that I could do what God was calling me to. How often do we let our feelings get the best of us and we give up on something we know we should be doing? This trip taught me that God is bigger than my emotions and feelings. He can give me joy through anything and that joy can be spread to others. Joy isn't based on our present circumstances. Joy is something that the Lord gives us that no one and nothing can take away. And that's a gift worth spreading.

 

Mission Trips Part 3 -- San Diego, CA

Good morning! I wanted to continue on my journey of sharing my mission trip experiences with you guys. The second mission trip I went on was to San Diego, CA and it was one of my favorites! This trip was over Spring Break of my junior year of college (Spring 2010). A group from my BCM campus ministry decided to do a Spring Break mission trip and I was excited to go with a group of people I was already familiar with. It was really cool to be doing something that would make a difference over my Spring Break instead of just taking a beach vacation. I had only been to California once when I was a baby because I have family that lives there, but I hadn't returned since. There was always something that allured me to California and made me want to visit again. I knew to expect beautiful weather and beaches, but soon enough I would get to know the beautiful people who resided there as well.

 

We got up really early and headed to the airport. The flight wasn't too bad and because of the 4 hour time difference we arrived at about the same time we had left Atlanta. We were excited to be there and to see what God had in store for our trip! (Side note: This was also the first mission trip I had ever raised money for and it was just amazing to see God work while I was trying to raise enough funds to make my trip possible. I'm sure you figured out by now that God did in fact provide for my trip and I actually ended up with more donations than I even needed!)

 

 

The first thing we did after getting settled was go out and do some team building activities. I was a little thrown off by this because I was expecting to go out and do ministry, but looking back it was a great decision. It allowed our group to bond right away and practice working together as a team which would be crucial over the next week. We also took some time to find a place of solitude and spend time alone with God before we starting ministering. I found this to be very helpful because it allowed me to focus and be reminded of what my purpose there really was. It was easy to get caught up in all that is California, but I was there for a specific reason: to share the Gospel.

 

 

We were able to stay at a Christian mission organization, but at the moment I cannot remember the name of it. They were an amazing group of people who had come together to minister to the people of San Diego and to show them an unforgettable type of love. See, California is very different than Georgia. California is much more liberal and much less like the padded "Bible Belt" our group was used to. There is not a church on every corner and not everyone had heard about Jesus since birth. This Christian organization was only one of a few in the area and they tried their best to make up for it. 

 

Because of how our trip fell, the next day ended up being our free day during the trip. We were excited to explore the city and see the different sites. We ended up at La Jolla beach and it was beautiful! I absolutely love the ocean, so in a sense this whole trip was like a dream because we were constantly surrounded by the breath-taking waters and gorgeous sunsets.

 

The next morning, we got to work! We were quickly informed upon our arrival that San Diego is home one of the biggest homeless populations in the world. Because of the warm weather, many homeless people can live in San Diego year round and remain safe from the freezing or boiling temps. There were many different organizations that worked with the homeless and we were fortunate enough to team up with one of them. The San Diego Rescue Mission was where we spent a few of our days in San Diego helping with various tasks and having our eyes opened to the reality of homelessness. We toured the property which contained many rooms, bathrooms, and eating areas for women and children to stay in, wash up, and get fed before heading back out to the streets during the days. Each night, hundreds of people would line the streets to try to get a night's stay in this place. It was crazy for me to even think about. We helped serve the homeless lunch while we were there (another service that they provided) and we even went to a food pantry and talked with many of the homeless people while they were waiting for their meal. One of my most vivid memories of the trip was gathering up food and walking the streets handing it out the all the different homeless people we saw. It was scary but very eye-opening. We had some great, Godly conversations and surprisingly those people had a lot more joy than even I had. They didn't rely on "things" to keep them happy. God had given them joy and peace through their unfortunate circumstances. They had used this time to grow closer to the Lord and had many wise things to say. It was a pretty great night and I learned more than I ever expected from the homeless.

 

 

We helped out with some churches while we were there. One day we helped a group who was currently planting a church. A few people and their families were starting from scratch and had slowly gained a following. Our group helped pass out fliers to the local neighborhoods informing them of this new church arrival and seeing if they were interested in being a part of it. We also visited a few different colleges and aided with their campus ministries. It was fun to interact with college students from across the country.

 

 

We did all of our traveling in this van...it quickly became our home! We had a blast together over that week and learned so much. Our group experienced so many different parts of San Diego and our eyes were really opened there. The people that we got to interact with for the week were just wonderful and you could tell the heart and plans they had for this city.

I loved California just as much if not more than I thought I would! I had such a great experience on this particular trip! "Greater things have yet to come; greater things are still to be done in this city." I truly believe that about San Diego. Although the Christian popular there is small, the ones that are there now have such a passion for the people of San Diego. I had peace while leaving knowing that this city was in good hands.

Mission Trips Part 2 -- Mississippi (Disaster Relief)

Good morning! It's time for another installment of "Mission Trips" documenting my mission trip experiences thus far. This post I am going to share about my first mission trip experience -- going to Mississippi to do disaster relief work.

 

I finally got up the nerve to sign up for a mission trip the summer after my sophomore year of college (summer 2009). It seemed like a great idea at the time. The trip was somewhat local, in Mississippi, and it was only a week long. I thought this would be a perfect starter trip for me! I went with 4 other college students and a great college campus BCM leader. We loaded up the van and set out for our destination. The first few hours were a little stressful because I quickly realized that I had forgotten my cell phone. It wasn't the biggest deal in the world, but being that it was my first mission trip, it would have been nice to communicate with my family while I was away. (Some of the girls let me use their cell phones throughout the trip to call my mom and it was probably a blessing to not have a big distraction like my phone.) I also got really nervous about an hour into the drive. It finally hit me that I was going on my first mission trip, something I had never experienced, with people I hardly knew. Luckily, that anxious feeling faded quickly. The trip ended up being a blast!

 

Our purpose for this particular mission trip was to assist with disaster relief work. We stayed at a little camp with cabins, bathrooms, and an eating area. There were other groups there too and each day the different groups would set out on different disaster relief projects around the area. This particular area of Mississippi was hit very hard by Hurricane Katrina. There was still so much damage in the area that hadn't even been touched 4 years later. Funny enough, we actually got assigned to do most of our work on the property of the camp. We helped shovel, move things around, and clean out spaces. It was definitely not the glamorous part of helping with disaster relief. We were assigned to do the stuff that wouldn't get recognized and that people might not even know about. But that was the beauty of it. Our group learned a lot about humility during that trip. We worked hard during the days and hung out with the different groups at night. I really bonded with all the girls on the trip and they soon became comforting to be around while I was away from home.

 

We also visited New Orleans on our one afternoon off during the trip. It was so much fun! It was my first time in "Nawlins" and I loved it. We toured the city, ate delicious sea food, and went to Café Du Monde for dessert. If you have never been to New Orleans, I highly recommend it. It's a beautiful city, the kind where you can just walk the streets and be entertained. I also recommend going to Café Du Monde because the beignets and hot chocolate are out of this world. (Josh and I went there for a night on our honeymoon and I loved it just as much as the first time!)

A random part of this trip was finding a litter of puppies at the camp during our stay. They had no home, so a girl in our group volunteered to take them back with us. Her aunt had a farm for them to live at. We made the 8 hour drive back to Atlanta with these adorable pups in tow. Needless to say, I was in love with them. But it's really funny to think back about how crazy we were and how nice our leader was to allow us to bring them along for the ride.

 

My first mission trip to Mississippi do to disaster relief work was such a great experience for me. It drew me closer to God and allowed me to develop many friendships on the trip. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and was surprise at how easily I adapted. If you have never been on a mission trip, you should totally do it! Some of my fondest memories are experiences I have had and the people I have met on mission trips. You really bond with everyone around you, but most importantly, you learn so much about yourself. It's a great learning experience and a tangible way to deepen your faith.

 

 

 

 

Mission Trips - Part 1

In light of the adventure I am about to go on this summer (on a mission trip to Costa Rica), I thought I would highlight each of the other mission trips I have gone on up until now. I get a lot of questions about the locations and the activities done on the trips, so I am going to take the opportunity to share the details and pictures from each of my mission trip experiences.

I have to start off by saying that I am by no means some mission trip expert. Because of my testimony, you may already know that I didn't even become a Christian until late high school/early college. From there, it took me a few years to settle into my faith before I felt confident enough to go on a mission trip to share the Gospel. Although this is the way I thought it should be handled, I will say that you are never too young in your faith to share it with others and serve others. Once I truly gave my life over to Christ during my sophomore year of college, I felt an immediate tugging on my heart to do missions. I knew it was my duty as a Christian to get out there and share the Good News with others. It was my duty to selflessly serve others and be a light of Christ to them. If I wasn't willing to do this, who would?

I was a part of a wonderful ministry in college called the BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministries) and they really helped shape and form me into a more mature and less intimidated Christian. They offered a program called Summer Missions where students from all the BCM's in Georgia would raise money all year long and at the end of the year, the money would go into a big pot. That money was then used to send any college student that wanted to (there were no restrictions) on a mission trip over the summer. They had summer-long trips and week-long trips. They had trips to different towns within Georgia and trips to different continents. Little did I understand at the time, how much of a blessing and amazing opportunity this was. I went on three trips through this program: Mississippi, Brunswick, and South Korea. All three were great experiences and cost free, which is a big deal for a broke college student. This program provided us with opportunities that we would never have been able to afford otherwise. I also went on two trips through the BCM over two different Spring Breaks: San Diego and Texas.

So there you have it: a summary of my mission experiences thus far. I am going to do this as a series, so that I can go into each trip in detail without making one long, massive post. Hope you enjoy hearing about my experiences on the mission field! I would love to hear about yours! :)

Costa Rica

I am here to tell you a little bit about our big adventure this summer. We are so excited to be going on a mission trip to Alajuela, Costa Rica. Alajuela is the second-largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. Alajuela and its surroundings are famed for having "the best weather in the world". There is also a mountain, a rain forest, and the ocean within a small area -- such a variety! The main exports of the region are coffee, sugar-cane, maize, beans, tobacco, citrus fruits, strawberries, tubers like cassava, flowers and ornamental plants. I have been told that if you want to try the freshest fruits, then you need to go to Alajuela. If you aren't quite sure where that is (like I was), here is a map :)



















We are taking the trip with a group from Josh's dad's non-profit, Unto the Least of His. Josh and I are quite excited because it will be our first mission trip together. We have both done many trips, but we know there will be a special aspect added while serving with your spouse. Josh has actually been on this trip many times, so he is much more familiar with the area. I have never even been close to Costa Rica and I can't wait to see all that there is in this beautiful country.

We will be there for 1 week and we will be doing a variety of activities. Our team will be running a Vacation Bible School for the week. We will be working with the local children and teaching them about the Bible, as well as, building relationships with them. We will also be doing service projects and helping out with construction related things in the community.

The local language is Spanish and rice and beans is a very common meal there. I have been told to expect that particular dish almost every day. The area we will be visiting is very poor and the people there have very little. Our goal is to love on these people and encourage them while we are there. We want to share the hope of Jesus with people who might feel hopeless.

We have created a fun video to tell you more about our mission trip to Costa Rica. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/91854798

If you are interested in supporting our trip, please visit our GoFundMe.com website. :)

http://www.gofundme.com/joshandbrittanytocr

Life...Will You Please Just Slow Down?

If you have been wondering what's going on in my life (probably not, but you never know!), then I am here to tell you that April has been a crazy, busy month for the Gale's. We have kind of been running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I don't know if it's the spring weather, or Easter, or all of the activities culminating before we hit summer...but life has flown by these past couple of months. I know people say the older you get time seems to speed up, and I can testify that there is truth to that!

Although we have been very busy, everything is going well. Josh is finishing up his second year of seminary and only has one year to go (hallelujah!). We are still loving our church and Josh has been working so hard there. He has preached multiple times and I can say that there aren't many other moments in which I am prouder of him than when I watch him preach. I believe he is a natural. I have been at Land Rover for a year and a half and am finally settling into the routine of commuting which I started back in December. I still don't love it, but my despise-o-meter is slowly going down. Our house is finally coming together and I am so relieved. For some reason, I was very intimidated at the thought of decorating our house and putting each room together. I'm not quite sure why. Isn't this every girl's dream?! Well I can say I am happy with how everything is turning out and it's been easier/more fun than I anticipated. I am also going to do a House Tour on this blog soon. Let me know if anyone would be interested in that? My domestic skills (ahm...cooking) have majorly improved! I have been cooking more and more and I rarely reuse a recipe. I have been trying different things and making meals that are out of my comfort zone. So far I haven't burned the house down and Josh has only turned down one of my creations...which is impressive if you know how picky he is!

Summer is right around the corner and don't be fooled into thinking that we will slow down any, in fact, between a new Bible study, youth group trips, our mission trip to Costa Rica, and more work and school...we will be filled to the brim! (If you don't know much about our Costa Rica trip, please visit http://www.gofundme.com/JOSHANDBRITTANYTOCR to find out more! I am also going to do a blog post about this trip specifically before and after our visit. I will be sure to share the details and photos with you all.)

Well I think that is it for now. Life is moving quickly, but I'm thankful that at the end of each day, I go to bed happy and content with where I am. As trite as this phrase is, I am seriously blessed. God has taught me more about flexibility and going with the flow this year, and I am trying to put it to use. (I'm getting a lot of practice.) I'll leave you with some of our family Easter photos and April favorites.

My family -- I love this photo more than words can say...and also because of Cedric's goofy expression.

 

My love...so thankful for this guy and proud of all he has accomplished this year. We treated ourselves to new Easter outfits this year (we never buy clothes for ourselves) and it was a nice treat.

 

                            Easter Sunday with my mom after church. 

         My brother came home for Easter weekend! We loved having him.

 

 

 Announcing our trip to Costa Rica this summer...we are excited! (We even made a fun video.)

Our trip to the zoo -- Josh had never been to the Atlanta Zoo and I felt like this was unacceptable, so I took him on a surprise date there!
 

I'm still coaching 3 year old soccer each week and I absolutely love it. At this age, it has nothing to do with skill (which is why they let me coach), but it is more about team work and patience with the young learners. They are the funniest kids and so sweet! They have the best manners and are so pure with their words (truly saying exactly what they are thinking). I love seeing them encourage each other and give each other high fives after scoring goals. It's truly the 1 hour each week that I do something for myself. It may seem like it's for them, but really, I know I get so much more out of it!