So some of you may be wondering, Hayden, ARE YOU SERIOUS? Are you really leaving for nine months?
And the answer is YES. I am doing this. Now, let me tell you why.
Here’s the thing, I’m not ready for college. No, no, I’m not world racing for the sake of escaping school and loads of homework and college classes. I’m also not leaving for the sake of having a grand vacation across the globe for nine months. Any past, present, or up and coming world racer can tell you, that’s not what this trip is at all. I’m doing this for one reason- It’s my calling.
It is exactly what God wants me to do.
My walk with Christ began on a night parked in a dingy parking garage beneath our condo block in Coronado, California. There, both my sister and I asked the Lord to come into our hearts for the first time. Months passed and we were baptized in a kiddy pool outside of our church. But these things didn’t really to change me much. After all, I was ten years old.
Then, our family moved.
To Italy. Not little Italy.
The real deal.
There, I learned to eat, sleep, and breathe another culture. I was thrown into an Italian school system, a language I didn’t know, and many Italian kids dying to ask any question they could about America. And while it was amazing (I want to go back!!!!), it was hard on a Christian family. For the entire time that we lived in Italy, our family didn’t attend church. Not once. For two whole years.
For those years, my relationship with the Lord was pretty much on hold. I lived life normally, or as normal as you can in another country, but completely void of any true relationship with God.
When we finally got back to the United States, I was a mess. I was an eight grader who couldn’t use a locker, let alone tell you anything about the Civil War. And who the heck is Shakespeare, and why does he write so weird? But it was in these confused months that our family was finally making it’s way back to Christ, and the batteries within us began to recharge.
Then in August of 2014, everything changed. After a long tome of not being involved at all in church anymore than sitting in the service on Sunday mornings, I went on a missions trip with my church to Nicaragua. There, my week was spent with great kids and fellowship, but a majority of my time was spent dwelling in culture shock. Because I had such an amazing time the year before, I decided to go again this past year.
Before I went, I thought I already knew what to expect. “I’ve done this before”, I thought.
And I thought wrong.
On our first day of ministry in Matagalpa, I held pastor Leo’s baby. An infant, barely a few weeks old with a severe heart condition. I listened to him talk about his baby, her condition, and his faithful story of how God had provided for her. Enough money to allow her the surgery she needed. As I held her in my arms, he told me she was going to be okay. One day, she would run and play and dance alongside the other children. She would eat rice and plantains from the food banks and scramble for candy at the breaking of the piñata. She would ride on the shoulders of missions teams like my own and play soccer with the others in the field down the road.
And my heart broke.
How did I ever go back to living a normal life after I was here the first time? How was I so selfish that I could post cute pictures of these kids on Social Media and not share their stories with the world? How could I not be living for them every single day?
I knew then and there that this was God’s calling for my life. I was called to meet these people, share their stories. I was made to care for all of God’s children, and travel to the ends of the earth doing it. I was mad to say YES to our creator, to his people, and submit to the beauty in the unknown world ahead.
Which, if you haven’t already guessed, leads me to the World Race. In October of this year, I will be saying goodbye too the great people of America, and hello to God’s people across the world! My adventures will be taking me three places of the course of nine months- Thailand, Guatemala, and Malawi! In each country, my squadmates and I will be doing various different tasks- from working in orphanages, to teaching VBS style camps, working with sex trafficking victims, teaching English, praying over the sick- whatever we can do to serve he greatest needs in each area.
But I can’t do it alone. I need your help. Here’s how you can:
First of all, I ask for your prayers. This is quite the journey, and I will be needing all of your prayers, support, and kind thoughts along the way. I need your help in making sure that I am staying on the right and righteous path to do God’s work all the way from now, in my fundraising stage, to the actual missions field. We are all so excited to make this trip for the Lord, so I ask that you keep not only me, but also the rest of my squamates as we take this leap of faith together!
And here’s the kicker. Money.
In order to take part in this trip, I have to raise $13,805. This money will be my lifeline for the entirety of the trip. It will cover my food, lodging, travel in between countries, and administrative costs. In addition to these funds, I will need to pay for all my gear for the trip (I’M BACKPACKING FOLKS!!!), as well as travel to and from training camp and launch. Needless to say, I am going to need a tremendous amount of help. If you feel called to give, the easiest way to do so is through my blog. If you click on the support me tab on the side, there is a quick and easy way to donate online! There, you can choose to donate one time, monthly or quarterly. There are also instructions on how to donate via check!
Please note that these donations are non-refundable, as Adventures in Missions is a non-profit organization.
Thank you so much for your support, and for embarking on this journey in the Lord with me! I love you all so much, and I can’t do this without you!
xoxo,
Hayds
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” -Matthew 19:26
