How It All Began

I know people hear this a lot, but in reality I would not picture my life after high school as it is right now.  It is even better than I could have imagined. Africa, to me, was always a continent across the ocean filled with exotic animals and vibrant cultures, not a place I would one day live. It was my senior year in high school and I had no clue where I wanted to go, let alone what I wanted to study.  College was not appealing to me and every school I visited it just didn't feel like where I was supposed to attend. There were a couple months to graduation when Floyd McClung came and spoke at a church in Austin, Texas. My parents had been good friends with him and encouraged/made me go to the church he was speaking at. I am so thankful they pushed me to go. After hearing his sermon, we met up with him and I got to hear more about Africa and his organization in South Africa called All Nations. I was immediately intrigued and began wondering more about what they did. All Nations is a organization that helps build up leaders, by teaching people of all ages about discipleship and church planting through their program CPx (Cape Town Experience). It sounded like a great place to go learn and grow in my faith and learn how to reach others for Christ. By the end of our conversation, I was majorly thinking about taking a year off of college and spending some time in South Africa. However, I wasn't fully sold. I have to admit the idea of living in a foreign country, especially one as beautiful as South Africa, was extremely appealing. Traveling and being on my own has never been a scary thought, rather a daring adventure, and a experience that I would never forget. However, going to college, getting a degree, and starting life was my main priority. Over the next couple of months with lots of prayer and continuous dislike of schools, South Africa became a more dominant option.  In addition, I began meeting multiple people who had either lived in South Africa, knew people in South Africa, or had heard of people having amazing experiences. There was one friend of mine who really helped encourage me to go, he was a regular visitor to South Africa and hearing about his adventures there, really helped fortify my decision in wanting to go. I have to admit, going to Africa at first was a selfish desire. The idea of living there was appealing and exciting, going to serve the people and learn something I had to do to go, not the reason I was going. However, Christ was at work in my heart and over the next couple of months he showed me the importance of learning to love and get outside of the every day life and focus on myself. Through different experiences with friends and family and the constant uncertainty of going and a ministry called Summit, God showed me the selfishness that was in my heart on going and slowly began changing my heart. This change brought new certainty and excitement on going. I was confident I made the right decision and began asking God to prepare my heart for the change and growth that is to come. Well, the day is getting nearer for me to head over there and I ask that if I come to mind that you would please pray for the ministry and the people going over to South Africa for this ministry training and outreach and that His will will be done.