The beginning

God has this crazy way of doing things that absolutely blows my mind.

            As humans we like to arrange our own plans right? We set goals and reach for things that we want, make plans to go and do things that WE want to do. Well let me start out my story by telling you this, even though we make these plans, and set these goals we never know what God is doing in the back ground.

God has this crazy way of allowing something to happen at one point in our lives so that later down the road he can allow something else to happen that will either lead to something else happening or just lead to his glory, and lead to him. I am a true believe that this is the way My God works. And I want to take today to brag and give praise to my God by telling you about all the little things that God has done to lead me to this moment right now and the reason for why I am speaking to you today.

1.                               November of 2000 sitting on my bed, with my daddy I asked Jesus to forgive me for my sins and come into my heart. 1 was 5, and in first grade I can remember going to school the next day and wanting to tell everyone in my class what had happened, most just looked at me like “Huh what?” While others where excited for me (even though I don’t know if they really understood what had happened to me) this was the first step God used to put me too where I am today. I honestly believe that God saved me at such a young age for a reason, and allowed me to make such a huge step so early in my life, for the fact that I can relate and know what it’s like to have that childlike faith. I learned from such a young age, how important and easy it is to just trust God with EVERYTHING to not worry, and just give it all to him. For some people it can be hard to learn how to not lean on your own understanding, and whole heartily  trust God.  So I believe that God allowed me to learn all of that at a very young age, because he knew that I would have to trust him in many and HUGE situations in my life.

2.                              I Grew up in church, and I can remember this one specific Sunday morning in Sunday school when my teacher was talking about how God has a plan for our lives and how we are all given a purpose in life I QUOTE looking around the room she would point to different kids “Some our supposed to be Dr's, some are made to me teachers, some are going to be preachers… and as she pointed at me she said.. Some are even supposed to be missionaries” Every time I hear someone call me a missionary, I think about that moment. At that time I didn't think about the fact that I might want to be a missionary, but today I know God allowed that to be a sign that I am really in his will and doing what he has called me to do.

                             Deanna Schelbach. As a 2^nd grader, there was this high school girl that I looked up to, she was everything I wanted to me. She was crazy, she had a tone of friends, she was involved in everything, and most importantly she was so in love with God, you could just see it, and you defiantly couldn't miss it! The summer before her senior year she went to Tanzania Africa with a man from our church. After hearing about her trip I knew I wanted to Go on the same trip as she went on.. Little did I know that when I went on that same trip.. it would change my whole life!

4.                              Growing up through the youth group I was given ,any opportunities for missions. Our youth group went on a mission trip every summer. The summer before my senior year, I went as a senior sponsor with the middle schooler’s to Mission Fuge. One night we were in worship and the pastor starts talking about ministry and God calling you into the ministry.  I cant really explain it, But simple as that God was like “Reba I want you to work for me, let me be your boss” I got up, went to my youth pastor and told him, he looked at me, smiled and said “Its about time”

             I believe God used that Summer to start me on the path to where I was today. I went my whole senior year, excited and looking forward to being a children’s minister.

              Here was the plan 4 years at etbu major in Christian studies and the find a church to minister to.

Simple right! BUT that is most defiantly not what God had planned God then began to put this idea of International teaching in my heart. But again I had no idea what he was talking about! But again God knew what he was doing. 

              Summer of 2012 I loaded up on a plan that took me 10,000 miles away from home, to the country of Tanzania Africa! Day one of my Africa trip, we got the chance to go to the Kingstar School in Kisota, Kingamboni!We drive up to see these sweet faces sitting quietly in these chairs, ready and waiting to see us! My heart jumped with joy!! KIDS!! <3 They then began to preform some songs for us, and to my amazement these young students were singing to us in English! Then the main teacher began to tell us that they are a English teaching school. The school opened in January of 2012 and from day one they have been teaching the boys and girls how to read and speak English! They also at the same time are a Christian school! So they are able to teach them about the love of God! ;) which makes everything that much better! Following her explanation of the school, this sweet little boy got up and read IN ENGLISH a thank you letter! Thanking us for coming! He was only 5 years old and had been coming to the school since the beginning of January! :) It Defiantly touched my heart... BIG TIME!! Then it was our turn, not really knowing the age of children we would be working with, we planned to teach them about God, by making salvation bracelets. Since they were all between the ages of 2-5 it turned into more of a color lesson! What color is this? And the cool thing was, they would respond in English! :)
              Soon after this the rest of my team went to play with the kids outside and I took that time to talk to the head teacher of the school. As we were talking she said a simple phrase that would change my life forever. She said "As a teacher at this school I get to teach them English to give them a better life, and teach them about God to give them a better eternity" It was in that moment I knew what it was that God wanted me to do for the rest of my life!