So why start a blog? Well, for those of you who I haven't seen or talked to in awhile, I have been on a major journey lately. Actually, this journey began when I was born to missionary parents. They are all to blame if you ask me! But really, God has been working on me throughout my life to bring me to where I am today. My latest journey began a few years ago when I went to Nigeria to work with the Susana Homes orphanage. I have known the director, Chi, for most of my life, and she asked if I would be able to work with some of the children there who had special needs. She also wanted me to train some of the teachers to work with these children. This trip was a life changing experience for me! I came to realize how children with special needs are treated in other countries and how so many of them do not receive any education or help. I also realized how much I love being on the mission field! So.. God started working on my heart and planting thoughts in my head about doing missions long term. Of course, I pushed them away at first. I am a single young woman who just started a career. Why would I move away from my family and friends and my chances of a potential future husband? (Let's be honest!) But, this past summer, after returning from a mission trip to Peru, I realized that God was still pushing me in that direction.
It all began when I was talking to my sister on the phone, and she said, "Jennifer, it's funny! You are glowing in every one of your pictures from Peru and Nigeria. Have you ever thought of doing long term missions?" Well, I said "actually, yes. I have not even really told anybody about it, but I've been thinking about it for awhile. So, after that conversation, my desire for mission work was confirmed in many amazing ways. I started searching online to find places around the world that worked with special needs children. I stumbled across a school in Guatemala that was created for special needs children. It is a Christian organization that was started by an American lady who saw the need for educating special needs children in Guatemala. I contacted her, and she said, "We don't currently have a speech therapist here and really need one!" I then was referred to a couple who are moving to a nearby town in Guatemala to start a church plant. I went to visit them recently, and they are eager for me to join them in Guatemala.
So, if this wasn't a big enough confirmation from God, I recently was in my Wednesday night Bible study at church. We were talking about how to discern God's will for your life. The teacher, who is the preacher and a long time friend of my family, asked us to share how we have had to discern God's will in our own lives. I told my story of how God had been pushing me towards missions to Guatemala. The next Wednesday night, I couldn't make it to class. So, I received a message from one of our class leaders saying, "We raised $11,000 for your Guatemala mission tonight." My jaw dropped, and I almost fell over!!!! My first thought was, "Aww, dangit, now I really have to go to Guatemala!" But seriously, what a confirmation from the Lord.
Well, after much planning and praying, I am making a survey trip this March to Guatemala to figure out what this mission might look like. I am very excited and, of course, a little apprehensive, about this possibility!!
