Meet my teammate Melissa!
Melissa is in need of funding. She needs to raise $3,200 in order to be fully funded by the deadline on January 31st – that’s less than two weeks! In this blog, you will learn what I love and appreciate about Melissa and hear from Melissa herself in a fun little interview!! Woohoo!!
Melissa is 31 years old and is from Amarillo, Texas. Before the Race she was a cake decorator.
Melissa has the most infectious laugh. She is the queen of one-liners. She loves to cook and has a super cool talent of walking into the pantry, seeing what’s available, and creating a brand new recipe from scratch. She is an incredible artist, and I’ve learned so much from her about connecting with God through creativity.
Melissa brings a lot of really good, challenging, and sharpening insight to our team. She has a clear perspective on conversations and conflicts; she listens and understands well. She leads us through her honesty, boldness, and kindness. When she is “on,” she is on fire for our community and the ministry we are partnering with.
Melissa contributes so richly to our ministries. Last month, she was always the first person willing to share her testimony with a stranger and give an encouraging word at a house visit. She preached at the fellowship twice: she was the first person to preach and then shared the Gospel message at the Christmas program. She has such a gift with speaking! This month, the kids love her. They yell her name all afternoon. She pulled her cajone out one day and that sealed the deal for them: Melissa is cool. Since that day, she has become our DJ for dance parties, which have changed the game for our ministry. She doesn’t see age differences or language barriers with these or any of the kiddos we have interacted with.
Melissa is our Beauty for Ashes Coordinator. Beauty for Ashes is a women’s ministry that gives women a safe space to their stories and make lasting connections with one another. She has a heart for women and a passion for them to experience freedom. She is always looking for the space and chance to lead women in Beauty for Ashes events.
Melissa loves me so well. She knows that I am words of affirmation and she is crazy intentional about loving me through affirming words. She also knows and understands that words can cut me really deep, too, so she is so gentle and sensitive with me when I am in need of constructive feedback or correction. She sees me and understands me so well, and knows when I need a hug, even if she doesn’t like hugs herself. She is a pillar of kindness and grace.
In case you didn’t know, Racers can be asked to return home if they don’t reach their full funding. Melissa has a couple thousand dollars to go in just two weeks! Melissa means so much to me, our team, and our squad. She is a member of our Body of Christ and we need her! Supporting Melissa is also supporting me, our team, our squad, and ultimately the Kingdom of God, because this girl brings it. She lives out the Great Commission.
I sat down with Mel and asked her a few questions I thought y’all might ask, too!
Melissa, what brought you to the World Race?
Jesus. Haha, but really, someone told me to listen to the words of John 2:5 when Mary tells the servants at the wedding of Cana, “Do whatever He tells you to do.” About three years ago, a friend told me about the World Race and I looked it up on social media. I had always wanted to do mission work, but it never seemed to be the right time. So when I turned thirty, I thought, “Why not?” I applied and here I am!
What has been your favorite World Race memory so far?
I actually have two. The first was in Guatemala when we went to feed the homeless with our hosts. After we were done handing out the food, our host, Craig, started playing with one of the street kids that was in the park that night. Suddenly, we were completely surrounded by children begging for us to play with them. It was very late at night and the children were so small. Craig said that they never get a chance to play and just be kids, so every time he goes to the park, he plays with them. So when they saw him, they came running, and we got a chance to let these kids just be kids for a night. My other favorite memory was Christmas Day. I was able to present the Gospel to a room full of Hindus and Muslims, some who had never been invited to a Christmas event and some who had never even heard the Gospel. It was living out the Great Commission.
Which country on our route are you most excited for? Why?
Swaziland! Swazi is the whole reason I picked this route. Ever since I heard about it, I knew that one day I wanted to go. When reading about the HIV/AIDs rate in Swazi, I learned that it is so high that in the next 50 years, the country will cease to exist because all the people will die. I have people in my life back home who are affected by HIV/AIDs, so it is something I care deeply about. Also, Swazi is where Beauty for Ashes originated. Since I am the Beauty for Ashes Coordinator, I am excited for what Swazi holds for that ministry!
If you could pick one of your blogs for my supporters to read, which one should they definitely read?
This Side of Surrender. I wrote it before I left for the Race, and it is about all of the fear I faced when choosing to go on the World Race and fully surrendering my life to Christ.
Note from Jess: also read PSA! Chicken Busses and Coffee. It’s hilarious and I’m the antagonist.
If you would like to donate to Melissa’s World Race, you can click here! She has a Buy-a-Box Raffle currently happening, and ANY AMOUNT donated puts you in the running to win cool things from around the world! Every little bit really really helps. Visit her blog at http://melissajordan.theworldrace.org/ to read more of her blogs, get to know her, and donate! All donations, of course, are tax deductible 😀
Thank you all for loving and supporting me by loving and supporting my sister!
All my love,
Jess
