Last December during a house build trip in México, someone told me that there was a need in Liberia for a person to help in the REAP office. That person also said “Laura you told me you wanted a challenge.” At that point I didn’t consider it AT ALL. I told my bible study group about this opportunity but I told them “don’t pray, I don’t want to go.”
In January I attended a Missions Conference with all the HOM staff. On the way to the conference I was asked if I thought about going to Liberia, my first reaction was NO WAY! I can’t leave now, my mom’s health wasn’t good at that moment and didn’t want to leave Robert for a whole year. Those 4 days in that conference were very hard. I had a feeling of guilt because of my unwillingness to GO, because all you hear in a missions conference is, GOD SEND ME, WHEREVER YOU SEND ME I WILL GO. I struggled with a selfish and unwilling heart, feeling the pressure of what is the right thing to do vs. what do I want to do. I didn’t want to go for the wrong reasons.
My prayer during the conference was “God if you want me to go, please change my heart and give me peace about it”. This prayer was more emotional when I heard the song “Still my soul be still”, which was sang few times while there.
At the end of the conference GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYER, I was willing to hear more about Liberia.HOM had already plans to visit Liberia in February and after prayer and talks to some people who have been there before, I decided to see if it was where God was calling me to go.
I went to Liberia with an open heart and met amazing people, who live every day in dependency of the Grace and Mercy of God. Their lives were so hard during the war that ONLY GOD could help them daily to forget the horrors of the war and move on to serve HIM. I never thought my experience in the manufacturing industry could help ministry in Liberia. However, as REAP staff and I worked together, we thought of ways we could use to empower those working with REAP and to minister to those who we would want to reach out to. It was in meeting people with the desire to help Liberia, to rebuild it, to help the youth and young adults who have lost their parents or are indigent as a result of the civil war, that I realized what was God asking me to do.
In January I attended a Missions Conference with all the HOM staff. On the way to the conference I was asked if I thought about going to Liberia, my first reaction was NO WAY! I can’t leave now, my mom’s health wasn’t good at that moment and didn’t want to leave Robert for a whole year. Those 4 days in that conference were very hard. I had a feeling of guilt because of my unwillingness to GO, because all you hear in a missions conference is, GOD SEND ME, WHEREVER YOU SEND ME I WILL GO. I struggled with a selfish and unwilling heart, feeling the pressure of what is the right thing to do vs. what do I want to do. I didn’t want to go for the wrong reasons.
My prayer during the conference was “God if you want me to go, please change my heart and give me peace about it”. This prayer was more emotional when I heard the song “Still my soul be still”, which was sang few times while there.
At the end of the conference GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYER, I was willing to hear more about Liberia.HOM had already plans to visit Liberia in February and after prayer and talks to some people who have been there before, I decided to see if it was where God was calling me to go.
I went to Liberia with an open heart and met amazing people, who live every day in dependency of the Grace and Mercy of God. Their lives were so hard during the war that ONLY GOD could help them daily to forget the horrors of the war and move on to serve HIM. I never thought my experience in the manufacturing industry could help ministry in Liberia. However, as REAP staff and I worked together, we thought of ways we could use to empower those working with REAP and to minister to those who we would want to reach out to. It was in meeting people with the desire to help Liberia, to rebuild it, to help the youth and young adults who have lost their parents or are indigent as a result of the civil war, that I realized what was God asking me to do.
Even with this desire, I sought God’s confirmation. He heard my prayer and gave John 15:16 “you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name”. This verse made me realize I was not going, I was being sent. So I will be going to Liberia from July 10th through November 23rd.
Thank you for being part of this Journey with me.
Thank you for being part of this Journey with me.
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