As part of the World Race we are asked to write about how we were called to the mission field. This is my story:
I did not grow up in a Christian home, but I did attend a Christian school through 2nd grade ~ primarily because my parents wanted me to start school at 4 but the public school wouldn’t let me. I remember accepting Christ around first grade, but once I was enrolled in public school my relationship with God ended. In fact, for quite some time I outright rejected Christianity. I thought Christians were judgemental, telling me how to live my life and condemning me to hell if I did not conform. I saw them as hypocrites and self-righteous, thinking themselves better than me. Yet I saw little difference in our lives. I did not see them reaching out to help those in need or loving their fellow humans.
It was while doing an internship as an undergrad that I first felt compelled to help people in other countries. I was interning with AIDS Rochester, a case management agency for people with HIV/AIDS. I knew that HIV was prevalent in Africa, but that day I learned that in some countries 5-10% of the adult population was infected and the number of orphans was growing drastically. (Since that time the statistics have increased with some areas having infection rates over 30%.) I remember my heart breaking thinking of whole countries losing so many people. I wanted to be able to help. I considered joining the Peace Corps a number of times and also looked into social work jobs in Africa, but life circumstances were never right for me to go.
I graduated with my master’s degree in social work and worked for 4 years in a state psychiatric hospital in upstate New York. I burned out and pretty much ran away to Hawaii. It was here that I returned to Christ. I cannot even begin to explain the events that unfolded to bring me back to Christ, but I believe God spent years leading me to the place that I would meet him.
When I began attending Calvary Chapel Kauai I was apprehensive, but I found the church to be loving and accepting. This is a church that is living God’s word, not just preaching it. I am so blessed to be a part of this church family. They provided a place for me to learn about God, an environment in which to grow. I had a wonderful woman disciple me and 2 other young women. I was baptized (again – this time by choice, not as a screaming baby). As I began to grow in my relationship with God, my desire to reach out to those in need was reignited (not that it had ever left entirely). One night in January I lay in bed unable to sleep. I started thinking of the HIV epidemic in Africa. It is overwhelming to think of so many men, women and children dying. So many orphans, so much need. The only answer I had was God. I started pursuing going to Africa, but doors were not opening and so I put the idea aside. Six months later I began feeling called again. I began looking into 3-6 month missions trips to Africa and again was not making any progress. One day I heard about World Race from some new (and awesome) friends http://brianandbethwoods.theworldrace.org. I checked out the website, thought about it for approximately a day and then applied. By the next week I had been accepted.
We live in a country where even the poorest among us would be considered wealthy by the standards of the rest of the world. I am so grateful for all that I have and am now being led by God to reach out to those in need. There are so many needs in the world, but the greatest need of all is love. Through this trip I am reaching out to my brothers and sisters with the truest and deepest love there is: Christ’s love for his children.
