Friends and Family,
I am writing to you today because of an enormous change in my life. As you know, I should be getting so close to embarking on this year long trip all over the world…but I am actually not.
I have chosen to come back home. While at training camp, I felt a real pull on my heart, and could not help but wonder what exactly God was trying to say to me. I began to really seek Him out, and spent a lot of time in prayer as well as trying to identify my feelings. I met with various prayer coaches and discussed it with my mother, who confirmed that this wasn’t a selfish desire or disobedience, but rather God was calling me back home because this wasn’t the trip for me. Now, I am not saying I never will consider missions again. I am not signing up for another trip anytime soon, but I do hope that God will at some point put another opportunity in front of me.
I really wish that this trip would have been for me. It seemed so perfect. I think that is what attracted me to it in the first place:11 countries in 11 months. That seems so alluring to me still, yet I know that is not what I am supposed to do. I feel that I should have and could have sought God more regarding where He wants me to be. Maybe, just maybe, He needed me to have that mind-set because that is just one of the marvelous, yet mysterious ways He works. I am not sure why He didn’t let me in on the secret that I was not going before I left for training camp, but it’s better to find out now instead of while in a foreign country. I am so very thankful I realized it as soon as I did.
Adventures In Missions has agreed to refund most of the support I have raised. Some of my support has been spent on administrative fees, training camp, and plane tickets. AIM will be refunding support in reverse order: the most recent donations will be returned until we reach the amount that has been already spent. If you have any questions, feel free to call and I will help work out the details of the refund process with you.
Thank you so very much for all of your wonderful support, prayers, and words of encouragement. They mean more to me then you know. Please feel contact me with any further questions. God bless!
Sarah A. Barkie
Jeremiah 29:11-13
