Hey guys! SoI have never written a blog before…. so here goes nothing! First off, I just wanted to tell you a little more about myself!! I am 18 and live in the amazing Blue Ridge Mountains in a beautiful town of Roanoke Virginia! A few weeks ago I graduated, with honors, from Hidden Valley High School and I will be attending Christopher Newport, when I return, in the hopes of doubling in Fine Arts (Photography and Graphic Design) and in Marketing.
I am a photography and art aficionado. I was the photography editor for my schools, nationally award winning, yearbook and studied art, at school, to reach Advance Placement Studio Art. I also was on the Distributive Educational Clubs of America (DECA, a marketing club) where my partner, and longtime friend, and I placed in the top 8 in the state for our role play in the Buying and Selling Merchandising category.
My Dad gave me his love of history and my love of art, while my Mom gave me my love of learning new thing. I LOVE RAIN and I cannot think of a better way to spend a rainy day then sitting on my porch reading a good book with a cup of coffee. I have grown up going to Second Presbyterian and still love it to this day!
Second Pres gave me my love of serving and missions! Growing up in this amazing community has given me so many opportunities to serve locally, nationally, and internationally. Opportunities such as Mystery Mission Madness, Hunger Busters, Mission trips to Wimauma Florida to work with the farm workers ministry, and this summer I will be heading down to San Juan de la Maguana, in the Dominican Republic to run a Vacation Bible School and help finish building a wonderful clinic.
Last June I got my first small glimpse into what an extended mission trip was like when I volunteered on the housekeeping staff, for a month, at an amazing place called Saranac Village – A Young Life camp. There, every week high schoolers from all over, got to hear about Jesus for the first time and start to learn how to follow him. That month was one of the best experiences of my life and after I got home I knew that, in some way, I wanted to work with missions and non-profits in the future, long term.
This September I will be leaving my friends and family in the mountains of Roanoke, and travel to India, Nepal, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, and Ecuador with 50 new friends, to serve in however the Lord needs us. I, along with my team members, will serve in ways such as: partnering with local communities via churches, ministries, and non-profits to share the Gospel; plant churches; work in orphanages; teach English to children; minister to women & children trapped in prostitution as a result of human trafficking; and bring the restorative hope of God’s love to many tribes & nations.
Every time I tell someone that I will be leaving everything I know to live out of a backpack for nine months and travel around the world with total strangers, they always look nervous for me. That look has always confused me because this experience, to which might seem daunting, just excites me. I don’t get nervous when thinking about it and I am taking that as a sign that this is a part of Gods plan for me and it gives me so much joy that I get to share this experience with all of you!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!! It really means the world to me!
With so much love,
Gwyn
