Celebrate Everything - Photography by Valerie

06/16/2026

I 💗 this UNITED student leader team! Celebrating our SENIORS with a summer bash party!!!
United Youth | “REVIVAL IS HERE”

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

Izzy just makes me smile so BIG!😁 I can't get over how gorgeous she is, and yes, I am slightly OBSESSED with her hair!💓 She's heading to FSU soon, and will be studying Criminology/Political Science, with a goal of Law School!!!📚 I loved that Ybor was Izzy's choice for her SENIOR 📸 The backdrop textures and colors were so perfect for the vibe we were going for!✌🏼

06/03/2026

Loved all the hugs last night at the ! Incredible people, worship, and message from !🙏
Amazing captures by 📸

06/02/2026

We visited a local church, and a very special memory after the service, was playing with the kids on their swing set. The swing was secured by a sturdy vine, is what I like to tell myself.😬 A woman that I can’t stop thinking about, I felt so connected to her. She was 80 years old!!!! When we first met her, she was very drunk on coconut wine, and we thought maybe we should return the next day to visit with her. But we decided to stay, and she pulled out a mat for us to sit on in the rain that night. It was incredible, how fast she became sober, and was so interested in what we were telling her about Jesus. We prayed with her, and it was incredible to see how her spirit became lifted while we were there that week. She visited us each morning, first with tangerines, then with coconuts, and always with the biggest smile. She said the people in the village called her a witch, and didn’t like her...She said she wasn’t going to share what she learned about Jesus, and that it was a gift only for her, and not for them. But I told her, that as he softens her heart, and begins to transform her from within, that they would notice something is different about her, and they may start asking questions about why she is different. This rang true for her, and I loved seeing her connecting with the others while we were in community together.
If you would like to see the video clips from our mission, check out the Mozambique Highlights on my Instagram page.

06/02/2026

We hosted a soccer game against the locals. It was about a 45 minute walk to the field, and we lucked out when a truck passed by, offering us a ride! We somehow all found a spot to fit us. At the game, there were many familiar faces who came to watch or play. It was incredible to see how talented they were at soccer, with bare feet, playing in the sand!! Each day, we spent time visiting families in their homes, and we loved connecting with them while they prepared their meals. (Mostly, roasting Cassava, similar to a Yuca.) I helped wash dishes, and was so intrigued how the young girl, used the sand from the ground, to scrub the pots, and then rinse the dishes clean. We played with the kids, by jumping rope with them. (It’s been about 40 years since I have jumped rope), but it’s a whole new experience to do it in a traditional Mozambique capulana skirt! I will never forget that special memory.

06/02/2026

We visited a local church, and a very special memory after the service, was playing with the kids on their swing set. The swing was secured by a sturdy vine, is what I like to tell myself.😬 A woman that I can't stop thinking about, I felt so connected to her. She was 80 years old!!!! When we first met her, she was very drunk on coconut wine, and we thought maybe we should return the next day to visit with her. But we decided to stay, and she pulled out a mat for us to sit on in the rain that night. It was incredible, how fast she became sober, and was so interested in what we were telling her about Jesus. We prayed with her, and it was incredible to see how her spirit became lifted while we were there that week. She visited us each morning, first with tangerines, then with coconuts, and always with the biggest smile. She said the people in the village called her a witch, and didn't like her...She said she wasn't going to share what she learned about Jesus, and that it was a gift only for her, and not for them. But I told her, that as he softens her heart, and begins to transform her from within, that they would notice something is different about her, and they may start asking questions about why she is different. This rang true for her, and I loved seeing her connecting with the others while we were in community together.
If you would like to see the video clips from our mission, check out the Mozambique Highlights on my Instagram page.

06/02/2026

We hosted a soccer game against the locals. It was about a 45 minute walk to the field, and we lucked out when a truck passed by, offering us a ride! We somehow all found a spot to fit us. At the game, there were many familiar faces who came to watch or play. It was incredible to see how talented they were at soccer, with bare feet, playing in the sand!! Each day, we spent time visiting families in their homes, and we loved connecting with them while they prepared their meals. (Mostly, roasting Cassava, similar to a Yuca.) I helped wash dishes, and was so intrigued how the young girl, used the sand from the ground, to scrub the pots, and then rinse the dishes clean. We played with the kids, by jumping rope with them. (It's been about 40 years since I have jumped rope), but it's a whole new experience to do it in a traditional Mozambique capulana skirt! I will never forget that special memory.

06/02/2026

Visiting Africa was a dream that I have had my whole life. Traveling there on a mission to serve the beautiful people of Mozambique, was a life-changing experience that I will never forget. I am sharing these photos to tell the story of the locals there that still live most of their lives, untouched by modern society. It took our team 5 days of traveling, just to begin our expedition to to Licaca. We had no electricity, no running water, or plumbing. We slept in tents, prepared each meal, and hiked each day to visit the families in their huts, and share the Good News of Jesus with them. They were so warm, welcoming, and very eager to hear about the love of Jesus. This is 1 of 3 posts, so stay tuned for additional photos from this mission.