“Why am I doing this?” A question that I’ve been asked and that I ask myself frequently. Why would I live out of a backpack for nine months? Why would I leave comfort, family, and friends? Why would you give up hot water and air conditioner? Why?
The thought of this journey, called “The World Race”, is as baffling as it is exciting for me, but I know that I was made for this.
Let’s start with how my passion for missions started…
Kid’s Kingdom Orphanage. One of my favorite places on the planet. My home. The place that brings me pure joy and makes me feel fully alive.
At my school, there is an opportunity to go to an orphanage in Mexico in eighth grade. My eighth grade/first trip in November, as a 14 year old, turned into countless trips throughout high school and five years of growth. I became a high school leader and started leading eighth graders down at the orphanage. My dad came with me on my first mission trip and continued to drive down there with a bunch of teenagers! My dad wrote this to me and I can’t say it any better, “Mexico is a catalyst for your love for missions. After that first trip in 8th grade I knew this was for you. You wouldn’t stop talking about it. You couldn’t wait to go back. You took Spanish more seriously. Because of Mexico, you wanted to experience different cultures and new things; to love first; to be changed by what God shows you; to take risks; to see Jesus work; to experience discomfort and uncertainty in exchange for relationship. You see new experiences as simply more opportunities to see Jesus. And now you’re going away for a whole year doing what God made you for – being the love of Jesus to others around the world.”
April 2019
November 2014
This is José Luis, he captured my heart from the first time I met him. This was us saying goodbye after five years of play, laughter, hellos, see you laters, soccer, pictures, and games. I‘ve never felt love like this. As much as my heart was breaking, my heart was bursting with love. This is why I am doing the World Race. I’m doing it for moments like this. Moments where love is seen, heard, and felt.
Imuris, Sonora, Mexico
Kid’s Kingdom Orphanage is a place that will always be tattooed on my heart forever. The relationships made, meals cooked, walls painted, laughs shared, and tears shed are something I will never forget. I honestly cannot put into the words the impact Kid’s Kingdom Orphanage has on my life. It’s a special and sweet place – full of radiant love and uncontrollable joy.
Those sweet faces in those pictures are valuable and precious. Those sweet faces make me feel unexplainable and radiant joy. Those sweet faces are the reason I love those around me. Those sweet faces are why I love myself. Those sweet faces are the reason why I am going on the World Race.
I have been pretty familiar with the World Race for the past couple years, I took the quiz to see how ready I was to go on a nine month mission trip, and I heard people speak about their experiences on the Race. The Race was definitely something to consider and pray about and my senior year of high school I kept pushing it off. My passion for global missions and serving others in different countries was there, but leaving familiarity for the unknown really freaked me out. God kept bringing it up and I kept pushing it away. Finally, I decided to let God in and… I applied for this nine month mission trip.
I was accepted and everything else fell in place. I was meant for the World Race and mission trips. It’s what I love to do! The World Race could not be more perfect for me, even when I question why sometimes. The things I will experience will be unlike anything I could ever imagine. In all, I am thankful for this opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
So… if you think of me, prayers would be greatly appreciated 🙂 As much as I am excited, it is a long and hard preparation for this journey. Coming up with $16,600 by January (preferably September) is not an easy task. But, I know that my God is bigger and stronger than a number. Thanks for taking the time to read this, it means a lot!
Here I come, World Race Gap Year 2019!
Enjoy these pictures from past mission trips:)
Seine Bight, Belize
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
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