Graduation... and trip updates!

I thought I would send out a little update and post some of the hundreds of pictures that were taken in the last two weeks since graduation. After final projects, finals, moving out, graduation and parties I finally drove up the coast this week with my roommate and arrived in Washington. It's been kind of a roller coaster of emotions, very excited about catching up with relationships here but also missing the community that I have loved so much at Vanguard. The slower paced life now that school is out has made my upcoming trip feel more like a reality. For all of the "mom's" I have a doctor appointment tomorrow to get my Typhoid and Yellow Fever shots which I'm sure will help too! Through the generosity of so many of you surrounding graduation, I am almost half-way to meeting the cost of my trip and now can purchase my airplane ticket! Keep praying for the team, and that as much preparation and details could be worked out before we leave for the summer.

The introduction!

With graduation just around the corner, I am so thankful that I have an answer to the question "What are you doing this summer?". Even more than that, I feel so blessed to be doing something so similar to what I desired to do when I chose to go to Vanguard and major in International Business.

For those of you who don't know, or who need some more information, I will be working this summer with an organization called CRM (Christian Resource Ministries). They have recently started a division called Enterprise International which partners business with overseas missions efforts. We will be working with a team of interns in Kenya and South Africa doing research and prospecting to start businesses there. The businesses that we will start will go directly to fund local missions and development projects. Enterprise International already has businesses established in Romania, Cambodia, and getting started in Nigeria. CRM's primary purpose is to start sustainable businesses overseas in order that missions work will be able to continue without dependence on Western funding and missionaries. If you are interested in reading about Enterprise International go to www.enterpriseinternational.org.

I am so excited about this opportunity and hope that you will partner with me as I pray and prepare for this trip. I will be responsible for raising full support for my plane ticket and my expenses before and during our time in Africa. Every intern is responsible for raising $4,000 for our expenses. CRM has made it so easy for us to receive tax deductible donations through their ministry and direct deposit. If you are interested in giving you can click on this link to go directly to my page https://secure.crmleaders.org/jfs/secure/donationform2.taf?_function=step1&designation=Laurenzo&designationFund=8213.

Please stay in contact with me, and let me know if you have any questions. I feel so blessed to have such incredible people in my life praying and supporting as I go out. After three years of working so hard on classes, papers and practical work experience I am so thrilled to get the opportunity to use some of this classroom knowledge in such a practical way.

When I went to Europe I sent out e-mail updates every couple of weeks to update family and friends... And, most importantly, to let my mom know that I was still alive. For this trip, I'm hoping to use a blog to communicate the same information and also post pictures while I am in Africa. Keep checking, and I will hopefully update it frequently both before I go and during the trip.

Love,
Juli