What seems like not too long ago, I had envisioned myself already married, owning a home and thinking about a family. Now, I am getting ready to embark on an 11-month journey sharing the love and hope of Jesus Christ in 11 countries (Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Mongolia and the Philippines) starting this October!
So how did this come about?
The only answer is God.
I had not even heard of the World Race until the fall of 2016, and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I had even considered going on a mission trip. It all started when my sister had given me a book for Christmas my senior year of college called “Radical” by David Platt. She told me it would rock my world… and it did.
After finishing the book, I immediately began looking up mission trips for possible places to go serve in. Well, my first Sunday back at school from Christmas break, I attended a church I had wanted to try out but was unable to due to soccer. To my surprise, their first announcement was promoting their short-term mission trip to Guatemala that summer. I knew right then and there that this was where God wanted me to go. I didn’t care that this wasn’t my church yet or that I didn’t know anyone; I just knew I was supposed to go.
That Casas Por Cristo mission trip opened my eyes and heart in so many ways. The best part about it though was walking away sponsoring a little boy from Morning Glory Christian School who I was able to meet. I was able to keep in touch with him briefly through a few letters here and there, but I had an overwhelming desire to go back. So much so that I was seriously considering and ready to move there for a longer term mission trip. That all changed when I was promoted to Marketing Manager. With the new position, I wasn’t sure when I was going to be able to go back. I delayed and delayed, but it was breaking my heart. I finally took the opportunity about two years later (September 2016) with some encouragement from my bible study friends. I didn’t have a group to go with or really any specific serving project, but I just wanted to visit Yohan, and I couldn’t wait any longer.
When I arrived in Guatemala, I was picked up by the campus relations director of the school where I learned I was going to be staying in a house with a group of World Racers. <<<Rewind about a week earlier and that’s when I heard about the World Race for the very first time. I thought it sounded awesome yet intense but something I certainly would never do. Despite that, I started following the organization on Facebook. >>>
Well that week in Guatemala I got a taste of what the World Race was like and all about. When I got back from my weeklong mission trip, my heart was still with Guatemala. The idea of moving there was still in the back of my mind. I don’t know when things changed, but all of a sudden I had a desire that grew to a passion then to a longing to go on the World Race.
After a lot of prayer and a sense of God’s peace, I knew He was calling me to go. I could see God’s fingerprints all over this — from my first mission trip to learning about the World Race to going to back to Guatemala during a time that a group of World Racers would be there…that’s God orchestrating his plan for me. I get Goosebumps just thinking about it!
I am elated to have this opportunity. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for this next year of my life and the years to come.
I’m going to be posting lots of blogs and YouTube videos documenting what God is doing in my life and every where we go, so make sure to subscribe to my blog so you can get updates!
