how it all started....
- Mar 4, 2023
- 3 min read
Reality hasn't quite hit that in under three months, I'll be in Guinea, working in a pediatric clinic. I've been dreaming of something like this for so many years, so I can't comprehend that my "dreams came true" haha! My passion for nursing and my passion for serving overseas.
I first really started to get the idea of serving abroad when I was in middle school, as I watched my aunt live in Tanzania for two years. And that sparked a big fire. From there, God continued to cultivate that passion as I became curious about serving in another country, dreaming about being able to have an experience like that; to impact people's lives, knowing that they'd be making an impact on my own life just as much.
Fast forward a few years and my two big dreams of being a nurse and serving abroad looked possible together. As I was looking into Indiana Wesleyan University's School of Nursing, I learned that it was a *requirement* to study abroad. Oh man did I get excited - I pretty much committed to IWU right then and there. Fast forward a little more, as I'm knee-deep in nursing school; feeling like I'm drowning in a sea of rigorous curriculum, unachievable exams, and countless late study nights. Feeling all of that, but when asked "How's nursing school?" my response was always "I love it so much, it's hard, but I love it!" And well, with that response, I knew I was following the right career path for me.
I made it through the first year of nursing school! Now in my sophomore year, I'm definitely still in that sea but I've found how to ride the waves ;) At the beginning of this school year, my mom signed me up for monthly newsletter updates from a family friend, who was about to open the first pediatric clinic in Guinea, Africa (because how cool is that?!) As I started to receive these monthly updates, I started to look more and more into what the organization was all about. I fell in love with Hope Ignited's mission to ~Reshape the imagination of the people of Guinea towards God’s coming Kingdom through gospel centered healthcare and capacity building programs.~ With core commitments of following the trajectory of Jesus' life to bring HOPE. Woah, yeah, I want to be a part of that!!
On a random Saturday afternoon, I got a call from my roommate (who I absolutely adore), about going to a MetByLove worship night....3 hours later.... so we dropped everything to go. This worship night was one of the purest moments of singing songs of praise, crying out to God, kneeling before Him, and seeing Him rightly. A whole group of college students gathered together, with our eyes solely fixed on our Heavenly Father. In that worship night, I felt the most burning fire inside of me, to step out into faith to pursue working with Hope Ignited. "But God I'm scared" "Jesus I want to but I can't afford that" "But that's way far from home" "God, how? I don't know anyone there" and all I heard was..... that's okay, I'm telling you to go, so let's go.
So I texted our family friend that next morning and was completely wrapped in their loving, welcoming arms. We facetimed and called each other to learn more about one another and to talk about the possibility of me working with Hope Ignited. Doors seemed to be flying wide open. Through SO MANY prayers, conversations with friends and family, and reading God's Word - and yes, with moments of doubt and fear along the way - I heard God evidently calling me to act in obedience, stepping where He's already set the path for me. A few weeks later....plans are set, connections are made, and here I am writing my first blog post for my month-long trip to Guinea, what?!?! A dream.
A call, fire, and heart that's told me to go. To go and pursue my nursing career in Guinea, while showing the kids and families the HOPE and JOY I have, from the One who is Perfect Hope and Joy. Because how could they know unless they're told? Send me out God - I will go do anything - Every yes, with no restraints.
How Could They Know? by: MBL Worship
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