I guess I’ve been preparing for the Race for quite some time now, I just never knew it. Entering college at the University of South Florida, I never would have imagined that I’d be where I am right now in life.
I had always wanted to learn Spanish as a way to connect to my grandfather and my Mexican heritage. I studied four years in high school and then in college I wanted to do a summer abroad in Spain. After looking over the programs I had to sit down and decide if a 6-week summer session is what I wanted, or if I’d rather dedicate an entire 4-month semester abroad. But I had never left the country before and that scared me. I wanted to become fluent in Spanish, I wanted to know the culture, know its people. I wanted to see the world from a different perspective. My goals for my semester abroad led me to study in Oviedo, Spain for the fall semester of my junior year.
My semester abroad changed my life. I knew that there was more to life than just the “American way”. But my life somehow seemed to gravitate toward what society was telling me success is. My senior year in college I became chapter president of the pre-professional organization Public Relations Student Society of America at USF. My life revolved around networking, competitive internships, national conferences and competitions, and an amazing community of PR peers.
Upon graduating from USF, I even had a full-time job lined up with Tampa’s tourism bureau. I was going to move into an apartment, start my career and be successful. At least the success society told me would bring happiness. As I was getting ready to embark on a three-month backpacking trip through Europe, the company told me they decided not to open the position they’d promised I’d have upon returning from my trip. I was crushed. Crushed, embarrassed and unworthy. I thought that I’d set my life up for success, what happened?
As I went on my three month journey through Europe, I struggled to enjoy the present because I was constantly worried about what I was going to do for a job when I got home. There was one moment while staring out on this gorgeous lake overlooking snow-capped mountains in Switzerland.
“Lord, I don’t understand,” I prayed. “What do you want me to do next? What am I supposed to do when I get home?”
An overwhelming peace washed over me and I felt Him whisper in my heart “Don’t worry about later, enjoy the now.”
I’d remember overhearing a girl on this group tour bus in Ireland. She was talking about how she volunteered in India after graduating college because she didn’t want to jump straight into her career. I thought to myself… “well why can’t I do that?”
I bet she never knew that her conversation would spark something in me. I contacted the ministry director of a Christian soccer club that I had visited for my first mission trip earlier that year. I had went through a program in my church and we stayed with this ministry for about a week.
I got this urge that I needed to go back to this ministry in Colombia. I asked if I could help them with their website and video content and stay for an extended period of time. He set me up with a host family and suddenly I was all set to return to Colombia in February and March of this year.
In the meantime, I had turned in an extensive Fulbright application to get my master’s in Madrid on a full-ride scholarship. It’s a pretty competitive program and I was applying for Fall of 2017. At the end of January as I was getting ready to depart for Colombia, I got news of my application status. I hadn’t made the cut for final rounds. I was devastated. Again, I had all these plans for my life and they had crumbled before my very eyes. I’d poured tears and stress and time into these opportunities that were now obsolete. I left for Colombia with my heart torn open.
Obviously, God was trying to speak to me through these closing doors.
I prayed so hard “Tell me what you want with me, Lord. What do you want to do with my life. Please show me!”
My second day in Colombia, the director asked if I could take some video testimonials from a group that had been staying at the ministry for the past month. When I met the group I was intrigued because they were all around my age and Americans.
“So what are you guys doing here?” I asked perplexed.
“We’re on this thing called the World Race” said Kayleigh from Q squad that launched in January.
I had never heard of it before. I was clueless, but intrigued. After hearing more from the team, I ran up to the office and researched the World Race. At that moment I just knew in my heart that this is where God was calling me.
It’s the dream I never knew I had. It combines my love for travel and culture, with my passion for ministry work. Looking into the next launch dates, I couldn’t help but notice the next route leaves August of 2017. The same month I would have left for Madrid if I would have gotten the Fulbright scholarship.
I was one of the last people accepted into my route and I had a month to raise the $5,000 required to attend training camp. If this is really the reason God has shut so many doors in my life, then surely the money would come, right?
It sure did. Somehow, someway, I was able to surpass the goal by $1,000! I went to training camp sitting at roughly $6,000.
Now I have less than a month again to hit $10,000 or else they will NOT let me launch. I’d be lying if I said I’m a little nervous and overwhelmed. I’ve already exhausted most my resources. How the heck am I going to get $3,000 in 20 days. Yes I have 20 days to somehow get $3,000. Is it impossible? No. We serve a God of the impossible. I will trust in His promises and keep pushing forward.
If God is tugging at your heart and calling you to partner with me, then let’s do this thing! I would love to do this journey with you. Together we can do amazing things for His kingdom. But I can’t do this without the help of my community. I physically can’t leave without hitting the $10,000. Please pray that God would continue to do the impossible while I keep the faith and continue putting myself out there about my journey.
This verse has been my steadfast reminder throughout this season of uncertainty in my life, that everything is working in God’s perfect plan for me:
Both of my daughters were/are PR majors (Spanish minors) so we will have to chat about that sometime. This is an amazing journey that you are on and I love hearing your story. Praying God will work a miracle to bring in that money. We will see you at Launch!!