Three years ago, I attended a missions banquet where the missionaries were speaking about their ministries and lives on the mission field. One girl spoke about her experience on a one year mission trip called The World Race, and about how it dramatically changed her life and her view of the world. In that moment, God began to plant a seed in my heart for those who have not had the opportunity to hear about our loving Savior.
A year later, I took a 4 month college level class at my church called Perspectives, which gives you an in depth study on the different countries, cultures and religions of the world, and impresses on you the urgency and need to reach these people for Christ; you come out of it with a different world view. From there I was hooked; I could not stop thinking about the faces I saw in my weekly class. I wasn’t sure how or when or exactly what, but I knew that God wanted something more from me concerning missions.
Last summer, I took a short term mission trip to Zambia, Africa. I have been on mission trips before, and even though they greatly affected me, I was always ready to come home when it was time. Something was different in Africa; I felt “at home”, and was not ready to come back.
I now know that over the last 3 years God has been preparing me “for such a time as this”. He has turned my past experiences into an uncontrollable passion and desire to go and serve “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40). And now He has provided the opportunity… So here I am, happily condensing my belongings down to a 40lb backpack, quitting my job, leaving my family, and for this next year I will be devoting my life to growing the kingdom of God.
