Hello Hello Swazi team!
My name is Stacy Utecht and I am one of three leaders taking you on this wild adventure to Swaziland this summer. Two weeks ago we had a leaders training in Georgia and got a chance to meet up with Cait and Caleb and let me tell you guys, we believe the Lord has big things in store for us!
A little bit about myself…
I grew up in Wisconsin (so I'm a big cheesehead and proud of it!) in a family of 6. My older brother and sister are married with two girls each so we have lots of sweet little girls running around! I'm a huge goofball…watch out. We will have maximum amounts of fun in our time together 🙂
In my free time I love cooking meals together with my friends, game nights, watching shows of ultimate greatness like The Office, Arrested Development and Modern Family, and reading a good Henri Nouwen book on my super comfy couch. You can come sit in it sometime.
A little history: I attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL where I got my degree in Bible and Theology. After college I did a bunch of random jobs including living and working on a 150 foot sailboat. ( I mean, who wouldn't want to get paid to sail? Best job ever!) I also spent 4 months in Kenya with AIM and in 2007 got a chance to do the World Race. If you have perused the AIM website at all, I'm sure you know what it is. But check out my blog if you are interested in learning more about my year:
http://stacyutecht.theworldrace.org
After the World Race I lived in Chicago for a few months trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. I ended up applying for and getting a job as a Resident Director at a a school called Malone University in Canton, Ohio. That is currently where I am at and I am in my third year of doing it. I live in and oversee a dormitory of 222 residents and 6 Resident Assistants. I absolutely ADORE what I do. Check out my picture of me and some of my sweet RAs. 🙂 One of the many perks of being an RD is that I get my summers off so that is what led me to want to be a part of this trip with you all!
While on the World Race I spent 6 weeks in Swaziland. It is a place that is truly imprinted on my heart and I can't wait to return. The country itself is really beautiful but the state it is in is quite serious. It is really a dying nation. They project it will not exist in the year 2050 because the death rate is higher than the birth rate due to AIDS. But there are several very influential and amazing people that are really trying to make a difference there. (If you check out my blog archives you can read all my blogs from Swazi. We were there in 6/2007 and 7/2007). The Swazis are amazing and you will fall in love with them instantly.
Again I am excited to meet all of you and venture out together this July! I went on my first missions trip when I was 15 to India and I know how formational and growing it was for me at that point in my life. It launched me into a life that has been marked by a love for doing the Lord's work over borders and helped me find my confidence in who I was in the Lord at a young age. So here is to a hard month, a great month, a joy and spirit filled month, and for many…a life altering month together.
Praying for YOU.
Stacy 🙂
another blog I wrote in Swazi:
http://stacyutecht.theworldrace.org/?filename=i-wish-i-had-longer-arms
