down. She clung to me for hours – playing with my hair, smiling at me or just sitting in silence with me. She completely stole my heart. But, I knew nothing about her. What was her story? Were both of her parents dead? Where did she live? So many questions, all unanswered due to the language barrier (in this part of Zambia they spoke Bemba). It wasn’t long after I returned to the States that I was able to sponsor her and learn a little more about her and I'm still able to continue a relationship with her today.

 

I came home knowing this is what I wanted to do with my life. I felt so at home in Zambia. Even through the fear, discomfort and tears, I knew God had placed this calling on my life for a reason. Now it was time for college and to pick a major that would suit this.

 

I knew that I wanted to work in the nonprofit sector, and I knew mass communication was a broad major that any company or organization could utilize. I joined the Nonprofit Leadership Student Alliance (NLSA) to earn my nonprofit certification to become a certified nonprofit professional (CNP), an accreditation for the nonprofit world.

 

The Lord was gracious to me throughout my college years. He gave me wonderful Christian friends who constantly encouraged and challenged me. He opened my eyes to bad relationships that were not glorifying Him and mended my heart through the hurt. I learned many lessons during this time and unfortunately had to learn a few the hard way. But throughout the heartbreak, I learned my worth is in Him and I should never settle for anything less than God’s best for me.

 

So, fast-forward to my senior year of college. I knew Africa was in my plan, but I didn’t know how or when I would go back. I had been talking with the same nonprofit I had gone to Africa with before about going to Zambia as an intern for a few months. Everything was looking good, but in the end they were undergoing some reconstruction in the organization and couldn’t handle an intern for the summer. I was devastated. I thought that this was God’s plan for me. What was I supposed to do now?

 

So, I started to apply with other nonprofits in hopes to get to Africa. I got pretty far in the interview process for many internships, but they all came up as a no. I constantly felt disappointed, discouraged and confused. God, what was going on? I have been turned down for multiple internships with great organizations that glorify you. I thought this was your plan for me? I constantly questioned what God was doing in my life.

 

The only other interview I was getting was for a job with an insurance company. I am a mass communication major, so insurance wasn’t exactly my passion. But, my neighbor worked for the company and put me up for the position because it had an amazing salary, benefits and I got to travel all over the world. I agreed to apply for the position because I knew I would never get it – why would an insurance company want a mass comm kid?

 

I started to get frustrated with not getting an internship in the nonprofit sector, specifically going to Africa. Applying for internships and jobs was so stressful and there were lots of tears throughout this time. Lots of sobbing phone calls to my mom, which I know she didn’t love. I was so confused at what God was doing – or what I felt He wasn’t doing. There were great opportunities I was so close to getting – ones that I thought He laid in front of me for a reason – that just dissolved as quickly as they started. So, I started emailing nonprofits in St. Louis, where my grandma lived, to see if I could intern with them for the summer. I didn’t hear back from any of them except one. Thankfully, I was offered a position as an intern.

 

A few days later, my grandma calls me. “Kelsey! A lady I volunteer with has a son who is moving to South Africa with his wife and they are looking for interns! Here is his number! Text him!” My grandma never sits with this lady while volunteering, but that night she did and mentioned how I was looking for an internship. Her friend talked about how her son and his wife are moving to South Africa with an organization, Emoyeni, and are looking for interns. So, I texted the number I was given and it ended up being his mom, who forwarded the information onto him. She was so excited and knew God had put her and my grandma together that night for a reason, but I was less than thrilled because I knew this was going to be another interview with another no. But, we emailed and set up a time to Skype and do an interview.

 

During this time, I was still interviewing with the insurance company. The interviews were not going well, but I kept getting another call to schedule another one. I never really thought about the job seriously until this point, because I didn’t think that I would get it. The opportunity actually sounded really good. Since nothing else was working out and this was, I thought this is where God was leading me. I had been praying so much that he would make it clear where he wanted me – wherever it was. He was clearly opening this door and shutting everything else.

 

At this point, I thought God was leading me to do this insurance job, make a little money, and then use it how He want me to – whether or not that meant me returning to Africa. I was ready to email the people at Emoyeni, who I had a Skype call with the next week about going to South Africa, and tell him I had to cancel. I was way too overwhelmed and stressed with interviews and school and I was just ready to take the internship in St. Louis and say yes to the insurance job if it was offered to me. I knew God would use this opportunity to glorify Him, even if I wasn’t in Africa sharing the Gospel.

 

For some reason, I decided to Skype with Emoyeni. Like most other interviews, that Skype call also ended in tears. I have never felt so much peace and assurance over something in my life. I called my mom crying (again) and told her this was it. I was moving to South Africa. I wasn’t sure of the details, but I knew this is what God had been preparing my life for. I was offered the insurance job a few days after the Skype call and had no second thoughts about turning it down.

 

A lot of people didn’t understand why I would turn the job offer; it was the American Dream. They said I was crazy to say no to a paycheck that high – an offer like that didn’t come to a recent college graduate that often. But what they don’t understand is when the Lord places something on your heart and anoints you for a specific purpose, there is nothing that can stand in the way.

 

I had been praying for God to make His path so clear to me, but I never thought it would be this obvious. The Lord’s faithfulness and grace was so present and clear in this whole situation and I am so thankful for that. I thought He was leading me down a different path and I was trying to make things work out that weren’t supposed to. I have learned so much from this journey and I’m grateful for every second. Throughout this time, I had really clung to Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it to completion to the day of Christ Jesus” (NIV). I knew that God had stirred something in my heart 12 years ago for a reason and He was going to see it through.

 

I’m the kind of person who stays at home every Friday and Saturday night to watch a movie with my parents. I came home almost every weekend in college. I am a huge homebody. I stick with what I know and what I’m comfortable with. The Lord calling me to Africa, especially for a long period of time, is way out of my comfort zone.

 

But, God doesn’t call us to live in our comfort zone. He calls us to be bold in our faith and trust Him with every part of our lives.

 

There is no part of me that’s telling me not to go. I know that this peace can only be brought by the King of the Universe. He has placed this calling on my life and has designed me for this very purpose.