I guess if I had to pinpoint a particular beginning, I would have to say that my journey to Cameroon began when I was young. My parents were missionaries to Quebec, Canada for the first 13 or so years of my life. During our time there, missionary families often came through Quebec to learn French before heading over to Cameroon, Africa. My fascination with this far off continent began with my acquaintance of these families. The most I knew about Africa at that time was probably from reading biographies about missionaries like Mary Slessor and David Livingstone. Africa, in my mind, was still a wild, untamable heathen continent. From those early years, a seed was planted in my mind. I dreamed often of going to Africa and using my French to share the gospel of Christ.
My journey then took a turn over to East Africa when I went over for a short 2 week ministry trip with my youth group in 2004. I knew the moment the plane took off to return to the States that I had left a huge part of my heart back on the ground. My friend and I vowed to return in 5 years, and by God's grace and sovereign working, we both returned with another ministry team from my church. This trip seemed even shorter than the first, if that could at all be possible.
Between those two trips, my journey stopped over in South Carolina for several years of college. My first year there, I attended a required principal's recruitment conference. Of course, most principals weren't looking to speak to a lowly freshman when they had pressing needs for the coming school year. Somehow that year I meandered by a missions organization's table and began talking to a representative about a teaching opportunity in Cameroon. He gladly would have signed me up right then to go teach after graduation. Obviously, I couldn't commit to anything that far in advance.
5 years later, with graduation quickly approaching, that conversation came back to mind. I, however, am really bad about keeping up with people and contacting them for any reason. My mother, on the other hand, has no qualms about taking the bull by the horns. She read in a friend's prayer letter about their family's need for a teacher for the following year. My mother immediately volunteered me for the task. For once, I was very grateful!
One thing led to another by God's grace, and now I'm heading off to Cameroon next week! I'm eager to see where God will direct my journey next. Please pray with me as I set off on this adventure!
