The Warm Heart

mis·sion·ar·y

   [mish-uh-ner-ee]

3.

a person who is sent on a mission.

I've always wondered what it would be like to be a missionary, to be sent on a mission for God. I'd give up my friends, my family, my phone, my time - all to serve others. But there were always hesitations. I can't take a year off from school. I need to finish in four years so I don't have excruciatingly large loans to pay off in the future. Or, I just don't have the money right now to do something like this.

Well, I am tired of making excuses - I am going to Africa! Sadly, I won't be able to go for a year or six months, but I do get to be there for a solid two and a half weeks. I am so excited that this opportunity came up. I would read the e-mails announcing the trip through the student missions office at Loma Linda and kept the idea in the back of my mind. Finally, I prayed about it, asking God to impress on me what to do. Suddenly, "Africa" was being mentioned in random conversations I had with people, even sermons! I knew this was His sign - I had to go.

So, I'll be joining 15 other students as we travel to...

Malawi is on the eastern side of the continent, sandwiched between Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique. We'll be staying at Malamulo, the Adventist Hospital there. I might get the chance to help in some clinics, teach health education, and help with VBS for the kids. It really doesn't matter what I do, though. I am just so ecstatic to get the chance to go on a mission for God.

Only 3 months, 2 weeks, and 6 days to go...