“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land I will shew thee.”
-Genesis 12:1
When I was a child I always dreamt of exploring the world and discovering new uncharted lands. As I got older, and it was explained to me that there was nowhere in the world left to discover I was disappointed, until a new journey and a new purpose befell my life’s path: seeking and finding God. Circumstances in my life revealed to me that closeness with Him is far more important than being the first to pioneer distant, exotic lands. However, somewhere in the back of my mind a part of me still clung to that old dream, as I’ve endeavored over the last 7 years to develop and strengthen my relationship with Him.
Imagine my surprise when I found out that there was a way I could realize my old childhood dream and still stay true to my purpose. That is what I learned when I went on a mission trip for the first time with my church: to travel is the most fulfilling when the purpose of doing so is to serve and spread God’s love. Not only that, but every heart that has not yet accepted Christ is like an uncharted land, be they near or far away.
I first accepted Christ truly when I became a member of my church 2.5 years ago, and not long after a friend of mine introduced me to the World Race. He told me he had developed his deep faith, strength of character, and ability to accept his shortcomings, all while traveling the world ministering to people. The idea of doing this was instantly attractive to me, as I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the underdeveloped and underserved parts of the world he described.
Needless to say, I was inspired and wanted to sign up immediately, but I was unsure if someone with a past like mine would be accepted. You see, I am an alcoholic/drug-addict in Recovery. Though I have been sober for the past 5 and one half years, my past remains a stigma to some people. I was unsure if that would bar me from entry, but I had to try. I submitted my application, did a phone interview, and was then notified that I had been accepted to participate! I am still a little bit in shock, and extremely grateful of course. The fact that God could take a wretch like me and make me fit for this kind of service alone has strengthened my faith and lit me up with excitement for the journey ahead!
So far what I know is this: I will be traveling to 11 different countries over the course of 11 months with a large team of fellow missionaries serving local communities and partnering with churches in rural/hard-up areas. These countries will be in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and the trip begins in June. I am not as clear on exactly what kind of work we will be doing, but I have a feeling it will involve being of service where there is need and where God calls us to do so. Not to mention the most important kind of service of all: Showing people that God loves them no matter what and has their back. I will also as always, be carrying the message of Recovery with me in my heart, and showing others that no matter how long one falls on the scale in life, there is always hope of Salvation and Redemption.
I will fill you in more as I get more details about this exciting journey. I will be raising money for this for the next 8 months before I ship out. The money goes to Adventures in Missions, which is an excellent organization, to pay for flights and various other aspects of the trip. If you feel called to give, there is a button at the top of the blog. Look forward to telling you all more as I get more information.
Peace and Blessings. More to come.
(shoutout to Lexi Kirby for proofreading this and taming my run-on sentences where possible)
