Ever since I can remember I’ve had a love for helping people. I love serving others and not expecting anything in return. I love fulfilling needs. I love bringing smiles to people’s faces. I love being Jesus’ hands and feet. Basically, I love missions.
Growing up I went on various mission trips with my youth group to places like West Virginia, New York City, and South Carolina. We did things like painting and cleaning houses, street and beach evangelism, market ministry, and even got to serve as counselors at the 
last Billy Graham Crusade. I loved every trip not just for the work that we accomplished for Christ but also the community of believers that I found. While in college, mission trips didn’t seem to come around as often. There are two places that I got to serve though that completely stole my heart. First I had the opportunity to go on three trips to Pearlington, MS for disaster relief following hurricane Katrina. It’s just a small little town that was almost forgotten since New Orleans was only about 30 minutes away. All the trips there were mostly rebuilding houses and of course building relationships. The relationships I ended up building there are worth more than any house. I got to know many people in the community and each one them affected my life in a different way. I will never forget them and think and pray for them often. That little town definitely has a piece of my heart that I’ll
never get back. The second opportunity I had was to go to Durban, South Africa with Campus Crusade for Christ the summer after my junior year. As many of you know, once you do international missions you’re never the same. I got to share the Gospel and build relationships with students on a college campus there. I got to work with an AIDS hospice that was being built in a nearby township and minister to people living in that township. I got to hang out with middle and high school students as we painted and fixed up their classrooms. My life was forever changed by that trip. My heart will always be in South Africa. The Lord stretched me farther than I had ever been stretched before, but I am so grateful for it because I learned so much.
So fast forward to today…why the World Race? I graduated from 
college in December 2009. I was actually excited to start my first full time real life job as a software engineer for the sole purpose that my parents would no longer have to pay for anything of mine anymore. I always felt so guilty having my parents buying things for me when I knew I was old enough to provide for myself. So I started work with a good attitude expecting things to continue to go well. About a month into the job I absolutely knew that this job and even possibly this career was not right for me. I’m not one of these people that can sit behind a desk all day every day. I want to physically get up and go out and help people in some way. Yes I know the program I’m working on is
helping people, but I’m not really contributing much. Because the program I’m on is sooo crazy busy all the time I’ve never really had a lot of time of learning. No one has time to teach me anything, so most days I just sit in my boredom.
It was not long in this discontentment that I decided to start looking for other things. I actually applied to go serve back in Durban, SA for a year with Campus Crusade. I got accepted, but I just knew something wasn’t right. I was in prayer about it for awhile, and the Lord confirmed to me that Durban was not it so I turned the opportunity down. I knew the Lord had something else for me though so I just kept praying. A couple of different friends of mine had mentioned to me that they knew people going on a mission trip that 
went to 11 countries in 11 months but nobody could tell me the name. So I googled “11 countries in 11 months” and the World Race popped up on my screen. That’s when I began my love affair with reading the World Race blogs. I loved reading the blogs and seeing what God was doing in these places and through these people, but I thought that I could never do it – too hardcore for my taste. But I still felt lead to pray about it. I prayed for 3 to 4 months. Then one night while I was praying, God told me I was going. I waited about two weeks just to make sure God wasn’t going to change His mind and then applied. I was quickly accepted. I was super excited but also terrified at the same. I still feel that way…excited but absolutely terrified. I am trusting the Lord on this one. I’m actually pumped that I’m terrified because that’s making me rely on the Lord and seek out His will even more. Even though I’m terrified I absolutely have not had one second of doubt. I know this
is where I’m supposed to be. It’s definitely going to be a long road with a lot of ups and downs. But all the emotional, physical, and spiritual support that I already have and will continue to come is exactly what I need. Thank you to all of my supporters – I literally could not do this without you, especially your prayers. I love you all!
