I have been drawn to missions for as long as I can remember. When I first started reading, I poured over the stories of missionaries and found them absolutely fascinating. I desired to not only go and share the gospel but to also be of practical help. I knew that becoming a nurse would allow me to be there for people and serve them in a personal way. After high school graduation, I pursued my nursing degree. During this time, I explored mission work by taking a semester off to go through a discipleship training with Mercy Ships and serve in the Dominican Republic. The following summer I then went with Mercy Ships again to Liberia and served for 2 months on the ship in the kitchen and housekeeping. During my time with Mercy Ships, I was able to watch nurses use their skills to reach people not only physically but spiritually by their kindness and sharing the gospel. This motivated me, even more, to get my BSN and experience so that I could serve like they did.

In North Africa, I will have the opportunity to teach women basic health care for them and their families in Arabic. I will be able to teach, not only in the town that I will be living in, but will be able to go out into smaller, isolated villages where the gospel has never gone. This will allow me to form relationships and trust with the women in a society that revolves around relationships. In these times, I will have private opportunities to talk with the women about who Jesus is and how He came to save them. The women of North Africa are not free to explore religion and may never hear the gospel unless someone can meet them on a personal level, aiding in their physical and pointing to their spiritual needs.