This is a question that I have grappled with consistently since I first found about Farm of the Child via Catholic Volunteer Network in mid-to-late April 2021. What is my motivation for wanting to further God’s Kingdom in Honduras? What makes the Finca so attractive to my heart and soul? Is the uncertainty and vulnerability of living in a completely new culture and speaking a different language worth the investment? Is it easier to serve God’s people as a missionary in the United States somewhere?
As I prayed and discerned where God was leading me in my life, I absolutely felt that God wanted me to serve in Honduras through Farm of the Child. Through the grace and humility of our Lord and Savior, I answered with an emphatic “yes” and began to prepare myself for life in a different country and culture. Life on the Finca is centered around faith, as the entire Finca community gathers for prayer or mass every morning and most nights. As a disciple of Jesus, I am constantly looking for ways to deepen my relationship with God and to become more and more the person He created me to be. This rigid structure is extremely attractive to my spiritual development, especially as a first time missionary! Through a life of intentional community with my fellow missionaries and the entire Finca community, there will be ample opportunity to reflect on my own life and to deepen my relationship with Jesus. Through the incredible experiences of serving in rural Honduras, I strive to learn how to love deeper and trust in God’s mighty plan in a deeper way. My ability to serve at the Finca will hopefully be life-changing for the children that I am there to serve, but my life will also be profoundly impacted if I open my heart and soul to God’s grace, courage, and love.
Along the same lines, there are few things in this world that brings me more joy than watching the pure happiness and carelessness of a child. Throughout my own experiences in the United States, children live with an incredible amount of trust and joy throughout their daily lives. Whenever I am stressed at work or worried about whatever is on my checklist at that time, I often remind myself to live with that peace, love, and joy of a child. I am so passionate about Farm of the Child’s mission and how they serve in Honduras because they strive to give abused, neglected, and abandoned children the opportunity to become true kids again. Through offering a loving family-style home and working to overcome their past traumas, these children in rural Honduras are given the opportunity to love Jesus with all their hearts and to have hope for a life-filled future. I believe God does amazing miracles through children and that every child has a reason for being on the planet, and I believe it is our responsibility to raise and nurture these children to become disciples of Jesus and to reach their full potential.
Lastly, I truly love my life and my job in Kansas City. I have lived with my parents for two years since graduating college, and I am truly grateful for every meal around the table at night or emphatically cheering on the Chiefs together during the fall. However, there is an urge in my heart to go serve God’s Kingdom in a more profound way in my daily life, and God has led me to Farm of the Child in rural Honduras. I am so, so excited for my next adventure, despite the knowledge that there will be an incredible number of challenges along the way as I adjust to a new culture and a new style of living.
I hope you will follow along on my journey! God Bless!