Charity’s Road Trip & Openness Toward Missions

Charity spent two weeks last year on a road trip adventuring across 23 different states. On her stretch from Minnesota to Texas, she prayed, “Lord, just provide me with a church that loves You and ministers to You.”  

Then she thought to God, “You know, it'd be really cool if I found a church that invited me out to lunch afterwards and got to know me a little bit better.” She also added, “It would be even cooler if they paid for my meal too—but I know You’ve already provided so much for me!” 

She checked the map and found a church not far from her route, but it was labeled as “permanently closed.” Even so, Charity says, “Some little inkling in me decided, ‘Let's go there!’” When she showed up, she was met with one of the most welcoming congregations she’s ever encountered! And guess what? They invited her out to lunch after service and even paid for her meal! “It was just so cool to see the Lord work in that, and it changed my faith completely,” she says. 

Having tasted and seen God’s goodness in her own life, she now wants to share that with others.  

While missions work has not previously been specifically on her heart, Charity's brother serves as a missionary in Papua New Guinea. “They've always inspired me to live my faith out loud,” she says. “I've always been open to missions work, and I've always accepted every opportunity that comes along.”  

So when her friend, Malachi, told her about Encompass’s trip to France this May, Charity decided to go on it. “I'm going to learn about how missions works and what it looks like to be a missionary in France—and I'm really excited for that!” she says. The trip will be about a month long, and she and her teammates will serve alongside our workers and churches there. “If that's how the Lord guides me, then that's where He places me,” she says with genuine openness. 

Having an open heart and three years of experience ministering as a camp counselor, we’re so excited to see how God uses this opportunity to shape Charity’s story. “Just pray that I can touch lives and encourage others on this trip,” she says.  

Thanks for praying for Charity, and please consider partnering with her as she shares God’s goodness with others.