It wasn't until I went on a mission trip to Chile in 2007 that I felt God starting to call me to missions. I started to realize just how ignorant I was in thinking I would be making a huge sacrifice to become a missionary.
That was the first time I had lived in humble circumstances...there in Chile.
It was winter time, and I only got three showers the whole trip (The trip was ten days long) and only one of them were hot showers; I slept on an inflatable pool mattress on a cold, concrete floor, and I was cold every night; I never felt like I got enough sleep, and it seemed like every day we woke up earlier and earlier; I was sick almost constantly each day; and I felt alone, and even neglected by others in my youth group.
Through all the hard things I was going through, God was starting to reveal to me His calling for my life, and the joys of being in missions.
I remember making great friends with some of the Chilean's, and one of them didn't speak any english...neither did I speak any Spanish. We still became great friends. Through our body language, we knew what each other was saying.
Me and the kids in my youth group were able to make awesome friendships within their church.
Also, we were able to see beautiful, breath-taking sights of Chile that were so beautiful to behold.
But the biggest blessing I received was that I heard from God about what He was calling me to in my life.
There was a night where our youth pastor was telling each of us to ask God what He wants us to do in our lives for our service to Him.
The next day, we were picked up by our bus that took us to our work site. I was shivering in my seat, and studied the fog collected on the window from my breath.
That was the scene where I first received my calling. For a while I tried to discard what happened to me on that bus, but each year that has gone by after it has furthered my desire for missions, and has become a great burden on my heart.
I am also realizing more and more how incredibly blessed I am with this calling. What could be more fulfilling than being apart of God's plan to seek the lost sheep and bring them to Him!? And how could I think it such a huge sacrifice to pursue this calling, when there is so much more to gain, that what I would "lose" seems so insignificant in comparison? Oh dear Lord! How greatly blessed I am that You've placed in me this desire! There is no way to explain this yearning in my heart outside of what God has done in my heart.
In light of all this, how comforting it is to me that God has verses that are specifically for me, and anyone else with a similar calling.
"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life."
Matthew 19:29
To anyone who is starting to pursue their passion for missions, or is considering it: I am so thankful for this calling, but I've already received a bit of flak for pursuing a degree that is not of any worth in the eyes of the world. Know that that's one of the things to expect....but that's one of the ways we know that it's God's will for our lives, so be encouraged rather than discouraged!
Thank you for this calling, dear Lord!
The bus where it all began
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