It feels strange to say this but it's true: this blog post, and the heart behind it, has been a lifetime in the making. As a child I grew up overseas with parents who had a mission and purpose beyond just living a comfortable life and achieving the 'white picket fence' dream - it's something for which I'm forever grateful. Living in a third world environment for 9 years of my life has changed my perspective permanently.

It had been years since I had left the country when Nathan and I visited Africa in January. We have traveled a lot - Portland, Seattle, the Outer Banks, Charleston, and Arizona, to name a few - but it has all been for fun vacations or getaways. This year's trip was for a greater purpose and sparked something inside of me that I had long ago forgotten...