Hello Everyone,

   A few weeks ago, we celebrated our Youth Sunday Service.  During that service we were able to hear the testimonies of several of our youth and how God is working in their lives.  In our call as a congregation to support the youth in their spiritual growth, I would like to highlight one of the stories we heard. 

    During the worship service, Ana Akin had shared with us her sense of call to serve in missions in Australia.  Posted below is a letter that reiterates what she shared with us already.  Please take a few minutes to read what she wrote, and prayerfully consider how you/we might support her in her sense of call.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Brett

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans8:38-39” I’ve always loved that verse.  It’s one of my favorites because it reminds me that nothing I can do or say, whether positive or negative, will affect how much God loves me.  Throughout the past couple of years, He has taken on the difficult task of trying to show me how deep that love really is.

When we moved to Costa Rica in 2000, it was very hard on me as a kid, and even harder on my relationship with God.  I missed my youth group, friends, family, snow, speaking English, all the things people take for granted.  For a while, I absolutely hated what my family was doing… I mean who just packs up and makes their kids change their lifestyle?  It was a strain on me at the least, and when I was around 13 I swore that I would never EVER be a missionary or support the vile cause of taking families away from their “home”.  Man, did God have a plan for me.  His love was deeper than my view of life.

So after the hard stuff: learning the language, getting used to having Spanish speaking friends, and losing contact with childhood friends, my parents decided to tell me that we are MOVING to a different area of Costa Rica where the tourist kingdom reigns and people are from every part of the world.  I did not know one “Christian” teen there!  A couple went to church, but no one was serious about anything except surfing and partying… what a drag…especially when you’re still trying to figure out who you are!  So we packed up and moved, not without experiencing a lovely display of teenage stubbornness I must say. 

I remember one time we went out to dinner and I didn’t want to eat, I was sulky, and I gave my whole family the evil eye.  Needless to say, I was a handful.  I remember always believing in God and His love, but certainly my parents were on spiritual crack to bring us here, I mean… God didn’t WANT us here...right?  So one day, I went out on the beach with my Bible to get what He wanted to say to me, (even though I don’t think there’s a verse saying “DON’T BRING YOUR CHILDREN TO TAMARINDO… they WILL become pot-heads...”) but it was worth a try.  I remember lying out and just listening to the whispers and roars that the lacey waves made... I opened my Bible… to Jonah.  Interesting, I never had opened it to there... story isn’t relevant.  I rapidly slammed it, than opened it again, to Jonah and the whale... good one God! Ha-ha, you’re funny!  Yet, could it have been anymore clearer!?  I mean, hello, Ana!

So since then God has used trials, miracles, and even home-schooling to His advantage. The people I used to judge so harshly are looked at through different eyes.  God has given me the opportunity to see the beauty in the souls of pot-heads, dropouts, hippies etc. etc. In the midst of meeting people of every religion and stereotype, He’s revealed a beautiful and stunning truth to me… NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US! “Not death, life, angels, demons, the present, the future,  powers, height, depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Romans8:38-39

I’m guessing this includes location and/or dreadlocks.

Wow God!

So this brings me into years later… right now.  I’m a junior (or at least in the body of a junior) and trying to find out what the next step is.  I’m absolutely not sure about what I want to do career-wise, but I am CONVINCED it has to be something that God wants me to do.  This past year I was invited to join the “National Society of High School Scholars” and it sounded good, you know… snazzy, so I joined.  I have been invited to go on a 2 week educational trip thru this organization, and out of the blue came this idea/yearning to go to Australia!  But I would need to find something else spiritually-purposed to make it worth while. I haven’t had a doubt in my head, which is odd, because it’s going to take a lot of prayer, money, and jetlag to get there.  I know though, that God will do whatever it takes to put me where He wants if I trust in Him.  (I learned that the hard way.)  So I emailed our contacts in Australia, and the first couple emails/days it didn’t look too good. I was kind of nervous and freaking out because I really felt this was of God.  All of a sudden though, our friends whom we contacted said it could happen!  YAY Jesus! Then I find out that the deadline of the first payment of the educational trip has been moved back!  THEN God sends people calling me to ask if I can help out babysitting, catering, working at a store, etc. to earn money!  Hmmm, what a coincidence…I think not.  

So the main plan is to go there for at least part of this summer. The main YWAM (Youth with a Mission) location I am looking to work at has 3 languages (English, Spanish, and Portuguese) spoken there and does art and music ministries plus outreach to refugees from places like Sudan and Iran… bomb-dizzle!  HOW AWESOME!

Anyways, I just wanted to let everyone know what’s going on and to ask you to PRAY, PRAY and PRAY some more.  If not for me, then for other people who want to spread this irrational and radical love of God.  Please pray for my personal spiritual life and for the area I live in.  We didn’t have a church a few years ago, and now last Wednesday, I got to help lead worship with a group of over 15 teens!  I can feel God’s love so strong in such a desert-like area.  Pray for this trip, that God will make it happen if it is supposed to and that funds will be provided!  A lottery winning would be nice, but I will work hard if it takes that.

I just know that God wants to use me, a short, hyper, odd, almost-senior to tell of His love, in Costa Rica, in the US, and maybe even Australia!  Guess that pact to myself about NEVER being a horrible missionary wasn’t too concrete… thank goodness!  So thank you so much for being cool people!  Remember to be a missionary everywhere!  Work, school, the gym… God will use you.  I hope you enjoyed my Intro update and if you would like to keep reading them or hear more about me, or less, please let me know and I’ll put you on my list.

 

Peace out and may God show you His unfailing love!                                       

Ana Akin

anakinbeachwalker@hotmail.com

c/o Diane Drake 5704 Potter St.

Omaha, NE 68152

 

For tax deductible donations please send the following slip to: ACI International, PO Box 1131, Clifton, CO  81520 (preferenced for “Ana Akin/Australia”)

You also can give online by doing the following:

1. Go to www.aciint.org   2. Click on “Giving”  3. If you scroll down to their mailing address, you will find how to donate via Paypal, and how to donate by mailing a check in.   4. Please be sure to include “preferenced for Ana Akin/Australia”.  Thank you.