I guess i was born into it

I wouldn’t really say that I was actually called into the missions field, but
rather I was born into it. For as long as I can remember, my mother has been
involved with the Portland population of
refugees from Rwanda, Congo, and Burundi. Through her, I was introduced
to many of them and also introduced to the harshness of life outside the
comfort of America.
After hearing the horror stories about the genocides in Central
Africa, I felt helpless. There I was, a thirteen year old sitting
comfortably while there were people across the globe living under the
ever-present threat of someone bursting into their homes and butchering them
for a reason as petty as a tribal difference.

 

Between the ages of thirteen and sisteen, I tried not to
think too much about the hardships people across the world experienced, not
because I was callous and cold-hearted, but because I didn’t think there was
anything I could do. I hadn’t really begun maturing as a Christian and had yet
to learn the power or prayer and knew my dad wouldn’t let my go out of the
country on a missions trip.

 

However, two years ago I learned my church participated in
an organized outreach to Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico. I knew that it was finally
time for me to begin my work in the missions field. It was a ten day trip,
three of which were spent in a sort of training camp learning about cultural
differences, getting spiritually prepared, and building “team spirit�.

 

While most of the time in the field was very chaotic and
unplanned, there were awesome moments that lit a fire in my spine and still
make me shake my head in wonder at God’s power. That first trip, however
disorganized it was, made me desperately want to do God’s work in places that
were often over looked. I left Mexico
knowing that I had not spent enough time in missions and feeling compelled back
out into the field. Now, two years later, I am stepping out in that same way
again.