I want to wander. I want to take on the world and be in the midst of its unfathomable beauty, and the time is now. With this in mind, I am taking steps to begin that journey and have applied for two summer programs. A summer home-stay program in the stunning country of Chile, and a group mission in gorgeous Guatemala. You may ask yourself, Why? Well, I would love to talk to each of you about it! Let’s grab coffee and talk :) For all of you whom I am unable to meet with because of distance, this is for you! My basic answer to the question of “Why?” is this: I feel called. And if the application process goes smoothly, I’ll only feel more encouraged as to where God wants me to be. The mere possibility of receiving the opportunity to travel and love people around the world is thrilling!
One of the programs is a home-stay in Chile and is through AFS-USA (American Field Services), and they have been around for more than 60 years. Every year, they host 13,000 students worldwide, with the goal of sending people like me out to experience the world for themselves, whether that be in a gap year, summer, or semester program. For the program I applied to, the objective is for students to be completely immersed in Chile’s culture during their 7-week stay. By living with a host family, students learn the ways of Chilean life and have the opportunity to go to a local school. I would get the opportunity to love the people of Chile, explore the country, aid in the community, be immersed in Spanish, and more importantly, create life-long relationships. If I went to Guatemala, I would be traveling with Adventures in Missions, which has been around since 1989. Since they have been founded, they have sent more than 100,000 people on mission trips around the world. Ultimately, I hope to be accepted to their Passport Immersion trip: a nine-month journey across three continents, which embarks September of 2015 after I graduate. AIM’s mission is for students to “disciple as Jesus did...that God would use [AIM] to raise up a generation of radically committed disciples of Jesus Christ.” For this specific trip, the goal is for students to disciple to and begin to mobilize the people of Guatemala through relationships and service. I would love to be able to not only assist in that goal, but also to build relationships with fellow teens across the U.S.
The benefits of receiving an opportunity like this are tremendous. Unlike many high schoolers, I do not just take Spanish class for the credits; I truly want to use it in the future for the good of the planet. Spanish has always been one of my favorite classes and I hope to be fluent one day, and these programs give me an opportunity to move toward that goal. For me personally, not only would it help advance my Spanish language skills, but it would also help me grow in my faith, experience another cultures, force me to learn to adapt to different environments, and help me figure out who God made me to be, whether that be in Chile or in Guatemala. Not only that, but it would help prepare me for the mission work I hope to do with AIM after I graduate. I would also be able to aid in practical ways--whether it be volunteering, talking, or listening in the communities of Chile, Guatemala, or in the future in Colorado. Community is not just where you live, but who you are with. To me, it is a group of people who care for the well being of each other, and a trip like this will give me the opportunity to build a community. Not only that, but I will expand my knowledge and experience to be able to do similar mission work in the area surrounding my home. My mission is to love the people of Chile or Guatemala while preparing myself for a gap year in missions, to experience traveling independently and immerse myself in an unfamiliar culture, and to spread the love of God while growing in my own faith. I hope to be a part of such a wonderful opportunity and reach the people of the beautiful world we live in, and I can not do it without you!
My hope is that you will partner with me in raising the financial support I need for this trip. Any amount donated would be greatly appreciated, whether it’s $5, $10, or $500. This money will cover the costs of training, airfare, international safety precautions (emergency assistance, medical needs, etc), food, ground transportation, materials, and housing.
I would love to talk to each of you about this incredible opportunity. If you have any questions, please call or shoot me an email, and I will be sure to get back to you! Like I said, if it is possible, I would love to grab coffee and talk. If you would like to support my journey, you can click this link, and know that your gift will be truly appreciated. I also have a website and a Facebook page; both links are here: http://sendemorytothenations.weebly.com and http://facebook.com/sendemorytothenations , and I also have a campaign at http://igg.me/at/sendemorytothenations/x/4831877 Thank you all so much!
Much love,
Emory
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