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Hello, my friends! I hope this post finds you well and that God is working in your lives in new and amazing ways. J

As most of you know, 14 months ago I returned from an 11 month mission trip which took me all around the globe. Upon my return, I had no idea where God would next send me. I knew that, for a time, I was being called to work with my youth group, which was in dire need of love, peace, and unity. That was all I knew. I really didn’t care what kind of job I would have, as long as it let me work with youth and show the love of Christ to those in my community. So, for the past 14 months, I have been, in addition to working with the high school students at my church through youth group, Bible study, and Sunday school, subbing in the Wauconda school district and volunteer coaching cross country and track at Mundelein High School. I have been thrilled to spread the love of Christ to those in my “Jerusalem” after previously spreading the word “to the ends of the earth.” But this is not what I am meant to do forever, just for a time. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).

In the winter, I kept praying that God would show me what I was supposed to do next. I felt no pull whatsoever to teach in America, and Africa was always in the back of my mind, specifically the country of South Sudan. I had heard that a mission initiative might be started there in the near future with past World Racers and was intrigued.   Africa as a whole has had a tug on my heart since the year of 2006 and even more so following the World Race. It represents freedom to me in so many ways-freedom from sin and fear and the lies of the enemy.   In addition to that, I have for a long time dreamt of working in an orphanage in Africa while simultaneously using running as a ministry tool.  
 
Well, in March, I was at my friend’s wedding and had the chance to talk to one of her bridesmaids who had been a “mama” in a Ugandan orphanage through Child Voice International. She told me how such orphanages are also being created in South Sudan, and it struck a chord in my heart. A couple days later, I was on Facebook and saw that the mission initiative was starting to come together for South Sudan. I commented that I was interested, and the next day, I received a call from a fellow World Racer, Brian. He was planning to head over to Yei, South Sudan with a team in January 2013 to work with Dreamland Children’s Home, which is an orphanage with 100 plus kids. The team would have the chance to disciple, plan activities for, love on, and just act as parents to these children. As I listened to him speak, I became overwhelmed with excitement!   Was this where God could be calling me to go?

 

      
Here are some of pictures of the kids at Dreamland Children’s Home.
     
My future teammate, Joy Robertson, took these when she visited a few months ago.
    
 
As I started to pray about and contemplate this idea, I began to realize more and more how South Sudan was a perfect fit. Not only would I have the opportunity to work with orphans, but there was also a possibility to reach the kids through running! Through a blog the main contact, Uche, had written, I discovered that every year in Yei, there is a race for all the students. According to Uche, “This sports event will always be tagged the Race of Life.  It is essentially a platform for outreach, where we’d persuade everyone to enroll and run to win the ultimate race for the Crown of Life.” Through the race, students are not only taught key virtues and given the opportunity to win scholarships and prizes, but they are also, most importantly, given the opportunity to accept Jesus’s gift of eternal life and learn what it means to become a disciple. In his blog and through various emails, Uche also spoke of the creation of a sports club where those with hidden talents for endurance running could blossom, and he wanted me to help with its formation. It would be a place to better connect with and disciple students who seek a career in sports. The overall mission would be “to find, disciple, send, and support sports-minded and gifted youths to glorify God with their sports skills all over the world.”

 

 

Come January, I will once again be packing up my bags and leaving America for 18 months. I will be joining another young lady by the name of Joy Robertson and two young men, who I already know from the World Race, by the names of Brian Barrett and Taylor Mckellar. However, this will not come to fruition if I do not raise the needed funds. I know that if God does not provide, South Sudan is not where He wants me, but for now, I sense this is where He is calling me to go. Although it will be difficult to once again leave my family, all my Mundelein runners, and my youth group friends, life was not meant to be easy. Without challenges and adversity, it is nearly impossible to grow. What I am asking is that you come alongside me and support me both financially and in prayer. I will need to raise approximately 1,100 dollars each month to cover the cost of food, transportation, housing, and visas, and this will be impossible without your help. If you would like to support me, you can either go to http://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=staff  to give online or mail your tax-deductible contribution to Adventures in Missions P.O. Box 534470 Atlanta, GA 30353-4470.  If you send a check, be sure to include a note stating that the gift is for Jenny Ellis. If you can help in any way, I would be extremely grateful. If you can’t support me at this time, that is okay too, but I would love your prayers!

South Sudan: It is the newest country in the world. It is also one of the most underdeveloped, war-torn, and illiterate nations on earth. It is littered with landmines, witchcraft, poverty, orphans, and heartache. It is a place in desperate need of the peace and life-giving freedom that only Jesus can bring. And, it is where I am being called to go. I once had a dream to work in an orphanage in Africa and use running as a ministry tool. And now, it looks like that dream just might become a reality. God doesn’t just give us dreams so we can wistfully think of what could be; He gives us dreams so we can more passionately serve Him!

Keep shining for Jesus, my friends!  Wherever He leads, be sure to follow!