Hi friends!
If you’re reading this, chances are, you’ve heard about my post-graduation plans.
If not, I’ll tell you now: instead of going directly to college, I’ve decided to travel for nine months, to three different continents… with a group of strangers.
And yes, that is exactly what I meant to say.
Since the beginning of high school, I’ve wanted to minister to people not just with words, but with the way I spend my time. I’ve wanted to invest it in something more meaningful… And usually end up staring at my phone.
While contemplating ideas for next year, I heard about this AMAZING opportunity with Adventures in Missions! They had several mission trips lined up with different age groups, and I decided that that’s what I wanted to be a part of. I quickly found a trip going to Romania, Guatemala (originally Costa Rica), and Ecuador with other 18-20 year olds that stuck out to me. I signed up as soon as possible, and here we are now 🙂
So yeah, I’ll be away for nine months with a bunch of strangers.
.
It still sounds weird to me, but I can’t wait to live out this experience! I’m already overjoyed, even before the journey’s really begun. I’ve started to meet my squad, too, (the before-mentioned group of strangers I was telling y’all about) and they are EXTRAORDINARY people. It’s a scary thought to ditch my comfort zone, but God is already providing. Despite not knowing the area, the people, or the customs, I think God’s gonna take care of me.
Seeing as this is an important step in my walk with Jesus, and therefore my life, I thought I might share details with you 🙂 This is what I’ll be doing, as taken directly from the Adventures in Missions site:
“First, your journey will take you to Romania, one of the least visited countries in Europe up until 15 years ago, because it was isolated behind the Iron Curtain. Our partners love relational ministry and ask Racers to spend lots of time getting to know people over coffee, dinner, or long walks. In this country, you will likely get the opportunity to share your faith while passing out eye glasses and Bibles in the local language. There’s also a large Romani population (often unkindly referred to as gypsies). These people are often rejected and discriminated against. You might find yourself spending time in these communities, getting to know their people, and sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
“Next your Gap Year journey will take you to the “Land of Eternal Spring” – Guatemala. This is a country where Adventures has an established base. Guatemala is one of the most evangelical countries in the world. You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside local believers working to bring the Word of Christ to a new generation. You might spend your days building relationships with youth who are at risk for falling into gang violence, but you could also teach English or kick a soccer ball around in the lush rainforest terrain with volcanoes dotting the skyline. Life in Guatemala is slow and focused around hospitality, and it’s a truly stunning place where God is raising up a generation to serve His Kingdom.
“Finally your Gap Year journey will wrap up in Ecuador. One of the smallest countries in South America, this nation is full of beautiful beaches, vast highlands and very proud locals. Most Racers serve with our well loved partner, Inca Link, in Quito. Racers in Ecuador have the opportunity to serve in a lot of ways including, ministering to children living on the streets, serving in hospitals for people with special needs, spending time in elderly homes, working with feeding programs, and teaching English. Overall your time in Ecuador will focused around building relationships and sharing your hope and joy in Christ with everyone you meet along the way.”
Thank you so much for supporting me- as my friends, family, and on-lookers just interested in the Race. I’ll catch ya’ up soon 😉
xoxo Kylah
