How I Was Called to the Mission Field

We were asked to write a blog about how we were called to this mission trip, so here’s my story!

I always knew I had a purpose in life, I was just always unsure of
what it was. My life felt like it was shattered when I was 12 and in a
serious car accident. God saved me and my life has never been the same.
I was already a Christian, but I think I was living out a lot of my
parent’s faith. The accident took a lot out of me, but I was able to
come to terms with my own faith and start a personal, intimate
relationship with Him. This was just the beginning…

 

Coming home in February from working on a cruise ship, I had no
idea where I was to go or what I was to do. I didn’t have it all
figured out and to be honest, I still don’t. All I knew was that I
loved to travel and that I wanted to go somewhere or do something for
others, not just me. I didn’t want to stay at home and “just” work. I
wanted to go make a difference somewhere. I was open and willing to
going wherever and doing whatever, as long as it’s what God had in
store for me. However, I felt like I was at a standstill, because I
honestly felt so far away from God, yet had a great desire for Him.

 

I began searching online for “travel jobs” and praying for doors to
open. I only had a few weeks, as I was in the middle of transitioning,
once again, between the Caribbean, Ontario and Maui. I knew there was
lots of opportunities out there, but none of them seemed to be the
right fit – where God wanted me to be. I “randomly” came across the
World Race website (I know it was God, but didn’t see it at the time)
and knew as soon as I saw the banner Adventure, Ministry, Community, Discovery and
Growth that it was God tugging at my heart and saying “this is for you.
Do you trust me?” I couldn’t stop smiling. I was beaming. I had to tell
someone, but who…another God thing was the blessing of meeting a
friend and mentor for lunch the following day and decided to bounce the
idea of the World Race off of her. I figured, if she thinks I should go
for it, why not? She dug deep and made me really question why this was
what I wanted to do, but was very encouraging and supportive and gave
me the confidence and blessing to apply and take the risk of doing what
is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Little did I know, that through it all, God was preparing me –
through the trials and blessings – for what was to come. When I was in
the Dominican Republic and Haiti, visiting, from working on the ship, I
was frustrated because I was seeing all the “commercialized” tourist
places and not the real thing.My friends were saying “why do we port here when it’s so third-world.” I wanted to “get down and dirty” and experience the Country and culture for what it was! Then going to Maui, I saw another side
of poverty right in America. The economy is dying there. I had the
opportunity to work with an organization called Feed My Sheep and fell
in love with the ministry, handing out food and praying with those in
need. I knew by then that I was going on the World Race, and it began
to hit me that this kinda stuff is what I’m going to be doing. It
became real. I met people in Maui from around the world – places we
will be going to – and as they began to pray and worship God in their
language, God gave me a taste of what I along with theJanuary Squad will be experiencing.