Here we go, my first of many blogs over the next year. Before we get the ball rolling let me start by saying that I have never particularly been the one to take notes or journal about my life’s experiences and outlooks. So, this is all going to be fresh so bear with me. By the end of my Gap Year, I should surely be an expert blogger!
If you already read the “About Me” portion of my page, then you would know that after I graduated high school I had the opportunity to take a mission trip to Haiti. During this trip, it was the first time I was introduced to all the brokenness in the world. I worked with an orphanage during that week and it was heartbreaking to see these kids go through life with so little. Although these kids literally had nothing, it did not raid them from their joy. I enjoyed this trip so much, and by the end of it, I felt like I could have stayed longer or could have done even more. It was somewhat of an unsatisfied type of feeling. This is when I constructed the thought of God calling me to the mission field.
As I went back to my ordinary lifestyle I have always had in the back of my mind that I was supposed to do more. I survived my first couple of years of college, with uncertainty surrounding me regarding my direction to pursue. As I prayed and sought for building a better relationship with the Lord, I gradually started to see things take shape in my life. When I discovered the World Race, I was almost in disbelief that something so remarkable existed. I had no idea an organization did such a thing. I then took the idea to my parents and they were taken by surprise. They advised me to pray and think thoroughly before applying. Over the next couple of weeks, it was such a struggle to be patient because the thought of doing something this amazing with so much purpose was exhilarating.
After a few weeks of contemplation, I got back with my parents and told them my thoughts/feelings. The conclusion of this conversation can be summed up by the word “Pursue”. Everything fell perfectly into place after that, and now I am writing this blog while preparing to leave everything I have ever known for 9 months. My new life starts this summer in Georgia, this is where I will meet the rest of my team for a couple of weeks. Then in September, we will start our route that consists of Swaziland (Africa), Nepal & India (Asia), and Guatemala (Central America). I don’t know what God has in store for me on these 3 continents but I do know for the first time in my life what direction to not only steer towards but to all-out sprint for. This is just the beginning of the epic journey He has called for me! Stay tuned for the rest of the story.
