By: Morgan Ayres
“What do you want to be when you grow big?” Every time I was asked this question growing up, I would start to get clammy hands and try my hardest to avoid the topic. It eventually became such a common and pressing question that I started to reply with a journalist. My dream was to serve others, touch hearts through my writing and travel the world to encounter people and their stories. Like most of the kids in my graduating class, I went to a university with the thought that I needed a diploma to fulfill my deepest desires.
After a year at Kansas State, I realized by the time I would finish school not only would the debt be keeping me from my dreams, but I felt called to serve with Family Missions Company. This company is a nonprofit organization for laypeople to travel to the ends of the earth to preach the gospel and serve the poor.
This past September instead of returning to school, I packed my bags and moved to southern Louisiana. During this internship, I have been working alongside stateside missionaries as they train new ones and help with other ministries here in the states.
This past November I journeyed with a group of missionaries to General Cepeda, Mexico. During this trip, we encountered the poor daily and prayed with many people. With each person that I encountered, I was most struck by the overwhelming amount of joy that they shared even though many of the people had so little.
On the Thanksgiving holiday, it is a tradition for the missionaries to give up the typical thanksgiving feast and open the doors of the mission house to feed the people of General Cepeda. As hundreds of people gathered to celebrate, the missionaries and I were able to share a meal with the people and learn more about their unique lives.
Although I still value my education, my eyes have been opened to the opportunities that lie beyond the classroom. Overall, I have realized that it is okay to defy the status quo to follow dreams.
Stay tuned for more stories about my journey yet to come. If you would like to learn more about this journey please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].
