It’s still hard to believe that this time last year I was gearing up for Thanksgiving in Nicaragua at CICRIN orphanage, and was undertaking the task of cooking for 80+ people with my team. Not to mention, all the details that go into cooking in a 3rd world country…here’s the blog if you missed it last year. Over the past two and half months, I have had a lot of good time to reflect on memories like these and just think about what this past year has meant to me. I honestly don’t know when I’ll stop reflecting because it seems like there were enough memories to last a lifetime. There are so many different ways it has grown me too, from being in uncomfortable situations like going door to door in Tanzania and sharing the Gospel to loving on kids that have HIV/AIDS in India to bringing hope to a pastor’s family in Guatemala and the list could go on. I am blessed! WE are blessed! We truly live in abundance and it honestly doesn’t take going around the world to realize that. I really hope and pray that my journey this year has given you insight into a lot of different aspects of ministry and the needs that are not being met around the world.
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So where is this going with what’s next? Well, I’m glad you asked 🙂 I originally thought that I would want to go work at an engineering job and support missions. I have such a big heart for missions now and I see how much good is done and really want to see so much more. I also realize that financial resources are not as plentiful as they should be so I wanted to help as much as I could. As much as this was a good intention, I realized the more I pursued jobs, that this is not where I needed to be right now. It kind of hurt because I had this idea that I was going to move to Texas and find a job and everything would work out perfectly. That I would support missions and missionaries and it would work out the way it was in my mind. I have learned over and over that although many things have good intentions and are innately good things and serve higher purposes, if they are not where God is leading you, then that is not where you’re supposed to be. All this being said, I feel the Lord calling me to a job with Adventures in Missions (AIM). So at the beginning of January, I will start an apprenticeship with AIM in Gainesville, GA that works specifically with logistics and security management of missionaries in other countries.
I knew my heart was still heavily burdened for missions, but didn’t know where I should go next. I got a call from my future boss that will be one of the people mentoring me over these next 8 months at AIM, and he asked me if I’d be interested in coming to work for AIM. I had thought about it once or twice, but never really thought of it being something I would actually do. The more we talked, the more I realized this is where I needed to be. We started talking about the position, and it seemed right up my alley. It deals with helping to improve protocol to keep missionaries safer in other countries (natural disasters, terrorist attacks, etc) and using more technology to keep track of them of them while they are on the field. I am so excited about this opportunity and am looking forward to being a part of what AIM is doing in the rest of the world!
Honestly, the only thing I have struggled with is going back into a season of fundraising. I whole-heartily trust that by taking this next step, I’m walking in obedience. From my fundraising and logical mind I want to say that all I need is 15 people to give $100/month or 30 to give $50/month, but I don’t want you to think of this is just about me raising money. I want you to see the bigger picture. This WR experience was more than just “11 countries in 11 months,” it was something that can truly change this generation and I whole-heartily believe that. I want to truly invest and build relationships with my supporters that want to invest in this generation.
I truly want to serve, and realize I am going to need some help to get to where I need to be. If you would be interested in supporting me, I would love to talk with you over the phone (home phone: 803-788-4792) or in person. My email address is [email protected]. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I love all of you and thank you so much for continuing to follow me! God bless!
