My favorite part of camp every summer was meeting the missionaries that we would be supporting! Oh, how I loved sitting with them, listening, and learning what they do! I met Richard N’Tim. from Ghana, while I was in elementary school. “I have a very big God, who is always by my side”. That song never got old… If you went to Camp Allendale, you know what I am talking about!
I loved hearing all about Faithway Christian Church and about how me, as a young kid in Plainfield, IN could be apart of impacting the Kingdom all over the world. I knew when I was in elementary school that I always wanted to serve overseas. I wanted to be used by God is whatever context He called me.
I went on my first mission trip when I was in the 3rd grade. I will never forget; my entire family went down with our church to Gulfport, Mississippi to help with disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina. I was blessed to have so many opportunities to serve domestically and internationally while in Middle School and High School! Every trip and every experience help shape me and refine my passions.
After going to Cambodia to serve with Rapha House when I was 16, my vendetta began. I was going to pursue my education as far as I could for all the girls in the world that didn’t have the same opportunities. My perspective and world kept getting bigger and bigger with each and every place that I traveled to. I always thought that the world would get smaller when you traveled…but how I was wrong. With every new place, the Lord opened up a whole new world of possibilities and ways to serve, passions to form, and people to meet. After traveling to Cambodia in high school, I have never wanted to stop.
I feel the Lord has opened so many doors and has prepared me over the years to be launched into full time ministry. He has blessed me with so many amazing mentors and role models in the faith to learn what ministry is all about. He has placed the burden on my heart to reach the unreached and support the persecuted church. The Bridges Prayer Ministry at PCC helped train me, challenge me, and equip me in so many ways. I’m so thankful for all of those experiences. Then I had the amazing opportunity to intern for Austin & Amanda Ganyo with Training Tomorrow’s Leaders in the Northern Region of Ghana before my senior year in college. I felt the calling to “go” since before I can remember.
I have always had a passion for the Middle East since before I can remember. I’m not sure if it is the history or culture or religion. Maybe it is from studying the Bible and reading all of the stories, knowing that is where it all began. I just have always been so curious about the Middle East, about its people and of course politics (that’s a Political Science graduate for you). After traveling to Jordan this summer and being immersed in the culture and meeting so many of my wonderful Jordanian friends’ families, my passion has only grown so much more.
I didn’t even have to think twice when the routes were released for the World Race…I knew the Expedition route was the one I was being called to. I want nothing more than for the Lord to use me for His glory. And I count it a privilege to be able to go to the places where it may be the hardest to go. The Lord is so good and so faithful. And I’m excited to be able to be used by Him to carry the Gospel to places it may have never been before.
A side note: I don’t believe in any way though that I am special for this call. I truly believe we are all called to “go”. We are called to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Lord calls all of us to serve Him and to tell others of His name, loving them in the name of Jesus.
I am truly filled with pure joy to be able to launch on this amazing journey with this team of Christ followers.
Please pray for my team as we prepare for launching in August. Please pray that we will all prepare well, spiritually, emotionally, and financially. Pray for the Lord’s protection over each one of us as we know the evil one doesn’t want our trip to be successful.
Please pray for all of the people that we will be coming into contact with while on the Race, for their hearts to be open, and for us to be able to build genuine relationships in the communities we will be serving in and for everything we do to point back to Jesus. Please pray for hearts to be changed, baptisms to be too many to count, and for long-lasting relationships and partnerships to form!
Thank you for being apart of this ministry with me!
Blessings to you!
Hannah
