Life has always been an adventure, but I never expected to be writing a biography for something called The World Race… Travel the world for 11 months, experience other cultures, learn new languages, circle the globe, live amongst the poor, love people well…Sign me up! I have always been intrigued by other cultures, travel, languages, and theology. While at Oklahoma Baptist University I had a variety of incredible experiences that fueled my love for the nations!
After my sophomore year I spent an incredible summer in Rio Bravo, Mexico as an intern building homes, facilitating medical clinics, and working in orphanages. The magnitude of this experience did not quite hit until about 9 months later. As I returned to Rio Bravo for spring break, I worked on a site near the first casita we built as an intern group. While in a group of over 70 volunteers and about 30 Mexican kids a 10-year-old boy, who looked familiar, came up to me and said in Spanish “I remember you. You built my house.” As I continued in conversation with this young man, I was in complete awe of the Lord and His heart for the nations. Groups come to that young man’s town all the time to build homes, yet he remembered me from the 3 days I spent with 10 others building his home. It was in that moment that I recognized the Lord’s call to commit my life to impact the nations.
The following summer I studied Spanish in Guatemala and worked at the Hermano Pedro hospital with handicapped orphans. The reality of extreme injustice in the world consumed my experience in Guatemala. For several months I struggled with God’s goodness and worldly injustice co-existing. Many days in my summers abroad I just wanted to go home to a comfortable culture, yet I was too consumed with love for these people. When in another country for a long period of time it is common to feel guilty for desiring to go home, but I believe it is as natural as needing sleep. Sometimes your emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual needs just need a break from being stretched so drastically. I realized this time was a preparing ground. It is in the moment that you feel you have nothing else to give that His strength shows up in a supernatural manner. You begin to see the world through His eyes. The Lord grew my faith in His work, trust in His plan, and love for Him as I spent this summer in Guatemala. It reaffirmed the Lord’s calling to do my part in minimizing the injustice in the world by bringing a message of hope and victory.
Now that you know about my love for the nations, here is some more basic info about Jessie Pace. I grew up in the incredible town of Springfield, Missouri with my mom, who is the most incredible person I know! She is a survivor…she loves people well, and I like to think I have a fraction of her ability to love well. I love my dad more than words can express. I know he will do anything in the world to ensure my happiness. The older sister I have always respected and compared myself to recently moved to Boston with my brother-in-law (“the mister who came between me and my sister”). I must give a shout out to my grandma, Deedee, who is my hero in life. When I go home the thing I look forward to most is sitting in her living room chatting. Beyond my immediate family, I have step siblings, a step-dad, aunts, uncles, and cousins that are huge blessings in my life. They are always supportive and excited about the next adventure that creeps into my life. My “girls” in Springfield mean the world to me, and they have taught me volumes about loving life. Although we are all “growing up” I am confident that our sleepovers will always be just as eventful as when we were 15 years old.
Since graduating from Oklahoma Baptist University in May 2005 with a degree in international business and a minor in religion, I have worked as an admissions counselor recruiting future Bison. The people I went to college with and work with have become my best friends and second family. I truly enjoy helping high school students prepare for college, making an impact on their life, and sharing my experiences at OBU. The last year and a half has been a journey…I have struggled with transition from college to the real world, depression, unmet expectations, broken relationships, etc… Through this journey the Lord has asked me to decide how I am going to respond to His call on my life. As I have listened to Michelle McBeath (January 2007 World Racer) talk about the World Race, I would always well up with jealousy. The Lord has used the last few months to challenge me to decide what is really important in life. He has asked me…Do you really love me? Do you really trust me with your whole life? If you do, then follow me with your whole life!
Here I am…
God said “Go!”
I said “Yes!”
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”Matthew 16:25-26
