Hey! I'm so stoked about making The World Race team for September 2011! Missions is my passion and now God is letting all my dreams come true–the dream to serve on the mission field.
Missions has been a part of my life and of our family for generations. My great grandparents started mission work in Puerto Rico with my grandparents and parents following in their footsteps. My grandparents have served as missionaries and ministers in many places. My father has trained young people and adults to do missions then led them on trips in the US and other nations. I started going on mission trips as a young child and have had the opportunity to lead trips as well. Now I'm ready for more–The World Race!
While in high school, I was a champion powerlifter and broke records. I was recruited by an out-of-state college to join their powerlifting team. It seemed like everyone wanted me to go there and become a national champion so I went. While in school I was hurt and decided to come home to recuperate. I was disappointed and felt like my dreams would never come true.
Back in Abilene, my church was taking a team to the Czech Republic for a summer mission trip so I signed up. I loved working with the Czech young people. My mentor went with me on the trip and began to talk to me about my hopes and dreams. She knew I was called to the mission field and encouraged me to go to school to prepare for it.
When I got back home I decided to go to bible college at Christ for the Nations Institute where I met some of my "bestest" friends in the two years I attended the school.
When I graduated I thought God was going to let me do third year and study missions, but He had other ideas. He sent me back to Abilene to serve in my home church. I really didn't want to do it, but I was obedient and came home and served as the Children's Intern. As that summer was coming to an end, God spoke again in my quiet times and told me to stay in Abilene and keep working in the church. This was not my dream, but it was what God was calling me to do. My pastors and the staff wanted me to stay and they even gave me the position of Children's Pastor. I fought the emotion of wanting to leave and "do something", but again I stayed. I realized I was there for a reason and accepted what God was doing.
Our church planned a mission trip to Africa for the spring and I signed up for the team. Maybe this was my dream coming true, but it wasn't–God had another plan in mind.
Once again God started showing me that He hadn't forgotten my dream. I found out about The World Race and I was so excited to apply. I was accepted and now I'm on the September team, ready to follow my family's example and share Christ with the nations.
