My
story with Visiting Orphans actually
begun when I was 9 years old. You see, it was at that age, when I felt the call
to be a missionary. It was during a worship service one morning at my church
when I heard God whisper to my heart “I
am calling you to the Nations.” From that moment on I have felt a burning
desire and passion to GO to the Nations! I begged my parents to let me go on my
first trip when I was 12 but they told me I needed to wait until the ripe old
age of 13. I was elated to go on my first International missions trip to Peru,
when I was just 13 years old and I can truly say that my life has never been
the same since! Since then I have had the honor of serving in missions in over
40 Nations throughout the world. In 2010 I married my amazing husband Chris
(whom I met in an airport baggage claim on one of these missions’ trips) and
together we have served in missions throughout the world since we got married.
I am so thankful that God sent me a spouse who has the same heart as mine!
In
2012 my friend asked me to go on a missions trip to Kenya & Uganda with a
missionary organization called, Visiting
Orphans. This was a huge deal, as my husband and I were already committed
to serving on a missions trip in Alaska for two months. We needed to raise a
lot of funds if we were to go on both trips but I prayed about it and really
felt God calling me to go. So I took a leap of faith and God radically provided
the funds. I am so thankful that I stepped out and trusted God to provide for
the trip to Kenya & Uganda! While on that trip my heart was truly transformed
and my eyes were opened to the great need that existed in Africa. But my eyes
were also opened to the great beauty that exists there as well. So many times
missionaries go on trips with the single thought that they are going to “bless” the people they are reaching out
to, which of course they do. Yet in the end, it is also the missionaries
themselves who are blessed and their hearts and lives are radically
transformed.
I
came home from that trip knowing I had to do something more and through the
generous donations of family and friends, I was able to provide pillows,
blankets, and mattresses to hundreds of children living in one of the
orphanages in Kenya. That was a transformative life moment for me as I had the
realization that if we all come together and do something, we can truly make a difference. Everyone can do
something no matter how small and it’s those “small things” that make the
biggest impact in the world. To this day, I still receive thank you letters
from the children who received the new beds. Some had never had a pillow or
blanket of their own before. Can you imagine that for a second? One girl told
us that throughout her life, she had
only ever had a scarf to cover her body with. Let that really sink in for a
second. Small things that add up = big changes and impact in the world in a
world unimaginable.
Over
the years I have learned that short term missions trips are so, so effective and powerful because
it’s not just about the trip but about what happens AFTER the trip. So many
people who choose the route of short term missions come home and go on to do
things that leave a lasting impact. Whether it be fundraising for needs of the
orphanages or ministries they worked with, becoming an advocate for a child,
spreading the word about the needs they have seen, or even adopting a child
that they met while on the trip! The list goes on and on! I would encourage you
to see short term missions as a powerful tool that leaves a continual impact far
in to the future of your own life, even after you have returned home!
In
2015 I connected with the Executive director of Visiting Orphans, Autumn Kerr
via Facebook after I found out that she was moving to my hometown in Florida!
We instantly hit it off and she told me that she would love for me to work with
Visiting Orphans, but there were currently no positions open. I was obviously excited
about the possibility but told myself to be cautiously excited as I knew there
were no positions available. Just a couple months after meeting Autumn, a
position at Visiting Orphans became available when one of their staff took a
position to move full-time to Uganda! I could hardly believe it! It felt too
good to be true that I would actually be on staff with an amazing organization
that had such a profound impact on my life! I pictured God smiling and saying
“See, my plans are always better and always way more exciting than you can even
imagine!” Today I serve on staff at Visiting Orphans as a Missions Specialist.
I coordinate several of the 15 countries that Visiting Orphans goes to and I
also do administrative work such as process trip applications, manage
donations, etc.! I feel like I pinch myself every day that I get to work for
such an amazing and influential organization. I praise God for how He has
directed my paths. His plans are always the best!
One
of my favorite scriptures is Psalms 37:4 which says “Delight yourself in the
Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” God has given me the
desire of my heart by giving me my “dream job” working in missions as my
career! There is truly nothing better than being able to work doing something you
are deeply passionate about.
Visiting
Orphans just celebrated its 11th Birthday and we are extremely thankful
for the impact that we have been able to have throughout the Nations. We have
been so blessed with amazing team members and the best team leaders! It is only
by partnering with passionate people who feel called to help us live out our
mission which is to Go to the
Nations, Be focused on
relationships, and Love like Jesus,
that we are able to keep doing what we do! I am so excited about several new
trips we are launching this year! We are launching our first ever domestic
mission trips and locations include Florida and Alaska! Domestic trips have
been something very near and dear to my heart as throughout the years I have
asked myself “What am I doing in my own nation?”
You can find more details by checking out our
website: www.visitingorphans.org. Click
Missions Trips then click Where we go to see a list of upcoming trips! Thanks
for helping us to GO. BE. LOVE.
Sharing at Unite
SO loved reading your story and how miraculous God is in all of His workings! Loved hearing how you got your position at Visiting Orphans, as well! What a testimony! Thanks for joining me at UNITE! Blessings, Jen
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