Hello Friends,
As some of you know I quite my job managing commercial real estate in Grand Rapids, MI at the end of 2012. On January 1st I packed my snowboard and winter clothes into my Nissan Versa and set out on I-80. Destination.. Colorado. I felt God calling me to make a change and trust Him to take care of the details, and He did in more ways than I could ever have asked or imagined!
I volunteered at Snow Mountain Ranch (SMR) – YMCA of the Rockies In Granby, CO as a Staff Activities Driver for three months taking international and seasonal staff to activities and events around Colorado. I chauffeured staff to Denver Nuggets games, the Garden of the Gods, the Winter X Games, and many other cool places. God provided.
After three months I was asked to take a full-time (seasonal) position as a Resident Assistant at SMR where I oversaw activities and housing for 250 international, seasonal, and volunteer staff. It was a blessing to get to know people from ALL OVER the United States and the world! I now have friends in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia! Again, God provided.
With no plan for the summer I decided to drop into the office at Crooked Creek Ranch (CCR), a Young Life camp a few miles down the road from SMR. It turned out the girl supposed to be the Guest Services Summer Intern had been hired on as the full-time Bookkeeper. After filling out an application and an informal breakfast interview at Sharky's I was offered the position! I spent the next three months living and serving with twenty 20-something year old interns. It was the busiest summer of my life but it was such a blessing to be a part of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with over 5,000 high school kids from around the country. Again, God provided.
At the end of the summer I loaded up the Nissan Versa and set out on I-80 East. After 20 hours through America's Heartland I was home. But my stay in Michigan was short and sweet. While living and working at SMR I became good friends with a woman from Bolivia who told me about a mission organization in La Paz.. so I decided to follow God's call. After a week of catching up with family and friends I was on my way to South America. I have been living in La Paz, Bolivia and volunteering through the Norwegian Mission Alliance since the beginning of September. On Mondays and Wednesdays I assist coaching soccer through a program called "Futbol Cruza Fronteras" (Soccer Across Boarders). The kids are 9-15 years old and they usually end up teaching me a thing or two. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I help teach English classes. Again, God provided.
Recently God opened another door and blessed me with the opportunity to go on the "World Race." The World Race is a journey to 11 countries in 11 months to serve "the least of these." For the longest time I was only worried about myself.. and it was exhausting. But through God's grace and mercy my heart has been transformed toward serving those in need.. and it is exhilarating!
So in July, 2014 I will be leaving the United States once again and taking another leap of faith to serve and show God's love to "the least of these." I am blessed, encouraged, and excited to open this next chapter in my life. I hope you'll join me.
Blessings,
Mark
