Hey! It’s Ann 😊
I am so excited to go on mission with the college of my dreams this summer! After many prayerful months, I am proud to be an accepted student at the Institute for Global Outreach Developments. I have a deep conviction to live differently than the world, and I am confident that God has mentors and opportunities at the Institute to train me in living set apart. As I look forward to my Christ-centered education there, I have been fervently praying for and working towards the first milestone: Summer Internship!
This summer my soon-to-be classmates and I will embark on a spiritual journey as we serve together in Kenya, Uganda, and El Salvador. First, we will spend time preparing ourselves physically and spiritually at Boot Camp. Bible study, worship, and community service will unite our team as we deepen our faith together. Why a mission trip, though?
Personally, I can’t find the fulfilment I have serving on mission trips anywhere else. Nothing fills my heart like loving on the least, the last, and the lowly. Beyond that, missions have transformed my heart. On my short-term trips to the Rio Grande Valley or Guatemala, I have never come home the same. I gain perspective; every trip God’s power, mercy, and love grow wider in my eyes. So do the needs of His people.
Although I’m confident in my calling to Summer Internship, it wasn’t what I originally asked God for. I wanted to go back to Guatemala to see my dear friend, Natalie. While hosting a church event in the slums of Guatemala City last July, a friend and I noticed her shyly kicking a ball alone. We immediately joined in, earning her friendship almost as quickly as she stole our hearts. Soon we pulled out a beautiful smile and joyful giggles. We also discovered she was an orphan. My soul ached when we had to say goodbye, wishing I could offer her any promise that life would get better. I offered the only promise I could: “Jesus loves you, Natalie.” And somehow, this small girl of seven understood that promise was better than anything in the world. “I know!” She told me, “I know because you love me, and you say so.”
I know I’ll see Natalie again one day, on Earth or in Heaven. But there are so many more like her who don’t yet know the promise of Jesus’ love. My hope for the Summer Internship is that I grow in effectiveness as a servant of Christ; that whether at home or abroad, my words and actions would leave a lasting impact on those who receive them. I want my life to reflect the promise of hope, joy, and redemption through Christ’s love. I now know that God has called me to Summer Internship to love on the next Natalie.
Thank you for partnering with my team and I to make this happen! Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support are a huge blessing to me and those I am blessed to serve. Lift His name high! <3
