The first thing we did was go to an AT&T store to get phone chips. After that we got ice cream at my mom’s favorite place, and from there we went to our favorite restaurant, Lang Van, where we waited an hour for Anthony to turn up.
It was great to spend an hour with Anthony. It was weird being face to face with him, but we got used to it quite quickly. I was actually shocked at how open he was with my parents and how accepting they were of him. I think it was really important for my parents to talk to him because he needed encouragement.
After saying goodbye to Anthony, we bundled into the car and drove up to Tennessee, which was a three and a half hour drive. The car we’ve hired isn’t that comfortable at the back, especially because I usually have to sit in the middle in order to see what’s going on in front of the car, so by the end of the drive to Tennessee, I was regretting coming to America.
My emotions changed again when we arrived at the house we stayed at for two nights. To our surprise, we were welcomed by Jeremy’s sister, brother-in-law, and baby niece. I wasn’t very social though, since we had just traveled about twenty-seven hours, so I just said hello and goodnight.
The next day was a Shabbat, so we got ready and went to this awesome fellowship called The Vineyard of Yahweh. I was nervous about going because my dad said that the meeting was usually over three hours, which sounded like far too much, but it really wasn’t and was actually really good!
I always get really shy when I go to new places, though I already knew quite a few people, and usually stay beside my parents. That’s what I was doing when a little girl came up to me to ask if I wanted to go to the playground with her and some other girls. It was so cute to play with them and push them on the swings. Little kids are so much fun and somehow pulled the shyness right out of me.
Soon after arriving at the playground, it started to rain, so ran inside to the basketball court, where most of the other kids and teens were. I started playing basketball with one of the girls, when her older brother introduced himself to me.
Now, I must add here that I had sorta been staring at him during the meeting because he is really handsome, but he hadn’t even looked at me until I was playing with his sister and he came up to talk to me. His smile can make any girl melt, especially because he constantly has one on his face.
Anyway, we started talking and I found out his name was Jackson. We talked on and off for about 2 hours and he made me feel really comfortable and I found myself laughing and smiling a lot. He is a really sweet guy and is actually praying about coming over to the country I live in to go into the army and get his citizenship!
Along with talking to Jackson, I made two new buddies, Rosa and Roxy, who are sisters. These girls are so out of the box and awesome that I felt right at home with them. Most of the kids at The Vineyard find them weird, but I find them amazing. From the minute we started talking, it was like we had known each other for years.
I also learned a great new game that I hope to play with a group of friends and it’s called Ninja. What you do is make a ninja pose and the person that is near you has to try to hit your hand or wrist in one movement. It sounds really weird, but it is really fun. Jackson was always trying to get me out but I kept out-smarting him, which he couldn’t believe. It was fun to watch him fail because his expression was so cute when he did.
I was sad when I had to leave to get some rest at the house we were staying at, because it was so much fun to be with everyone. Fortunately, everyone was coming over that night for another fellowship time, so I got to hang out with my buddies and Jackson again. :D We played pool, talked, and had a really good time.
The next morning, I was planning on facebooking Jackson to say that it was nice to meet him and that I hope we could stay in touch, but he beat me too it. Since then, we’ve been Facebook messaging, Snapchatting, and texting for four days straight. He’s also asked if I have FaceTime so that might be happening in the near future. :)
I really love Tennessee, not just because of Jackson, but because the people there have become like my second family. They are so hospitable and make any new comer feel like they’ve known everyone for years. I love spending time and laughing with great people, and that’s exactly what happens whenever we come to Tennessee. It’s also awesome to see the growth that’s going on in their Congregation. I don't have as strong a relationship with God like the others do, but this trip is already strengthening it.
On Monday, everywhere I went, I was seeing people that needed to talk. At a car repair place, I started talking to a lady who worked at Walmart. She started telling me her life story and about her ex husband and I could see how bitter she was towards him. I encouraged her and told her that she shouldn’t be bitter towards her ex because if it wasn't for him she wouldn’t be the strong woman she was today. I let her know that I would be praying for her, and it was so sweet to see how happy she was after talking to me.
Another girl I spoke to was at a vineyard we visited. I don’t really know how we got onto the subject, but she started telling me all about her life and her situation with a farmer, twice her age, that works next door the vineyard. I was shocked when I was hearing about what the man was going through and how this girl thought that she should marry him to show him how a wife is supposed to treat her husband. While she was telling me all this, red flags were going up and I had to keep telling her that she needed to pray about this situation before rushing into things.
The last person I felt that needed to talk was our waiter at the restaurant we went to for dinner. Turns out, this guy was currently in prison, but on work release. He had just had a baby girl named Haven Grace and was seeking to know God more. I could see the hunger in his eyes and was so happy when Matthew, the pastor at Vineyard, started talking to him. It was awesome to pray for him as well.
If it was up to me, I would stay in Tennessee the entire time we are in America, but I know we can’t do that. I’ll just count down the days until we go back to Tennessee before we leave the country to fly home. It’s exciting to see the journey that we are going on in the U.S. because my eyes are really opened to see what God is doing in people’s lives. As I’m writing this, we are in the car driving to Oklahoma. We have another five and a half hours ahead. Let the next adventure begin!