Helloooooooooo!

My name is Karina Cortes and I am completely honored and humbled to be serving with you and along side you this Summer. I have been looking forward to this for months, and I can't believe it's almost here!!

 I'm 25 years old, (26 in July). Looks like there'll be a few birthdays this Summer, Woot woot!  I live in Birmingham, Alabama. However, I went to school in California, at a very small univerty- Cal Baptist. I loved it! It's there that I really began to have a true relationship with Jesus and where the Lord broke my heart for human trafficking and for Thailand specifically. I studied Business Administration and Global Studies (missions). Knowing somehow the Lord would weave those together. While in college I had the opportunities to serve in Honduras, Thailand, and Turkey.

When I graduated I moved back to The Ham, and was a manager at a movie theater for 1.5 years. Where I had a love/hate relationship with my job. During this time I was searching for ways to get to Thailand. I knew the Lord wanted me in Thailand, but I was questioning why He was closing the doors that I thought would take me there. He had me right where He wanted. I started attending Brook Hills and fell into an awesome community. I grew so much in those months. Then in January of last year (wow, I can't believe it's been a year) I was led to go on the World Race Anti-Trafficking Edition. It was the best four months of my life, and also the hardest, and most heartbreaking. We went to Cambodia, Thailand, India, and Atlanta. Near the end of the Race my squad leader asked me if I would be interested in leading a Real Life (Passport) trip that summer. I asked the Lord and He told me that I needed to go. So I spent last Summer leading in Nicaragua.

When I came back home, I needed to find a job, and I found a few. I work at an elementary school in the after school program. I.LOVE.IT! The kids are so precious and cute, and hilarious. It's great. I get paid to play with kids. Can you say BESTJOBEVER?! I also work in a nursery on Wed. mornings.

I also have an opportunity to serve with The WellHouse, a NGO fighting human trafficking in Birmingham. We go on outreach on Monday afternoons and minister to the girls on the streets, as well as any other people we might see. It's pretty intense, but I love it!

Randoms: My favorite color is blue. I love music/singing/dancing, a few favs: Phil Wickham, Switchfoot, United Pursuit, Hillsong, Relient K (I know, I'm old), Sovereign Grace Music (had no idea until recently, they have some powerful stuff), Meredith Andrews and Desperation Band. I also love theater and broadway. I've seen Wicked, Lion King, Mary Poppins, Phantom, Les Mis!! Rent, Momma Mia, AlterBoyz, Shrek the Musical and Monty Python.

I love to read! Anything by Francine Rivers or Francis Chan. The Irresitable Revolution-changed my life! Radical by David Platt. I've also read a lot of books about trafficking, The Johns, Sold, Karmic Ties (It can get kinda intense, but it does a great job exploring all aspects of the dirty business in Thailand.

This is already getting WAY TO Long. So if you want to know anything else just ask.

https://www.facebook.com/karina.michelle

Can't wait to meet all you girls! Love you and praying for you!