Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog! My name is Janelle Smoker and I am so excited to share about this journey that we are about to go on. I got accepted to go on this trip to South Africa and Eswatini for 3 months in December of 2023. I have been going on small misson trips my whole life and couldn’t be more excited to experience a longer trip in another country. This will be my third time going to Africa and it is a place that is very special to me and I can’t wait to experience God in this way.
My family and I are originally from Pennsylvania but we have been living in a small town in Tennessee for the last 9 years. My life consists of spending time with my family and friends, working at the coffee shop that I own with my dad, traveling, and being apart of our worship team at my church.
In November of last year my younger sister told me about this trip that she was thinking about going on. I wasn’t exactly sure how I felt about a longer term mission trip but decided to think about it. At the time I was working a lot and was feeling very overwhelmed by the circumstances in my life. So I decided that I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone that I don’t normally do. Our family had the opportunity to go to South Africa last year and I loved it more than a lot of places I had been to. As we were flying out I felt sad that we were leaving and off the top of my head said a quick prayer and told God that if He gave me the opportunity to come back that I would. Now almost exaclty a year later I am about to go back to one of my favorite countries and serve with our group for 3 months!
I want to say a big THANK YOU to my supporters who supported me with funds, prayers and encouraging words. I am excited to share this journey with you and can’t wait to learn more about Jesus and what it means to live a life completely sold out for Him! Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we prepare mentally, spiritually, and emotionally to travel overseas and grow together in our relationship with Christ as well as in our relationships together:)
We are almost at our training camp location and I am looking forward to meeting my team and starting this adventure! WORLD RACE 2024 here we come!!
