Welcome!!!

Welcome to my website! I am living in Blantyre, Malawi (East Africa) as a missionary until 2011. I will be partnering with the local church and Young Life to bring hope to an area that is infected with poverty and disease. Thank you for following my adventures!

Moving to Malawi

“What do you mean moving to Malawi??? How will you do that and what will you do? Have you seriously thought about this?” Those were the words of my parents ten months ago as I tried to explain my desire to move to Africa. We were seated in a corner booth, eating dinner in a bustling restaurant, when I shared this call God had placed on my heart. The few summers before this memorable night with my parents, I had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania where God showed me what third-world life was like. I saw many children in the same clothes day after day, walking miles to get dirty water from the lake to drink and bathe in. I met joyful mothers working in the fields from dusk to dawn singing songs of praise for work God had provided and I fell in love with a group of orphaned girls whom I was able to befriend and share my love and hope. God had opened my eyes to such beauty and yet such poverty all at the same time. In Sub-Saharan Africa, poverty and disease have ravaged villages across the continent. 50% of the population is under the age 15 and life expectancy ranges from 38 to 44 years old. My eyes were opened for the first time to real pain and struggle. In my life, those words seemed so light and meaningless. I am so thankful for the blessing of being raised in a Christian home and running the halls of Asbury United Methodist Church. Now, many years later, I know God asked me to GO and I know He confirmed this calling through my trips to Africa – I want to use the gifts He gave me to serve youth in Africa.   I debated simply continuing the summer ministry trips, (even though I know I receive way more than I give), but God has given me the opportunity to invest my life in Malawi for the next few years.   I’m going as a learner and I’m excited to experience what God is doing there!

After many hours staring at the computer screen, it was apparent I needed major guidance on HOW TO GET to Africa! Thankfully through some friends, God directed me to RightNow: (www.rightnow.org) a mobilizing organization that connects possible missionaries to agencies that fit their skills and desired areas to serve. Through RightNow, I found SIM (Serving in Mission) based in Charlotte, NC where I spent time this fall discerning if this is where God was leading me. Because of wonderful friends and the great support and training I received, I am excited to partner with SIM!!!