Accept The Calling

I've been on two mission trips. My first to Ecuador in 2017, when I was 14, and my second in 2018 to Little Haiti, Florida when I was 15. (Sadly I didn't go on one last year or this year.)

Both mission trips had their struggles that were faced and their successes that were praised. But here comes transparency, when I was debating on where to go for my second mission trip, I really wrestled with it. Before even examining my options, I had in my mind I either wanted to go to Costa Rica, Guatamala, or Ecuador again. Selfishly, I didn't really want to go to Little Haiti... It was in the US, it wasn't overseas, it wasn't far. I had in my mind that in order to make a difference or go on an "actual" mission trip, it had to be far. But very rapidly did I realize this was not the case. I remember having a conversation with my parents about it, they lovingly, yet a little sternly (because of my bit of stubbornness) pointed out that Little Haiti was literally my only option, all the other doors for all of the other places to go were closed for me, for many different, though logical reasons. All I could do was pray. Because I didn't want to go to Little Haiti but it was the only open door. It was either selfishly go on no mission trip because of my stubbornness or simply... Go. As I was praying I remember sitting there for a little bit in just silence, trying to block out my opinion, and just be still, let God speak, and allow myself to listen. I could hear what He was telling me to do. He revealed to me that no matter where you are, wherever you are, that is your mission field. So when all the other doors close and this one is open, seize that opportunity, take it, GO. There's a reason I only had one option. He wanted me to go to Little Haiti, despite my own desires. I remember being moved to tears, in realization of how selfish I was being, but also in realization that God works everywhere. You don't need to go far to make a difference, to live a mission. Your mission is right where you are now, it's where you go in your everyday life, it's everywhere you plant your feet. You are the Gospel, living. You have the antidote for all the sin and evil, stop hoarding it. You don't need to go overseas or on a super long flight. The mission field is not only on the other side of the world, it's everywhere. I realized that if I can't share the Gospel in my own country, I have no right to go share it with people across the world. If I can't share Jesus' story with people I live on the same continent with, but I will eagerly go and share with people on a completely different continent... There's an issue, a disconnect. Everyone needs to hear. It doesn't matter if they live on the same continent as you and might see you again or might judge you... Who cares?? We are promised hatred, promised difficulty, promised rejection. When you walk out of your house go to the grocery store, a restaurant, any type of store, through a drive thru, just taking a walk, wherever you go, wherever your feet land, if He lives inside of you, YOU ARE TAKING HIM WITH YOU EVERYWHERE YOU GO. Stop rejecting that fact and hiding Him from everyone. Live the mission. Live extraordinarily. Live for Him. Share everywhere.

Guys, Little Haiti changed my life, my perspective on things, and people. And so did Ecuador. God was present in both places. And it didn't matter where I was... It just mattered what I was doing and for whom I was doing it for. We need to get the fact that our mission field is everywhere, everyday through our heads, because too long have His people lived in fear, in rejection that sharing and going is their job as a believer and ambassador for Christ. We need to live our lives with more of Him and less of self. It's not just something you wear, it's something you live. Not just something you hear, but that you need to do. Live the mission that is set in front of you, everywhere, everyday. Brokenness is not in certain places, it is everywhere, we need to take the Healing everywhere too. Closed countries, foreign countries are not the only places that missions exist. He has called you and will equip you, live in what He's called you to.