2014 – Teens’ Mexico Mission Trip
- For the past couple of years I thought that I would open my own architectural firm in some large city where I would design peoples’ houses for them. My plan was that I would earn a bachelor’s degree in architecture at Judson University in Elgin IL., get an internship at an architectural firm for a couple of years, and then I would possibly attend the University of Michigan and get my masters in architecture. However in the months leading up to the Mexico trip I had been praying that God would work in me and use me in whatever way he wanted. At about the same time I had begun to feel God tugging at my heart, I felt that he was leading me away from Architecture and to some unknown career that He had planned for me. When the day of the mission trip came Jon prayed that God would use us in whatever way he wanted and then we loaded up and we were off to Mexico. While in Mexico I had the opportunity to interact with many kids on a daily basis, there were kids at the worksite, at the Bible school that we led in the afternoons, and even where we sometimes ate supper. Every time we visited one of these places I had so much fun interacting with those kids and I always left happier than when I had first arrived. When it came time to leave Mexico we prayed that we wouldn’t simply revert to our old lives but that we would continue to allow God to use us once we returned home. It wasn’t until the Wednesday of the week that we got back that I felt God reaffirming my thoughts on architecture; however this time I felt that he was leading me to a career in pediatrics where I could interact with kids as I had in Mexico. I spoke with my mom about what God was laying on my heart and she said that it was awesome because she knew how good I was with kids, she said that I should continue praying about it and that God would continue to show me his plans, on his own time.
- On the mission trip, God really did a lot to show me the “better” side of human nature. Even though these people that we helped lived in abject poverty, they were so giving; they went out of their way to make us meals and the woman at the site where we laid the slab even sacrificed her water to let us finish after it was shut off. She had no way of knowing when she would have water again, but gave it to us anyway without a second thought. I grew a lot in my faith, and I am so grateful that I went and for the wonderful people that went with me.