I have been blessed with the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic with Orphanage Outreach. While sharing this news, I got mixed responses. Some were so excited for me and others thought I was crazy. I wondered why people didn’t understand me quitting my job, leaving my family, going to a foreign country not knowing the language, and leaving everything that made me comfortable. Well, after thinking on it some more, it does in fact sound crazy. So why am I doing it?
Those of you who know me best know that I have struggled with figuring out what to do with my life. Going back and forth, constantly changing majors and life plans is a regular occurrence for me. Over the past several months, I’ve taken a step back and reevaluated my relationship with God. I realized that the times I felt happiest and closest to Him were the times when I was serving others. So, why don’t I do it more often? Why don’t I take the time to build relationships with people and serve them as Christ would? Am I too busy? Too scared? Or maybe it’s just selfishness. Whatever the reasons, I don’t want to ignore the path He has for me.
For the next several months I will spend all day everyday with hundreds of kids in an area I am completely unfamiliar with. I am choosing to leave my comfort zone and I look forward to being uncomfortable. My main job will be teaching English and tutoring. I want to do more than that. I want to build relationships in the community and show the Dominican people the love of Christ. I want to show each of the kids that they do matter and that they have a purpose. I am so excited to see how God will work through this adventure.
