I suppose I should start with the odd circumstances in which I came to Christ. When I was thirteen I was part of an Irish dance class (and had been for a few years). I had become best friends with a girl named Rowan in the class that was my age. On November 4th of 2004, Rowan, her mother, and 2 friends were on their way to a concert when Rowan’s mother accidentally drove off an unmarked boat launch into the lake. Even though rescue workers got there quickly, all four of them either drowned in the car or passed away soon after.
At this point, I decided I didn’t have the courage to continue with the dance classes without Rowan, so I accepted my friend’s standing offer to accompany her to youth group. She’d always wanted me to go, but Wednesday nights were always dance class nights so this was my first chance. We chose a day, and when I showed up, my friend didn’t. She had forgotten that I was coming that day and chose to stay home. So I was in a room full of strangers that kept introducing themselves and talking about this guy Jesus. I’d heard of Him, but no one but my grandparents in my family were Christians, so I wasnt sure what He was about. After that night, I kept going back to learn more and more, I couldnt get enough!!
Since then, Ive become a huge part of my church. Working with kids every week and singing and baptisms and miracles and tragedy has brought me closer and closer to God. Since Rowan’s death ive lost my grandfather, my favorite aunt was murdered, my cousin died of a heart defect we didnt know about, my uncle went down the wrong road and died of an overdose, I was raped, and a good friend got tied up in the wrong crowd, and when he tried to get out of it he disappeared and i havent heard from him since.
These sad parts of my life have been absolutely crucial to shaping me and calling me to the mission field. Everytime i get hit with something new, God gives me a way to handle it. Somehow, it always has to do with serving others. Each summer my youth group goes on a mission trip, called Summer of Service, in Cincinnatti and we work with the homeless, the children, the hurting, and the needy. This past summer, 15 of us went to Caye Caulker, Belize to build a high school and work with the kids. This experience was perhaps the most essential to calling me to this particular trip.
I’ve always wanted to go to Africa. I think the kids are beautiful, and my dream is to work with them and hold babies that need holding, and just to make a difference in their lives. God has made it very clear that this is what I’m supposed to be doing.
I apologize for how long-winded this was, but once you get me talking about what great things God can bring out of tragedy, I can talk for hours 🙂 He amazes me every second of everyday and I cannot wait to see what miraculous things He does in Swaziland. God Bless!
As I was reading your entry, I thought about the quote “There’s greatness in you, often it just takes suffering to get it out.”
And it’s so true, God can do amazing things through us when we’ve gone through the toughest times.
But yeah, hope you’re doing well and I just wanted to say reading your entry was an encouragement and a blessing. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 I’m so glad that God has shown me what he has, no matter the means by which I saw it. I can’t wait to meet you finally and be a part of your team 🙂