Every day of life has a story to tell. In an effort to share some of the incredible connections I’ve made during my time partnering with Adventures in Missions (AIM), I wanted to post those that have had a particular impact on me. Some of these events are mine, and some are those of others. All of them have rocked my world.
Five snapshots. Five stories. Five celebrations.
Number 1.
The summer between my junior and senior year of college, I did an internship in Nazareth, Israel for three months through SERVE Nazareth. I spent some time helping in a surgical and psychiatric ward of a hospital and also helped serve a biblical meal to tourists at Nazareth Village. While serving meals, I was dressed up in first century garb and told to say my identity was that of a Roman slave. Apparently, my blonde hair and blue eyes gave me away.
At any rate, it was an incredible summer full of learning and visiting places like the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, and the Dead Sea. One of the directors followed along with my blog as I began partnering with AIM. Eventually, one of the AIM staff who helps with setting up alumni trips got connected with SERVE Nazareth because I was an alumni to both organizations and the result was an alumni trip bound for Israel. How cool is that??
Number 2.
In July 2016, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to lead a group of 12 high school girls, with a co-leader, to Swaziland for four weeks. On my original Race, I spent my month 9 helping Xolani, one of the primary ministry hosts, with sports ministry and training life coaches. It was one of my favorite months of the World Race. When I agreed to lead the Ambassador trip, I immediately reached out to Xolani to let him know I would be back. Having the opportunity to reconnect with him as well as the life coaches was one of the greatest gifts.
Number 3.
While we were in Thailand, myself and my two co-leaders were able to visit Chiang Mai and stayed in a hostel where many Racers stay while doing ministry in Thailand. Maggie, one of my co-leaders, was one such Racer. Her ministry during her month in Thailand was to intercede or go interact with the women who work in the bars at night. A particular woman stuck out during the month because she was insistent about wanting to get out of the lifestyle. Over a year later, when Maggie was back in the same city, she met the same woman who has since left the bars, done a DTS with YWAM, and is now helping work in the hostel when Racers pass through. Praise God!
Number 4.
Though the circumstances were unexpected, I found myself in South Africa again during the month of March because I was traveling with a participant for a medical evacuation from Malawi. South Africa was month 11 on my original World Race. The participant’s medical emergency resulted in her needing to stay in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks, which meant I had a fair bit of free time in the midst of staying with her. I was able to contact my host from my month 11 and she drove from Pretoria to Johannesburg to have lunch with me. Re-connecting is the best.
Number 5.
I’m currently in Guatemala. One of the hosts our squad is working with grew up in a children’s home. He met one of our other contacts when he was 15, had the opportunity to go to school in the States and returned to Guatemala to eventually partner with AIM. Unknowingly, the other contact also got connected with AIM and they had a reunion here in Guatemala.
The world is very small.
It’s stories like these that remind me why relationships and connections are so important. There is no way to tell what kind of impact a simple interaction might have and where you may reconnect with people. Thanks Lord, for these stories.
