For my church family:

This is what I had written down the day I spoke at church. I wanted to document it, enjoy!

When I was 18 years old I made a vow to myself that I would never return to Elgin, SC ever again. You see, growing up in Elgin were some of the worst moments of my life. I was in high school during this time, and as some of you know, or can remember, those years are some of the most difficult years of your life. I struggled with the normal teenage issues: fitting in, looking a certain way, making friends, wearing the right clothes or shoes; but I also struggled to hide a secret that kept me in shame for a long time. You see, I grew up in a family that was not wealthy by any means. One quote I always remember my mom saying as I grew up was that she was always robbing from peter to pay Paul. I was so embarrassed of my life in Elgin. I remember nights with no electricity, friends telling us they tried to call us the night before but the number wasn’t working and lying to them saying they must not have dialed the wrong number, even though I knew our phone was disconnected because we couldn’t pay the bill, getting excited about my mom coming home with a box full of groceries from a food bank or friends who cared enough that we have food on our table, even having to share inches of bath water as a 16,17 year old girl with my other teenage sisters because we just didn’t have water in our well, and even having to boil water to take a warm bath. As I prepared to leave Elgin to attend Columbia College, the last thing I ever wanted to do was to come back to this town that had put me through so much in my teenage years. I was bound to put myself through college, which I did, and become as successful as I could so my children would never have to endure the same embarrassment and shame that I endured.

While at Columbia College, I first heard the call to missions at a conference for Campus Crusade for Christ. I’ll never forget the moment. Never before had a scripture just gripped my heart like Matthew 4: 19. It says, “Come follow me, Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men.” I knew the moment I read it that I was going to do missions, but in my mind, my secret shame took hold of me. Instead of saying yes, I told myself that no one would be willing to support someone like me to be a missionary, not even in the United States. For years I began to believe the lie that I was hiding in my heart from everyone. I ran from mission work as quickly as I drove out of this city. My parents moved from Elgin, SC to Boone, NC and I thought to myself I was home free! I definitely never had to come back to Elgin again, except God had other plans for me a few years down the road.

Why are these things important? Well, this year as I have prepared for my second trip to Uganda, I have reflected on how wrong I have been about my life. If I kept true to my vows of never coming back to Elgin, SC and running far away from being a missionary, I would have missed out on the exact thing God had planned for my life. Those moments of inch deep bath water have prepared me for 4 long months of no hot showers, the nights of no electricity have prepared me for nights where everyone in the city of Kampala loses electricity and we cook and worship by candlelight, growing up in a household of 4 girls has prepared me for sharing a single room and bathroom with 8-12 girls, and knowing what it’s like to not have the basic necessities of food has given me the ability and desire to help people around the world who also lack that basic necessity. Mom and Dad, I couldn’t have asked for a better life.

Right before I started attending Blaney regularly, I prayed for a long time about a church that I could be involved in, a church that I could know people intimately, and a church that would support whatever call God placed in my life. Last summer, as I prepared for my first trip to Africa, or my first international flight ever, you all rallied behind me in prayer and support. This regular practice of praying for the body of Christ, our family, has blown me away and affirmed God’s call for me to be a part of this church family. I never really knew the body of Christ existed like this before I came to Blaney. As my church family, I think it’s so important for you all to know that you are an answered prayer in my life. And I would like to thank you for your continued support and prayers!