Okay, this post is for all you people who may be a little confused on what I'm actually doing with the next year of my life. Brace yourselves. It's going to get messy.
What in the world are you doing?
Every month for the next 11 months (starting September 5), I will be serving in a different country. So every month we travel to a new country. 11 months. 11 countries.
Countries:
Month 1-Dominican Republic
Month 2- Haiti
Month 3- Thailand
Month 4- Cambodia
Month 5- Vietnam
Month 6- Tanzania
Month 7- Mozambique
Month 8- Swaziland
Month 9- Moldova
Month 10- Romania
Month 11- Ireland
Something that you need to know: This is only a list of countries that I'm supposed to go to. On this trip there is no guarantee that i will go to all or any of these countries! But we will definitely be traveling for 11 months.
Ministry:
Another question that i get frequently is what we will actually be doing. Once again, this is a complicated question that i can't give a concrete answer to.
What i can tell you is that this is a Christian mission. So i can tell you that no matter what we are doing, or where we go we will be telling people about the God we serve and doing it with great love-whatever that looks like. And it could look like a lot this-
Working:
In a field
In an orphanage
In a hospital
In refugee camps
In a bar
Door to Door Evangelism
Physical Labor
Prayer (and lots of it)
With Sex-trafficking victims
With addicts
With prisoners
With the homeless
With the disabled
With the oppressed
With the oppressor
Spreading the gospel
Disaster relief
AID's education
Teaching English
Teaching children, etc.
Although this is the *work* we will be doing, my goal is that everyone may know that the love of God is not just a thing to speak of, but something that lives inside of me and that every person can have that. Something that makes us completely new.
Who in the world is crazy enough to go with you?
Good question.
But first i need to explain a little bit of how this works. There is a tree and it goes like this..
Family Tree:
Group leaving in September, 240 people
Group going from country to country with me starting in Dominican Republic (Called "Squads") My squad: J-Squad, 60 people
Group doing ministry with me day after day that i will be LIVING with for the next year (Called "Teams") My team: Team Moriah, 7 people
So let me introduce you.
(Above) This is J-Squad, a group of 60 passionate 20 and 30 somethings ready to serve God with everything inside of us. We will be going to all 11 countries together. If you didn't know, none of us new each other before this trip began. We met at Training Camp in Georgia, and we are truly a family. This is an army. The body of Christ, and i can't wait to serve with them!!!
(Above) This is my team. Team Moriah.
Meet the Team:
Starting up top, we have the married couple, #Bekah and Josh Spurgeon
These two were (seriously) the first two people i fell in love with at camp. They have decided to abandon everything they know to follow God's call to missions. Their hearts burn to serve God and i can't wait to lift them up as a couple.
On the left is #Tyler Bussanich
He will be serving as our group leader, and i couldn't be more excited to follow this guy. He's got a heart for Christ and i can tell that God's got big things in store for him.
Next to him is #Christ Bondurant
We only got to know each other an hour before we were put on a team together, but i am pumped to get to know this woman of God. She has a soft tone and a strong spirit. She is also going to be our team's financial coordinator. So she's in charge of the money.
On her left (our right) is #Lauren Smith
This girl, i also only got to know the last couple of days at camp. Although i don't know her well yet, i can already say that she is my new sister and i can't wait to get to know her!
Then there's me..
And next to me in the picture is #Monique Lohmeyer
Once again, a girl that i didn't get to know as well, but look forward to doing so. I can tell she loves God and has decided to follow his voice into the field.
While we will be *traveling* from country to country with our group of 60, this is the team of 7 that i will be with. The group that i'll be praying with and crying on. The group that i'll be brushing my teeth with and serving beside. The group that i'll tell stories to and eventually tell stories about. This is my new family for the year.
When we get to each country, the 60 of us will split up into our teams to do ministry.
While in Haiti, the 7 of us may serve in the jungle, while another team does door to door evangelism in the city, while 3 teams work in a refugee camp up north, while 2 other teams serve in a orphanage down south. We never know what we're doing or who we will be with until we get there. But these 6 amazing people, i am guaranteed to see EVERY SINGLE DAY. I am beyond blessed already!
Why in the world do you feel the need to do this?
Plain and simple, God is good.
I've felt a calling for missions on my life for a long time, now. As i learn more and more about God and who He is and how good He is, it only makes sense to me to tell other people.
If you have not experienced this in your life, i would tell you to just ask for it. Talk to your Maker and ask Him to show Himself to you. Even if you think He's already failed you, bring those questions to Him. Search the Word. You will find exactly what you're looking for. There is no shame in brokenness.
I believe that God is the only thing that makes us new. I believe that no matter how hard we try to stuff other things inside of us to satisfy, we always come out numb and disappointed.
Have you ever wondered why we're never satisfied?
Why there's not enough money, sex, alcohol, material things, relationships, or love that we can obtain that will satisfy our needs. We always come out empty.
But I know a God who satisfies. I know a God that keeps me satisfied even when I'm alone. The water that quenches. I don't want to be thirsty any longer. And i want to share that Water with the hopeless across the nations. I want to share in their sufferings and lift them up to my Father for healing and prayer.
This is just a blip of why i am going. And i can't wait to see what God does this year. Stayed tuned!!
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