Hi everyone!
I am so excited to share in this journey with you through my blog!
For those of you who don’t know, in September I will be leaving the United States for nine months and traveling to Thailand, India, and Guatemala! While I am nervous and if I’m being honest, super scared about being away from my family and friends for so long, I am more than anything SO excited about where Jesus is leading me and the incredible adventure with Him that He has invited me on!
Some backstory stuff….
For a very long time I have had a huge passion for traveling, and about a year ago I felt a very strong call on my life to mission work of some kind. I started low-key looking at mission trips and organizations on the internet, not really searching with the heart to go, but more just to see what was out there and then try to find reasons why I shouldn’t go. It was during these searches that I stumbled across the web-page for World Race. It immediately stood out to me from all of the other websites I had looked at, and I made a mental note about it and then moved on.
It wasn’t until a few months later after I had spent the summer in ministry at a Christian camp that I finally decided to pursue this growing call to missions. And that is when I finally followed up with World Race. At the time I was interested in the three-month semester trips they were offering and had resolved to do that, but as time went on, I began to feel more and more unsettled about it, feeling that it wasn’t long enough. Part of my reason for choosing the three-month semester trip was because I was afraid of being away from home for any longer than that. I realized, though, that my life is short, and whatever trip I go on, it isn’t about me. It’s about the people who I will have the opportunity to share Jesus’ love with. So, I signed up for World Race Gap Year and have felt incredible peace with that decision ever since. For possibly the first time in my life, I am completely sure of where God wants me to be, and I could not be more excited or thankful for that.
Please pray for my squad and me as we prepare for these nine months of ministry together: that we would be stress and anxiety-free and that each of us will be able to meet our fundraising deadlines.
I am so blessed to be able to share with you in this journey; thank you so much for your prayer and financial support!
Much love,
Alaina
