What am I doing? I found myself asking over and over as I prepared to launch last year as a student missionary in Guinea-Bissau. What am I doing, and why am I doing it?

I had already been through the month-long AFM training for student missionaries. In many ways, I knew it had prepared me for what I was about to dive into, but in other ways, it made me realize how hard it was going to be. For instance, I was the only one from my group of student missionaries going to Africa. There were other student missionaries on the project already, but they were from Brazil, which meant that both the career and student missionaries on that project would be from a culture different from what I was used to. This is not a bad thing. It simply means that everything about the project would be new to me.

After graduating from student missionary training, but before I launched, school started. All of my friends would tell me how much they were enjoying classes and how much they missed me. Again, I found myself questioning: Why did I do this? It would have been so easy to stay my junior year and not miss out on all the things my friends were doing. But I didn’t. Why not? Because I knew God had called me. The question I now asked was, Why did God call me?

I think God called me for more than one reason. First, I believe He called me as a wake-up call. I was getting too comfortable with the life I was living at Hartland College. It had become routine, and although I had not entirely ceased to grow spiritually, I was definitely settling into my comfort zone. However, God wants to see us grow. Second, I believe God wanted to rekindle my mission. And what better way to do that than to go out into the field, see the need, and be reminded of how God wants you to be a part of the solution.

So I launched, and over the last year, I have come to love and appreciate the people of Guinea-Bissau. It has been an amazing experience filled with growth. One of my greatest fears was the inability to communicate. When I arrived, I had little prior knowledge of the language, yet by God’s grace, the Sabbath before I left to return home, I was able to preach a sermon in their language. I also had the privilege of teaching the English language to some of the most amazing students in Guinea-Bissau. And I was blessed to start work in a new village. Although not all results are yet evident, God has given me the privilege of seeing the fruit of my labor in the baptism of one of my students there. What a privilege! This year was not easy, and at times I was tempted to give in to fear, but I am so grateful I chose to answer God’s call and follow the path He made for me.

So what was I doing? I was taking up my cross and following in the footsteps of my Lord. Will you do the same, whatever it may look like for you? 

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