Thank you to everyone who has circumnavigated the globe with me – two times – Jan-Nov ’07 & July ’08-May ’09. I have been beyond blessed by the individuals I have met over the past 4 years throughout the 37 different countries that I have had the opportunity to serve. While attending G42 leadership academy in Spain (Oct 2009-Mar2010), the Lord continued to solidify the Kingdom call upon my life. The apostolic spirit is sending me back out with a renewed, Kingdom mindset founded on prayer, intimacy, community, covenant, and love. We are called to BE THE CHURCH in the world around us – 24/7 passion for Christ and his children. In January 2011, I return to Spain as a long-term ‘missionary’ where I will help develop G42; disciple, challenge and encourage G42 interns to fulfill their dreams and passions; while actively reaching out to the hundreds of “women of the night” in Spain (and hopefully Thailand & Eastern Europe) who are forced to prostitute themselves night after night.
So, who am I and how did I end up where I am today?
I am from a small town in rural Iowa, and was blessed to grow up in a loving home with my mom and dad (Gary and Kathy), younger sister (Tiffany) and two cats. While I attended Wartburg College, I went on my first service trip to Harrisburg, PA. I can truly say that this experience opened up a whole new world that I did not know existed (or at least had not taken the time to acknowledge) – both in the physical sense and within myself. The mystery of the unknown began tugging at my heart…
This was 6 years ago, and the Lord has continued to evoke a deeper passion for serving Him and His people. I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve in numerous countries throughout North/Central/South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia & Europe…and each of the 48 continental United States. After graduating from college in 2004, my plan was to enter the Peace Corps – well, God had another idea. How about starting up a non-profit? Sure, I thought, with my pre-med/Spanish degree, this had never even crossed my mind! To make a long story shorter, God invited 3 of my friends and me to join him in creating a service-ministry called Latreia – the overall goal being to create life-changing experiences through “Serving God -Serving Others”. For the initial year, I served my way around the US: inner city, small towns, Appalachia, Native American Reservations…by dislodging ignorance and discovering truths, my compassion grew, as did my desire to spread God’s love and Truth internationally!
On my free time you might find me writing/reading in a coffee shop, running, hiking, cooking, fighting for abolition or trying out the flavors at a local ethnic resturant! Other favorites include coconuts, sticky rice, clotheslines, the West and living incarnately in different cultures.
Mother Theresa once said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. We must find each other!” This is my prayer – that through this journey, the Lord will continue to open my eyes and teach me the difference between looking and truly seeing!
