Wednesday, May 6, 2009

And the Journey Begins...

This year has been a very eventful one, filled with excitement and new opportunities. God is so good!! 

I graduated from Samford University in May 2007 with a degree in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education. For the past two years I have been teaching kindergarten at Shades Mountain Elementary School in Hoover, AL. I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such a supportive faculty and administration.

In June I will begin my fifth summer working for Passport, a camp that empowers students to encounter Christ, embrace community, and extend grace to the world. I will be directing the Passportkids Special Team, which consists of a session in Texas and two in Tennessee. Through this ministry I have learned so much about myself, and what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in a world without borders.

From the time I was old enough to play school with my stuffed animals, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. It was not long after that when I began to feel called to teach students from diverse backgrounds, knowing one day that would take me to another country. Through the love and support of people like you, I feel ready and able to pursue my calling to work with children in Africa.

After camp, I will be home in Orlando for about three weeks before moving to Liberia. I will be serving through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Student.Go program for the 2009-2010 school year.  I will be teaching second grade at Rick’s Institute, a school that is leading the way in free primary education in Liberia.  The students at Rick’s are native Liberian children, half of whom are boarding students. You can learn more about Ricks Institute by visiting the website www.ricksonline.org.

I have been praying for an opportunity like this for years, and I am so excited about the way God is going to work through me. In preparation for this transition, I have realized that pursuing Gods call is not always easy. It involves a lot of trust and full dependence on God.  I have also learned that I cannot do this alone. Therefore, I would like to invite you to participate in this incredible journey with me... 

You can start by praying! 

Much Love!