Hello Yall!! Thanks for reading.
The following is sort of an extention or further explination of my About Me section and WHY I am going on the trip:
Before I was a Christian, and even a lot of times during that process I asked myself this question:
“Why don’t I care much about others pain?” I saw many people around me (mostly non-Christians) doing things like helping out in soup kitchens & flying to aid in crisis’ in other countries. And I wondered why I naturally felt non-concerned. I didn’t view myself as nurturing or kind person, because I wasn’t. But I still wondered why some people had a natural bent towards or knack for kindness. At the time I settled for, “thats just not who I am”, and went on my way not thinking about it for a while longer.
That all began to change in 2015 when I decided to follow the way of Jesus.
The greatest instruction from Jesus is love Him with my whole mind, body and soul (a.k.a. my life, my everything) and to love others as myself.
The fact is, I dont think I need to go on a mission trip to do that.^^ But I strongly desire to GO. & consistent comfortability seems dreadful to me. I am confident that this new adventure that I am going to embark on will bless others around me and as well as stretch me in new ways.
WHY this type of trip?:
I love, and have been consistently involved in long term travel, people, adventure and experience. Also, most importantly, I want to obey God.
I have nothing to lose (except myself).
Here are just a few verses about serving others: the call
In 8 months, by Gods grace, I hope to be going on an almost year long service focused trip. (and also by Gods grace turning 30 y.o. in Morocco!!!)
I was finally prompted/encouraged to go when we were praying in my small group. A friend, and a leader, who I look up to, said “Why not, just do it, go for it, then you could come back and tell us about it, and share with us how God moved”.
And that was when I decided to finally apply.
what lead me here & what changed in me?
My desire(slightly), but what changed before my desire changed was my actions.
Through volunteering at Watered Gardens (a shelter/soup kitchen in Joplin, Missoruri) & P.A.T.H. (the current human trafficing organization I volunteer for in Buffalo, NY) I found that not only was I helping others, but more so I was being helped. Sometimes you gotta just do it before you feel like it.
And since learning about the International Justice Mission through the Christian Collage I attended (Ozark Christian College) and taking a Missions focused class there, I was made more aware of the suffering in the world, and was shown many resources and opportunities on what I could do about it.
While in my Christian Missions class, I was definitely advised that being a Missionary is not for everybody, but for a Christian, being on mission with Christ is. (Duh, thats what I signed up for on my wedding day with Jesus)
I also learned about the 10/40 window and how its not a luxurious place to go, and immediately, in my heart I knew I wanted to do a mission trip at some point, but I also knew that I wanted to go there. Why 10/40… because I have read and heard that this is the area where the least ammount of missionaries go.
(from Wikipedia) The “10/40 WINDOW”: Area of the world located between 10 & 40 deg. north of the equator. A general area that was (in the 90s) purported to have the highest level of socioeconomic challenges. This area highlights these three elements (as of data available in 1990): an area of the world with great poverty and low quality of life, combined with lack of access to Christian resources.
So I am hoping and praying that this particular advanture will live up to its name “Expidition Route” and prove to be the raw and ruggid, shaping and molding, empowering and boldening experience that I long for. I dont expect it to be easy, but that is why I am doing it.
More info on the 10/40 window (area that I will be going) 10/40 info
