Monday, April 9, 2025
7:55 AM
Hello:)
Today, I want to tell you why I am going with The World Race on a mission trip. When I was 12, my biggest desire was to be a professional musical theater performer. At this point in time, I knew about God but I had no personal relationship with Him. So, the logical thing for me to do was to bargain with God. I closed my eyes and began to pray “God, if you let me be a successful Broadway performer that wins a Tony Award [this is like an Oscar for musical theater], then in my acceptance speech I will give you thanks.” After I said my prayer, I heard a voice tell me, and this I do remember word by word. God said to me “You will travel the world talking about me.”
I don’t know exactly what I was expecting, but the last thing I expected was to hear God’s audible voice. Some of you might be skeptical, which is fair, but I would have never told myself that. My immediate response was to laugh, just like Sarah laughed when she was told she would have a baby in her old age. After I laughed, I was expecting God to say something else because it had to be a joke. There is no way I would be doing that! I didn’t know it back then, but that moment has since changed the direction of my life.
I have been on 2 mission trips before. Both of them to Costa Rica. I was 9 during the first one and I went with my dad and my sister. During that trip, as we helped build a new church, God used me to translate on a number of occasions. The second trip was when I was 16. The previous week I was at youth camp. My youth pastor knew about the story I told you about earlier and about my desire to go on missions. This was the summer of 2021 and because the people who had signed up to go on a mission trip during 2020 were unable to go, their trip had been pushed to the summer of 2021. Due to these circumstances, I was unable to sign up for that summer, but my youth pastor asked to see me. I began to sweat because I thought I was in trouble even though I could not remember doing anything wrong. To my surprise, he told me that someone had to drop out the last minute and that a spot had opened. He told me that everything was paid for already, all I needed was to say yes (and my parents permission of course). I could not believe it! I called my dad, who also likes going on missions and he allowed it. We were set to leave that weekend. During that trip, we served mostly with teens and children. I was again the unofficial translator and I experienced God like I never had before. I had the unique opportunity to facilitate hard conversations and fun activities. I made amazing friends and memories. The background image in my profile was taken during our last dinner together in Costa Rica.
For the past 2 summers, I have stayed home working. This summer, I knew I had to use my time better. Afterall, times where I don’t have responsibilities during the summer are fleeting. After asking and seeking advise, a previous World Racer told me about this trip. I was immediately drawn to it because I love East Asian culture and because in Thailand, many people are sex trafficked. Since fall of 2024, God has put that group of people heavily in my heart. I still kept on looking for other opportunities, but as time went by, God made it clear by keeping doors open, that this is where He wanted me to go for the summer.
That was a long story, thank you if you read all of it. As you’ll soon find out, I like to yapp (talk). I am very excited about what God is going to do not only in my life but in the lives of those this ministry will impact. Thank you for accompanying me in this journey. It is a joy to share it with you.
Until next time!
Annike:)
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