The High Point of Interstate 80

    Despite what the signs might of said, the highest point of interstate 80 East of the Mississippi was not on one random hill in beautiful Pennsylvania, but instead was what my dad and I encountered after we exited.  Our six hour drive down to Lancaster County was well worth the cramped legs and tired bums.  Saturday, around 4:00pm my dad and I arrived in Litiz PA. where we went to a beautiful town park to meet the family I will be a part of next year.  The kids and I played on the playground structure, watched the baby ducks, and did a few rounds of hide and go seek.  It was very nice to be outside playing after the car ride and it was great to get to know this wonderful family just a little bit.  After a few hours in the park it was time for dinner with my dad's UBAC classmate, her husband, and her mother.  Dinner was absolutely delicious and we were able to spend the evening catching up on each other's lives and I got to hear a few stories from the past.  Seeing the love that these mission friends have for each other despite the years and distance is simply amazing. Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity to attend church with my new family.  It was their last Sunday at their home church due to their departure date of Aug. 4th.  Thus I got to be a part of the send off service where people of the church prayed for this family and for me and all the adventures we might have together in Chad.  It is quite wonderful to see how God works across distance and denomination to serve his people.  Then the afternoon was spent with my new family, eating lunch, eating a delicious dessert, discussing Visa applications and other packing details, and simply getting to know one another.  I know, after this visit, that I will be loved and cared for by this family.  I pray that the children will look forward to my coming and the teaching I will be doing.

Chasing the sunset home

    My adventure for this week is obtaining shots.  Really exciting, I know!  Today will be the day for Hep A., Polio, and Meningitis.....Thursday brings the big day of typhoid and yellow fever.  Wish me luck!  It is also commitment time for me because I want to wrap up all my details before our next visitors arrive.  Bank applications, Visa application, insurance application, support letter thank-yous, and of course trying to relearn some French.  A full week of work ahead and a welcoming home to my mother.  Time to get to work!

To New Beginnings in a Familiar Place

Hello friends, family, loved ones!

Good Bye Beautiful Pacific North West

  It appears to me that in this day and age, when a person strikes out on a life altering adventure the greatest tool of communication is found in blogs.  So I shall now attempt my own version of this form of update, although if you would like to find out more details, snail mail is my favorite form of long distance communication and I can guarantee a response.  So all of you reading this have one thing in common, curiosity about this Wickstrom's life.  I can positively confirm the rumors that have been spreading, I will be moving to one of the few continents currently not occupied by one of my family.  It is true that it is one not unfamiliar to the Wickstrom family and is in fact one that remains dear to our hearts.  On October 1, 2012 I shall begin my journey to the beautiful country of Chad.  As some may know, returning to Africa has been a dream of mine since, well, pretty much since I left it.  Growing up, I was taught to feel the pain of the continent through observing my dad, who rarely cried, mourning for the struggles he read about.  I felt a strong desire to go, serve and love those who had so strongly affected my upbringing.  So at the age of 24, I have finally found an opportunity to do this.

  I received a recommendation to investigate an organization called Mission Nannys and I applied, was accepted, and matched up with a missionary family for whom I will work.  My position will be to assist in homeschooling the four children and general household chores.  I will also be able to watch the children enabling the parents to spend more time in the community.  Though I will have my own room behind the family home, I will be dining with the family and spending a large portion of my day becoming a part of their household.   I am also praying that I will be able to make some friends outside the family, particularly someone to assist me in learning French.

  Now it might seem like I am starting this blog extra early, but that is primarily because (A.) I could use your prayers NOW and (B.) there are many much smaller adventures to come this summer so I want to inform you of those as well.  As far as prayer requests go, I am in the process of organizing the details for my trip (applying for a visa, figuring out evacuation insurance, getting vaccinations and medications, figuring out the best bank account for living over seas, etc.)  Much of this is rather new to me, and thus I have moved home to Ohio for the 
summer where I can have my loving 

Hello Ohio

parents assist me with these details and where I have plenty of time to get everything done.  I also need prayers in the fundraising department.  Room and board is provided by the family I will be living with, so I am primarily trying to raise funds for travel costs, insurance, visas, and internet access once I am there so that I can write to all you lovely people.  This is quite the humbling experience for me, as I typically do not like to accept gifts from people without doing something in return.  Thanks to all those who have already donated, I am 1/3 of the way to reaching my estimated goal.  As far as other adventures go, beginning in August I will travel to Massachusetts, North Carolina, Connecticut, Alaska, California, and Minnesota.  My first stop however will be Lancaster, Pennsylvania to meet the family I will be living with this next year.  More to come after that adventure!