My journey to full-time medical mission work in Kenya actually began when I was just fourteen years old. My parents had given me a subscription to Brio a Christian teen girls magazine. One of the magazines had a brochure for Teen Missions International (TMI) in it. As I read through the brochure I felt this incredible pull towards a team that would be going to Brazil to do construction and evangelism in the rain forest.
I went to my mom and told her "I really think I'm supposed to go to Brazil next summer." Her reply was something along the lines of "Okay honey, why don't you take some time to pray about it." I did just that. Then I went back to her again and told her that I really believed that God wanted me to go to Brazil. So she agreed that her and my dad would start praying about it as well. After some time they told me that I could apply for the team but that God would need to provide the money to go. If the money didn't come through, I wouldn't go.
I was accepted to the team and began to send out support letters. This was my first faith-building experience in the area of raising support for ministry. The money came very slowly. In fact just a week before I was scheduled to leave it was looking like the trip wouldn't happen after all. Then God worked miracles in the final days and provided me with the full funds for the trip.
The next thing I knew I was on a converted school-bus traveling from CA to FL to attend TMI's training camp. God began doing some amazing things in my heart during those two weeks of intensive training.
One night a man from Liberia spoke. He spoke about his country being from the "dark continent" and how great the need was for strong believers to go and make a difference. During his talk I somehow just knew that that would be my destiny. That God was calling me to a life of full time service overseas.
At the end of the message each night they would have a type of an alter call where students could go forward to do business with God. That night my heart was pounding and my mind was full. I knew that God was calling me and that I needed to respond. So on June 30, 1994 I made my way to the front and told God I was ready to go wherever he would lead me.
Shortly before our training time came to an end, the organization shared some of the plans for the following summer. They talked about teams that would be heading overseas in 1995. One of the teams they talked about was going to Mozambique, Africa to build an orphanage for children who had been orphaned due to AIDS. As they talked about this team my heart again began to pound. I believe the seeds of my love for Africa were planted that day...
Part 2 to Follow in the Coming Days
2 comments:
Africa is a place that leaves a permanant mark on your heart! Im so glad you are there making a differance!
I enjoyed reading your journey posts!!
Brio and TMI sparked the same desire in me too!!
But, when I asked my mom if I could go during the summer of 1995, my mom's answer was "you can go on a mission trip, but you can't leave the continent." So, I went to Houston for ten weeks that summer . . .
I also had cut outs from mission magazines of Africans because I also was thinking medical missions and Africa.
You know that verse that says "delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"? I'm pretty sure it means that He both plants those desires and fulfills them too. It's neat to see how He shapes and sharpens and focuses our desires . . . He is just a good, kind God.
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