When I was 13 years old, I went on my first mission trip to Project Ruth in Romania. From that trip henceforth, God has placed a strong calling on my heart to work alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ in Romania by serving His children: the Roma people. For the past eight years, my summers have been full of Romania and loving the people there. I have been actively involved in organizing and running countless vacation bible schools in over 12 villages scattered across the country, filling out grant applications, translating teacher’s notes to child sponsors, cooking dinner for the children on my street, and doing whatever else needed to be done.

In February of 2011, I was appointed as a Venturer through the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. This position is a two year commitment that will provide me with about 40% of the funds that I need in order to sustain myself while I am there and I am currently trying to raise the other $6000 needed per year. Through this position, I will be working alongside the staff at Project Ruth to create more in depth relationships between the children and their sponsors and continue to work with ministries I have already been involved with on the short term in the summers. Also, I will be helping on some with the English classes at the Ruth School. In the evenings and weekends, I hope to have a variety of Bible studies and small groups with the children from the school.

Please be in prayer for me as I finish out my final semester at Bluefield College and begin the process of transitioning from college life to life on the mission field. Also, pray for the children that I will begin working with full-time in June.