Preparation Update

"The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." - James 5:16

Your prayers for my preparation have been both powerful and effective.  I recently went to the library and found some Spanish CDs that have been very helpful.  I am finding that I understand more than I can speak, so I may have a lot of one-sided conversations in Costa Rica, but hopefully I won’t be completely lost and confused.  Last weekend I went to help my dad work at the cabin, and on the drive up there I had a lot of time to practice Spanish with these CDs.  After about an hour, I decided I needed a break so I turned on the radio.  The first station that came on (keep in mind, I was in north Georgia) was a Spanish station!  My car antenna is broken so I don’t pick up many stations, but this Spanish station was perfect.  It had slower songs with a good beat, and I even heard some songs that I knew from my high school Spanish classes (namely, La Camisa Negra by Juanes).  What a great way to keep practicing Spanish!

Soon after I got back from the cabin I saw a message from James McGowan, a friend from high school.  He said he may be able to get me a copy of Rosetta Stone!

The next exciting thing is that yesterday I had an interview for an internship with Hargrove Engineers + Constructors.  Because I am taking summer classes, I am only available to work in Atlanta until the end of June.  Because of my weird schedule, I offered to work for free, just trying to get some experience and networking.  I wound up getting the internship!  I will be working part time, which is great so I can get experience and still have plenty of time to get my school work done.  This will be a great chance to get some experience with structural engineering and refresh my autoCAD skills before I go to Costa Rica.  My boss is also trying to get me some funding, so I won’t be losing money during my hour-long commute to and from the office and any extra money can go towards the EMI trip!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support!

Behind the Scenes

Engineering Ministries International (eMi) first caught my eye when its website asked this question: “Have you spent minutes or even hours sitting in your theory of architecture or thermodynamics class wondering how this all applies to your life as a Christian?” In my life, the answer to this question is a resounding YES. As I went to school at Furman University, I sought to combine my skills and my faith by going on mission trips with Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) and by working with Habitat for Humanity. At Clemson University, I continued working with Habitat and began working with a group called Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries (CEDC). CEDC gave me my first real opportunity to use civil engineering knowledge to help design a new water system for the people of Cange, Haiti. It gave me the chance to visit Haiti to meet with the Haitian engineers. It also opened the door for me to share my faith with anyone from curious media reporters to fellow students to active supporters. While this has all been a great first step, the question still remains. After graduation, how do I relate my engineering education to my life as a Christian?

I prayed about it and looked all over the place for jobs and ministries after graduation, and eMi kept popping into my head. God kept showing me verses like Romans 12:6-8 which says,

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”

I believe God has given me engineering skills and I want to use those skills to serve others. eMi offers me the chance to do just that.

Beginning in August, I will be going to Atenas, Costa Rica for four months to provide free engineering services to ministries in the developing world that are helping the poor and spreading the good news of Christ. In the past, eMi has designed churches, orphanages, water systems, schools, and hospitals all over the world. I will keep you updated as I learn more about the specific projects I will be working on.

The adventure will officially begin with a trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado where I will meet other interns for a week of orientation. After that, I will (thankfully) receive two weeks of language training and then move in with my host family in Costa Rica. That’s right – I will be living with a Costa Rican family. While this will be a great chance to really get immersed in the culture, it means all Spanish, all the time. Languages have never been my strong suit, but I know God can overcome that. After all, in Exodus 4:10 we read that Moses wasn’t a particularly good speaker, and God did some pretty cool stuff through him.

Between now and August, I will be finishing up school (I finish classes on August 4), studying Spanish, continuing my work with CEDC, and raising support for the upcoming trip. I need to raise approximately $7,600, so if you have any creative ideas please let me know. I am also looking for good ways to learn some Spanish, so let me know what you think. If you would like to financially support me, you can go to https://emisecure.org/donate.html and just put my name in the “Designation” box.

I can’t believe I will be in Costa Rica in just a few months! I am so excited about this opportunity, and can’t wait to share this journey with you!