The day before departure

My last day before leaving for Kosovo!

I am continually reminded of how blessed I am to have such a supportive family- this time they attended church with me :). I was a bit nervous having family and friends there for the first time. I didn't want to make a big deal of it, but then I was reminded of how it is so not about me and I want to invite as many people as possible to be part of this mission in Kosovo. Even my non church-going family came. It meant so much having my support system there with me- seeing where I go every Sunday and meeting the church community who is behind me as I venture out as a missionary. I hope this experience brought my family a little peace about me traveling so far away. As we walked to the car, my mom stated that was the most fun church she had ever been to- it was not boring one bit! Everyone seemed to enjoy the service. I also got to witness my 2yr old niece's first time- and it sounded like she will be going back again :)

A big Thank You Netcast Church. Toward the end of service, Pastor Matt introduced me on stage, spoke about my mission in Kosovo and prayed over me. I relieved he didn't ask me any questions- I'm not sure how successful I would have been answering them with all the shaking my body was doing. After the service I was approached by many wonderful individuals who spoke continued words of encouragement and support. I was also given several checks to aid with financial support. I am so grateful to have the support from so many amazing people- many of whom I had not previously met. It is so encouraging to hear you will be praying for me. I am ready to embark on this adventure and I promise I will do my best to keep everyone updated.

Love, 

Ariel

Flight booked with a SOUND MIND

Yes it is official- my flight to Kosovo is booked! My itinerary is:

Depart Boston Monday, Aug. 13th 4:35pm

Arrive to Frankfurt 5:30am   Depart Frankfurt 6:45am

Arrive Vienna 8:05am   Depart Vienna 10:05am

Arrive Pristina, Kosovo 11:50am

I'll be flying Lufthansa for the first half and then Austria Airlines to Pristina. I booked my flight through an international travel consultant and was able to get a missionary/humanitarian fair which I'm told is a reduced price. I am permitted 1 free checked bag but at this point I'm thinking I'll pay to bring a 2nd.

I spoke with my church pastor on the phone last week. Him and his wife are very supportive and want to make me officially sent out from Netcast Church. Feels good to know I have a wonderful community backing me up.

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Some know about my somewhat recent maze concerning my health. 1 1/2 years ago I started on the path to figure out what was going on with my body. I was used to commuting by bicycle and suddenly I'd ride one way and get stuck- not able to ride back I'd sacrifice my pride and take the bus. My walk was sluggish- I even started to take breaks from brushing my hair. This loss of energy seemed to come in waves- thus making me out to be a hypochondriac. 

After a number of appointments geared toward trying to pin point a diagnosis, blood labs after blood labs- the conclusion is- there isn't exactly a diagnosis. Rather, years of unmanaged stress eventually took it's toll on my body and finally it ran out of any and all energy reserve. So this healthy 27 year old isn't exactly as healthy as perceived. Although not completely to blame, my mostly vegetarian, low fat diet was part of the problem- body without certain nutrients/fats cannot function as it should, until little by little- my body went on strike and I was left with feeling like an inactive 90 something year-old (no offense).

Those closest to me have been concerned about my traveling to Kosovo- and rightfully so, I was nervous at first thinking I may have a serious disease. However, the countless blood tests all came back negative for such a disease. I am blessed to have the help of a family friend nutritionist, guiding me with nutrient supplements and will graciously continue to do so while I am abroad. The school is aware of my physical state and continue to welcome and encourage me as well as notify me of the doctors dedicated to the school and staff. <- all RE-ASSURING. 

A few nights ago, I was feeling attached with doubt- I opened my nightstand book to the next chapter and read the heading "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"- 2 Timothy 1:7

Ultimately, I have to have faith that God is bigger than my mini health crisis. I believe in my reasons for going there, and I have to believe that God will take care of me in the mean time. 

With all this craziness, praise God, I actually feel at peace.

Update- Reality settling in

Wow... only 2 full months left until my departure to Kosovo! Time is moving very quickly and the reality of leaving this place teeter totters. I do not have my plane ticket yet- but the plan remains to leave beginning of August- no later than the 2nd week. 

I am about half-way to my financial support goal- which is such an amazing blessing. It was an awesome surprise to find out that the proceeds of my sister's moving/yard sale (which several family members contributed items to) are going toward Kosovo. I have such a supportive, encouraging family! 

The reality of leaving family and friends to go abroad for a year is tough to hold on to. It has been helpful to Skype with Corey (the business manager and head of recruitment for Prishtina High School.) who is currently still in Kosovo. I am so appreciative of this technology- it really has helped me stay grounded while preparing for this journey.

The mysteriousness of arriving in Bolivia 2 years ago, having not seen or spoken to the volunteer lead prior, (only contact was through email) was crazy- after the fact. The scenario resembled a movie scene where more often then not, the scene did not end well for the protagonist. Everything did work out safely and I ended up with a story to show my bravery and independence, however, I do not advise others to take such a risk. No matter what good intentions someone has for when she arrives to her destination- she must first arrive there safely to be able to follow through with those good intentions.

Thank you for all the encouragement and support. 

Partner with Me

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings! I hope this letter finds you well. About 4 months ago, I graduated from Antioch University in Seattle with my Master’s Degree in Counseling, Art Therapy. I returned to Massachusetts unsure of where my future was headed, but God had a great plan for me.  I have been given the opportunity to serve as a school counselor and physical education teacher at an international school in Kosovo.

Kosovo is a newly independent country that currently ranks 4^th in European corruption. Corruption impacts the daily lives of Kosovars in ways most North Americans would find unthinkable. For example, a math teacher may offer privates classes after hours for which students need to pay; the catch being, if you do not pay for extra lessons, you cannot get a good grade at school. Prishtina High School (seeks to break this cycle of corruption through assisting students in achieving full potential in their academic, creative, personal, physical and moral development so that they can make their best contribution to society and their community.

In addition to the corruption, in the cultural background of Kosovo, boys and girls are rarely considered equals and cultural and religious diversity are neither accepted nor respected. At Prishtina High School, all students are given the same opportunity for their futures and children speaking Albanian, English, and other languages learn to view each other with respect and in friendship.

I feel that God has called me to counsel, teach, and mentor youth in Kosovo at Prishtina High School.  However, the school does not have the funds to fully support all teachers therefore I need to raise my own financial support. I am asking you to consider partnering with me in this journey. My goal is to raise at least $1,000 of monthly support and a small cash budget. Your financial support of $30, $50 or $70 per month will allow me to focus on teaching Kosovo’s future leaders and to be a light in their lives. If you are interested in partnering with me financially and/or through prayer and would like to know more- please leave a comment or email me at avflavin@gmail.com.


Thank you!

A New Mission: KOSOVO

"As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"(Romans 11:16)


It has been almost 2 years since I left for Bolivia. I have never learned as much as I did the 2 months I was there (you can read all about it in previous blog posts). Through that experience, I came to understand more what it means to be beautiful feet. To say it was a challenge to re-focus on school after returning from Bolivia is an enormous understatement. I slowly transitioned back to grad-school life in Seattle and completed my coursework and year-long internship in December, 2011.


Upon graduating, I moved back to Massachusetts to spend time with family, set up camp and explore future possibilities. I did numerous internet searches- mix and matching key word combinations of my interests; counseling, art therapy, youth, missionary work. So many search results... and then I stumbled upon Prishtina High School's webpage (www.prishtinahighschool.org). The school is an American-style international school in the country of Kosovo. Yes, the idea of moving to Kosovo was shocking to me at first.. I had no idea where Kosovo was... Was this really where my path was headed?? I entertained the idea, not wanting to shut it down without fully exploring the possibility. The more I explored it, the more it became clear that it is true- Prishtina High School is where God wants me. It is still amazing to me how God will utilize all our gifts and experiences- nothing is ever wasted. Not only will I be utilizing my degree with counseling the students, I will be exercising my passion for health/nutrition by teaching a physical education course for the female students.


My mission is two-fold:
1. Assist students with achieving full potential in their academic, creative, personal, physical and moral development so that they can make their best contribution to society and their community.
2. Be an ambassador of Christ by living along side of and loving the people of Kosovo. 


I cannot work as a counselor and teacher in Kosovo without God's provision through the support of others. I plan to arrive the first week of August and stay through the school year with possibility to stay longer. I need to raise $1,400 a month for living expenses. If you believe in either of these missions, please consider partnering with me and contributing a monthly amount or a one time gift to help make this opportunity possible.

I  am so excited to share this next journey. Stay tuned because I intend to do periodic updates on this online journal for all to follow :)

The end of this path here in Bolivia

Last Saturday night, I attended a Christian conference put on specially for women. The conference was organized by Doris and it was held at Gustavo´s church in El Alto. These are the same amazing individuals who host a church for children (where I spoke and helped make puppets).

The conference was scheduled to start at 7pm but of course with Bolivian time that meant the women did not start showing up until 8:30pm. We started off singing worship songs. The voices of all the women together was really beautiful. Several women went to the front to read a section of scripture and-or say a prayer. Then it was time for me to say my piece.

I approached the front with Rachel, a gal who leads worshop at the church Reyes de Reyes who agreed to translate for me. I spoke a little about my family and then proceeded to tell the story of how I ended up in Bolivia and more specifically how God kept me in La Paz. As much as I wanted to make my plans and have everything go my way on this trip, God changed my plans for the better and for His glory, since the true reason I came to Bolivia was to be beautiful feet. Sometimes I get caught up in thinking this is my life, my path and I am in control of it all. When in reality, I am on the path God created for me and He is in control and honestly, I would not have it any other way. It is when I trust in God´s path for me, that I can worry less about myself and focus more on his mission.

Yes, I planned this trip to Bolivia, but there is no way I could have ever planned the experiences I have had and opportunities I have been given. I didnt even really know how to be a missionary, but after my 3rd week in La Paz, it started to become more clear. I still cant get over how in my mind my time in La Paz was going to be secondary. How one day I walked into a bookstore, spoke my little Spanish, got invited to a church at which I met a Christian missionary family who introduced me to their ministry and the 2 churches in El Alto where I ended up sharing parts of my testimony.

After my message, we sang more and some of the congregation prayed over me. Present at the conference were women from several different churches and each group went infront and did some kind of performance. Some danced and some sang, not only in Spanish but in Aymara (a native language). I went upfront and sang ¨Open the eyes of my heart Lord¨in Spanish and then in English with Rhonda, Rachel and Rhonda´s friend to represent Reyes de Reyes church.

Lots of singing and moving around all in praise to Jesus Christ. It was a wonderful event. I felt very much at peace. What a perfect way to end my time here in Bolivia.

8 weeks later and here I am on my last day. Tomorrow evening I fly from La Paz to Lima, from Lima to Miami, and from Miami to Boston.

Hospital Art Show

My last day at the hospital was one of mixed emotions. For 7 weeks I have visited the children and adults here. There were 8 specifically I was assigned to work with and over the 7 weeks much art was created. Naturally I saw it fit to have an art show, displaying a portion of what was created during our time together.

I went in at 2 to begin taping paintings and drawings to the walls of an empty room. Immediately a few children saw what I was doing and became interested. My volunteer coordinator, Iris, came with the soda and snacks and the room was instantly buzzing with excitement. We knew this would be an unorganized event, and not without some chaos, but a celebration none the less.

One of my children, Oscar, ran around the room smiling pointing to his artwork and counting each one on display. He had by far created the most art and it was so wonderful to see his expressions of true excitement and pride in his work.

I passed out certificates to the 6 artists (2 were elsewhere and sadly could not attend). It is amazing how a single piece of paper with your name on it can create such joy. It was a challenge to have them wait a moment while I shuffled through to the next certificate to read the artist´s name aloud.

Along with being a day of celebration, it was also a day to say goodbye. At one point I felt a tug on my back and I turned around to see Monica in her wheelchair with her arms wide open and a big smile on her face. I was surprised at first, I had never given her a hug. I quickly bent down and her arms embraced me firmly. Iris said that Monica looked like she was going to cry.

After the party settled down, I walked with Oscar and Iris to visit Simon. A child who is restrained to his bed and therefore was unable to attend our gathering. We brought him some snacks and his certificate. He was all smiles as always. It has been such a joy working with these two fellas. During our time together, I have witnessed them become, what I could tell, good pals. I was almost brought to tears when I saw Oscar drawing pictures for Simon to color in. (This was especially helpful because Simon has difficulty drawing but excels in coloring).

I had for each of the 8 artists a set of crayons and a coloring book. Each picture in the coloring book had a corresponding Bible verse. Although I did not speak the Gospel to them, I was able to be with them and love them for who they are (as corny as that may sound). I like to think that in this way I was Jesus´hands and feet. And maybe these simple little coloring books will speak to them. I also gave Oscar a special gift for doing the most art, a blank sketch book and a set of colored pencils. He put it safely in his cabinet along with all of his other prized posessions.

I have learned so much through this experience and through these amazing individuals. It was difficult to say goodbye but I have faith that I have left them in good spirits and ready for the next volunteer.