Vanessa - Washington, DC
I have been going on missions since 2010. However, I went on my first mission trip with Zion Church in 2014 and my life changed in ways that I still cannot quantify. Not just the team but the people, culture and serving alongside other brothers and sisters in Christ on their own homeland. I am from Washington DC and nothing in my neighborhood even compares remotely to the smallest township or largest city in Haiti. To sit idly on a van while waiting on instructions to serve I stare into the foreground and watch people cross the bustling streets and roads without the slightest bit of urgency but a calmed sense of joy as they embark on their agenda for the day. Spending downtime with the locals and getting to know them and how I can pray for them is astounding. The ethereal feeling of being given gifts from someone who may not be able to afford it is inspiring. My easy Christianity at my disposal helps me to understand that serving is a privilege. temporarily leaving the comforts of access to water, food and sundries is a small sacrifice when compared with the lives of people all over the world who may seem poor but are rich in spirit and even richer in knowing what really matters
Every American Christian should leave home and travel abroad to see the Scriptures come to life. Going into all the world to spread the Gospel makes so much more sense when you become a missionary. Safety is a myth therefore that should not be the determining factor in serving however, the peace of God travels with me everywhere I go.
