Even though I went on several short term mission trips to the Dominican Republic throughout high school, I never thought that I would end up being a part of a year-long mission trip with The World Race. While I was in high school I was content to be in high school. I did not think too much of the future, mostly because I had convinced myself that it would never come around. However, I continually found myself looking into gap years as the time for me to go to college drew closer. Something always drew me to The World Race. I felt and heard God’s call to me to do something different, to put a hold on my life in America, and serve others in His name across the globe. I prayed and thought about it for the next year but the timing was not right when I graduated from high school, and so I went to college. I thought that it was over, that maybe I would not leave everything behind, but I could not escape God’s call. This I believe, when God calls you, you cannot deny Him.
I continued to pray about it over my freshman year of college and I kept feeling a pull towards The World Race. I applied right as my sophomore year of college began and was accepted to Route 3 in August of 2016. Next August I will be taking a year away from school and life as I know it and traveling around the world serving the least of these throughout the countries I visit. It is crazy to think that I will not be going to school next year and doing what I have always done and what everyone is expecting me to do. Isaiah 41:13 says, “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” This I believe, God has a plan for me, and I trust that He knows this is what is best for me, in order to glorify Him.
I could not be more excited to see what God has planned for me over the next several months leading up to the trip this coming August, and what He has for me and the people I will be serving in the countries I will visit. However, I know that many people have questions about what I am doing. The World Race is a year-long mission trip that goes to 11 countries in 11 months and serves the least of these while spreading the love and message of Jesus Christ. The route that I will be going on this coming August will be going to: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Burkina Faso, India, Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. Throughout these countries the team and I will see God radically at work to advance His kingdom, and show his love to the people there. This I believe, as John the Baptist says in John 3:30, “He must become greater, I must become less.”
As I have already said, I am extremely excited for what God has planned! However, I cannot do it alone. I am extremely blessed in the fact that I have so many people that care so much for me and are willing to support me during this time. I am asking everyone to join in and be a part of this journey with me. I am asking everyone to pray for the people of the countries I will visit and for me and the members of the team I am on. I am also asking for those who feel lead, to support me monetarily. I will be posting more about this, and what else is happening with my World Race journey soon. But this I believe, God has a plan, His plan is good, everything is under His power, and He is faithful to provide when we are willing to trust.
