New Beginnings

I suppose it's about time for a new update on the blog. Most of you will have already read this update in email format. If you haven't and wish you had (aka want to be added to my email list), just let me know! More details will be given in emails, but I will be occasionally updating the blog to tell stories.

I have joined a dear friend’s ministry organization: Child Restoration International. As of September 1st, I am the Orphan Outreach Advocate. This job will take my vast passions and roll them into one neat package. I will have the privilege of traveling to many unsupported or under supported children’s homes and encouraging them. I will listen to their stories and bring these stories back to you all through this blog, Instagram, and presentations. I will be an advocate for these children and seek partners to support them. I will get to show names and faces to the many people who want to help the fatherless but don’t know how.

Another facet of my job will be to create relationships with different colleges and take students on trips to these homes when something is needed, such as a new building or a Bible class. These trips will be student-led and the goal will be to develop the students as humble, globally-conscious leaders as they come alongside the native missionaries and serve them as they need. As some of you know, I have become a big proponent of coming alongside native missionaries and supporting them in their work rather than going and doing that work, so I am especially excited about this model being used in CRI.

Finally, this organization is supportive of a dream that has been in my heart for a while now. I want to create a career development curriculum for orphanages and children’s homes. Many of the places I have been to do a wonderful job caring for their kids. However, when the kids hit 18 and move out of these homes, they often find themselves back on the streets and back in the cycle. My goal would be to create a curriculum that could be adapted to each location and taught to the local missionaries. This curriculum would help the children know their gifts and their passions and how they can develop them. The curriculum would also provide resources and training so these young adults could achieve a better future. I’ve wanted to do this but been unsure how to go about it. This ministry that I will be working with really came alongside of this dream and offered resources to make it a reality.

Essentially, this position allows me to do everything I’ve dreamt of: telling stories for those whose voices are not heard, advocating for those who need to be helped, supporting local missionaries, discipling college students, and creating a curriculum that will ideally offer more hope for the future for many kids. It is an incredible answer to prayer and a journey that I could not be more excited to have begun.