#operationgroundswell

[thisbeautifulmoment]

abandoned cargo ship adventures #katbackpacksperu #iquitosperu #operationgroundswell (at Iquitos, Peru)

[thisbeautifulmoment]

Cant complain about winter in Perú 🇵🇪 (except the 5.1 magnitude earthquake today). #katbackpacksperu #operationgroundswell (at Paracas, Ica, Peru)

[theaverageatom-blog]

Let's hope this works @operationgroundswell #india #mindandbody #september2018 #himalays #backpacktivist #operationgroundswell (at Orlando, Florida)

[thisbeautifulmoment]

Goodbye, Perú! 🇵🇪❤ All my love to our OG Amazon Adventure family for the past 40 days of amazing backpacking and volunteerism! #katbackpacksperu #operationgroundswell #backinthestates (at Peru)

[thisbeautifulmoment]

Last day in Miraflores! 🌺 I love the colors of this city, but we haven’t seen the sun since arriving five days ago. Ready for the jungle! #operationgroundswell #amazonadventure #katbackpacksperu (at Miraflores)

[mperry7]

Let Your Faith be Bigger than Your Fear

Tomorrow begins my 6 week journey to Ghana where I will be working with local health agencies to learn about global health, meeting new people, and engaging with a new culture. I am excited, but also nervous as I embark on an adventure like nothing I have ever done before.

However, before I get to Ghana I will spend 2 days traveling...including a 22 hour layover in the Istanbul airport. In light of the recent terror attacks I had to make some decisions. Should I still go? Is it too dangerous? Should I try to reschedule my flight? In just a few minutes I went from printing my itineraries and making sure everything was set to questioning whether I was going to go at all. 

After a few hours of thinking, researching, and most of all, praying I knew that continuing with my plan to go to Ghana was the right choice. You see, from the very beginning I have left the details of this trip up to God. When I first got accepted to the program and learned how much money I would need to raise I did not think it was possible. I actually came very close to turning down the offer because financially it just was not going to work out. Then, my roommate came into my room and told me that it is God’s money. Even though I was not completely sure I believed her, I decided to try to raise the $500 deposit in one week. If I got the money, I would know I am supposed to go, and I would continue to fundraise. If not, it was not meant to be.

Within 3 days I raised $500. Over and over again it is confirmed that I am supposed to go on this trip. Every time I almost gave up, I prayed, and in some way that prayer was answered. When I let my faith be bigger than my fear, everything was okay.

So, tomorrow I will be leaving for the journey of a lifetime trusting God to keep me safe. Please keep me and all of the people I will be interacting with in your prayers. 

Dear God, please keep me safe as I go on this journey to Ghana. Please bless all of the other group members that they have safe travels and bless the people of Ghana that we will be working alongside. Thank you for giving me the strength to continue with my trip and for reminding me to let my faith be bigger than my fear.

[lovekatinthehat]

Feels like it was a lifetime ago that we were on the #salkantaytrail to #machupicchu! Miss my #operationgroundswell fam!! ❤️

[chasingeuph0ria]

Hello Tumblr Family, As you know, I am venturing off this summer to India and the Himalayas with a non-profit organization called Operation Groundswell. As part of the OG team this summer, our mission is to work with two non-government organizations; Students for a Free Tibet as well as Ecosphere. Students for a Free Tibet works towards Tibetan peoples freedom and independence while emphasizing on empowering this generation of youth to become leaders in the movement for social justice. With the NGO, Ecosphere, we will be building solar powered greenhouses to move towards an ecological and cultural conscience in the Himalayas. I feel that no words can truly capture my excitement and the gratitude I have, that God has blessed me with this opportunity. To me, this trip fulfills not only my longing desire for adventure and to discover the depths of the Earth, but also fills this void in my heart that deeply wants to manifest love and help people directly around the world. With that being said, any donations would help me reach these goals, and would be greatly appreciated! The website link is found below. 

"Help Shawna to Help People." 

Thank you so much, Shawna MacFadzen http://www.gofundme.com/helpshawnahelppple