God's call is: "a conviction, that when faced
with the facts, continues to grow until it becomes a question of obedience or
disobedience" (Ron Binder, Wycliffe missionary).
Since a young age, God's question of "Will you
go for me?" has penetrated my heart. Each time I gave a resounding yes,
and each "yes" was soon followed with a bigger challenge to share
Christ with those in my own neighborhood, the people I encountered everyday. I
remember in 4th grade, befriending a classmate from Hong Kong, making up our
own language, and eventually praying with her to ask Jesus to be her Lord and
Savior. Ever since, then I've had a burden for people to come to know Jesus as
their joy and answer, an unquenchable enthusiasm for God's work in people's
lives and the desire to serve Him cross-culturally.
During high school and college, I had several
opportunities to serve overseas and have just another peek into the grandeur of
God and how He is continually healing and transforming, even working in the
most intimate details of a person's life. Carrying these global experiences, I
was able to lead and prepare my college peers for summer service trips, working
alongside established missionaries in countries all around the world.
One year into graduate school, I was hired by an
international school in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. God used that year to refine me,
teach me more about who I am and was created to be, and how I needed to rely on
Him in all situations. I fell in love with teaching overseas, the opportunity
to live among another culture and learn their language and customs.
When it came time to leave, I was devastated to leave
that community and the strong friendships I’d made. But God had more growth in
store, as I completed my Masters of Education and was pushed to become a better
teacher, more equipped for what was in store later.
During these months, I returned to my cycle of
questioning, “Okay God, now what? I’m ready and willing to go. Now where?” I
prayed about direction for months, and felt strongly tugged back towards
Central America, but the language barrier was a deterrent for returning, as I
felt I couldn’t make and sustain meaningful relationships with people there
because I could not speak the language.
What was my heart’s unspoken desire? To learn
Spanish.
And God provided the incredible opportunity to attend
language school for 4 months in San Jose, Costa Rica: the same language school
my grandparents had attended in the 1950’s before heading off to Argentina and
later Panama as missionaries.
Meanwhile I was interviewing with different Christian
International schools in Latin America. I never thought I would teach in
Panama, since it was my Grandparent’s legacy and my mom’s childhood home, but,
after sitting down with the director and sharing the same vision for the
students and the school, I knew God was calling me there.
So, here I am, being stretched and renewed by God in
ways I’d never imagined: teaching middle school and serving as the middle
school coordinator at Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama City, Panama. I
have the incredible privilege of discipling young believers and sharing God’s
truth daily, as I teach students to be historically and globally aware and
prepare them to be Christ-like, servant leaders in a pluralistic society.
Though the school does pay me a modest salary and
provide housing for the teachers, there are several start-up costs in moving to
a new country, such as buying a car. Even with being diligent with saving for
an entire year, it would still not be enough to purchase a reliable vehicle
here in Panama. Having a vehicle is a necessity here, as the public
transportation is unsafe, as well as having a car would open up many new venues
for ministry. Car prices for a quality, used car in Panama range from $6,000-8,000.
Please pray and consider partnering with me through
prayer and/or financial support.
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