So here goes nothing! First fun fact…I don't really love talking about myself…I like to ask the questions not so much be asked. My name is Kiera Dragan, I am 23 years old and I live in small town Canada. Minnedosa Manitoba, I always tell my lovely American friends I live basically in the middle of Canada above North Dakota. How small is my town….well my best guess would be about 2800 people. You learn to love it…I always wanted to live in the big city but for now im home. I work alot. My life can sometimes be a gong show. I am a server at two different restaurants, one of which is seasonal. I am a barista at a local coffee shop, kind of funny tho cause I really hate coffee. I also teach dance lessons.
I grew up in an awesome Christian home. My parents are pastors and have been since i was young. I have two younger sisters Robyn and Kim and they just happen to be twins. I love my family more than anything.
I graduated highschool in 2006 and knew I wanted to build my relationship with Christ it was at the point where I knew all the right things to do and say but I mean I was raised in the church, it was more of a have to than a want to. I had lived a pretty straight life up to that point, I didn't go to wild drinking parties or get involved with the boys. But i was missing something. I wasn't sold out!
I started dancing when i was 13 and I didn't realize how big of a part of my life it would become. I decided when I graduated I wanted to keep dancing but I also wanted to have a solid foundation in Christ…so what did I do….I looked for a school that would accomadate that. Let's just say there weren't alot. What I did find though was that Hillsong International Leadership College in Australia did offer a dance program. So at age 18 I decided that was it. I didn't know anyone that would be going but I knew that I was supposed to go. Long story short, I flew half way across the world and the year 2007 turned my life upside down. I can't begin to tell you how different a person I was after that year, or all the lessons I learnt but I was blessed and from then on out I knew my life wouldn't be average. There was so much more…a whole world to discover and I couldn't wait to take it on. I went back to my home town at the end of 2007 when I graduated with my cerfiticate IV in ministry and God spoke to me something crazy. He said, Kiera you are going to go home and start a youth ministry. To that I said…are you sure you got the right girl because I went to Australia to dance…never once had I considered youth ministry. But the key theme of my year in Australia was obedience so I knew one thing was for certain if God said start a youth ministry that was exactly what I was going to do.
Basically youth ministry is my heart, Just youth (Jesus-You-Simple-t (the t is a cross btw)) will be four years this January and it kind of blows my mind. It is a ministry of unchurched teens coming out on a Wednesday night and just being loved on. I have built so many amazing relationships and I am overwhelmed by blessing. It has been some of the hardest times but also some of the most blessed times. Its not about knowing all the right things or doing all the right things, Its about using what is in your hand and overcoming whatever obstacles that try and get in your way.
In 2010 I spent 6 months interning at the L.A dreamcenter also something that was confirmed in my heart during my time in Australia….I didn't realize it would take me 2 and a half years after getting home from Australia to get there. But hey God's timing is always the best. Those 6 months just really blessed my heart…I feel very connected to homeless ministry. I will never forget my Friday nights out on skidrow. You can't go down there and walk away unaffected.
So how am I now deciding to go on the World Race??? It was just a crazy God moment where he confirmed to me one day when I was asking Him what was next. Was it more schooling? Was it this or that? And all He told me was YOU ARE going to see the world! I was like ok…maybe me and my sisters will save up our money and go backpacking! No word of a lie the next day I was searching mission trips online because one of my friends told me about one she was interested in going on, and what did I stumble upon? 11N11? Could this be what You have called me to? I was freaking out, my passion to see the world was so strong and yet what better way to do it than to spread the good news of JESUS CHRIST! What a privledge it will be. Am I excited? THAT WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT! I am thrilled. This opportunity is a dream come true…one of those opportunities that you only wished existed…and then to find out it ACTUALLY DOES!!! ya its pretty amazing.
So who is Kiera Dragan. I am fun. I try to be funny. I can be the most serious girl in the room. I can be the craziest girl in the room. I can't play sports to save my life.(Although I see a ton of my teammates do…so never say never). Summer will always be better than winter (even tho Im from one of the coldest places on earth). If there is a beach I am in. Travel Travel Travel.I always tell ppl I don't believe in animals…harsh I know…I really only like giraffes and turtles on a good day. I love to dance. Friends mean the world to me. Coffee is disgusting but I work at a coffee shop. Tea makes me happy. So do bubbles and fireworks. Tacos. Purple. 13. pop music…sorry Im a dancer. I don't enjoy cooking, but I can if I have to. I don't really have time for t.v but I sure do enjoy an episode of The office. Youth ministry. JESUS ALL THE TIME.
I look forward to spending these next months getting to know my teammates as we have started on probably one of the most craziest adventures of our lives. 11 months.11 countries.So many lives to be touched. So many lives to be changed…including our own! I can't wait! He must become greater, I must become less John 3:30.
