This blog post has definitely been a long time coming, but alas here I am determined to convey to you the reality that is my surreal life.

As some of you know, I have been so privileged to be a part of a 13 month internship at Calvary Chapel Bible College Europe in Vajta, Hungary. During this time I learned so much about leadership, theology, people and myself. More so than I even expected to. Most importantly, I grew in the understanding of who God created me to be and the fact that there is nothing more that I want to do in the world besides make friends out of strangers and introduce them to this same God that I have come to know and love.

My last few months in this village have consisted of much seeking direction for "the next step" of which I am writing.

After I came back from a 10 day outreach in Hamburg, Germany I looked into opportunities for ministry in Ireland. Why? Simply because of the land itself. After taking the tiniest step in that direction, I could tell that was not the open door that I was looking for. So, scratch that.

The next door that I knocked on was the door to Costa Rica. Now, going to Costa Rica to serve there was definitely a lingering idea for about a year and a half maybe. So I pursued that direction as much as I could. I made connections. I had more peace than I could comprehend. I had no doubt that the Lord was with me. In fact, for a majority of the summer, I believed that I was going to Costa Rica and I was stoked. 

Suddenly all communication I had with people in Costa Rica came to a halt. Every other day I was learning of more amazing people that I knew who were moving there to serve.

Meanwhile...back in Vajta, I met a sweet girl who came for the last few weeks of Summer of Service. Abby. Her Dad pastors a Calvary Chapel in Paphos, Cyprus. One day as I made her latte, she told me a bit about the people there and it pricked my heart. So I started to pray.

A week or two later I came to a realization of "What if Costa Rica does not need me right now?" Not in the sense that I, Vanessa Lum would necessarily be "needed" anywhere but this was me recognizing that I might indeed be more useful somewhere else.

After some days of being an emotional girl and crying out to my Heavenly Father, questioning the strength of my faith and remembering how good the God I serve is, my eyes were opened to see the open door in front of me.

Abby's Dad came to Vajta, the three of us sat down and talked about the possibility of me coming to serve with them and...voila. That was that folks. That was the open door I tirelessly sought!

Soon and very soon (like, less than 2 weeks soon) I will be making my way to the island of Cyprus and learn more of God's heart for the people in Paphos.

I have no trouble calling this a step of faith and no doubt that something good will come of this.

A few things I learned along the way:

- You cannot steer a ship unless it is moving. (Seriously though, within a span of 3 or 4 months, my heart went from Germany to Hungary to Ireland to Costa Rica to Cyprus).

- Wait when you are meant to wait, go when you are meant to go.

- Keep searching until you find the door that is open. Once you find that door, keep going through it until it closes.

- Passion is not an emotion. Passion is the steely determination to do what God has set before you.

- Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.

- God knows exactly what he is doing.