Even before I was a Christian I always knew that traveling and serving in other countries would somehow be my future. In college, I majored in community health education and did my internship in Kenya volunteering with a prenatal health program. Since then, I’ve always felt this strong desire to be somewhere, to see things, and to help people in other countries but didn’t know what that would look like for me.
About 2 years ago, after I was saved, I realized that this all made a lot of sense. I had this desire before I knew the Lord and it was a desire and a calling I was given before I even knew what it meant. When the world race was mentioned to me a year ago it immediately sparked my interest but seemed like a “someday dream”. So many excuses flooded my brain and I told myself, “one day I’ll be ready for it.” Well, as time went on those excuses weren’t holding off the dream like I thought they would.
Six months ago, I was invited on a short term missions trip by one of my best friends. She told me God told her she was supposed to bring three people with her to Haiti and I was one of those people. Even this week long trip seemed impossible to me. I had a lot of doubt and fear about it but was also full of excitement. I was so excited for the opportunity and really wanted to experience this, especially because I knew this was what God had called me to do. After a very clear sign from God, I decided to commit to the trip. Over and over again, whenever our group had any doubt about going or worry about money, the Lord provided for us and made our trip possible.
While on this trip the idea of the world race kept coming up and I was still trying to tell myself that it wasn’t possible right now. During this struggle, other’s stories of faithfulness and my own kept coming up and I was reminded of God’s provision. Maybe it was possible, sooner than I was thinking. When I got back from the trip I was praying about this and asking God why I had such a strong desire to go. He told me that it was because I was supposed to, now was the time. The excuses I had previously told myself to try and suppress the desire seemed silly now. Of course this would work, of course God would provide!
I know that this is what God has called me to do; To go to other countries and show people Jesus, to love people, to give my time and myself to others. I can’t wait to see how the Lord works through me and to see how I will grow and change through this experience!
