God's Big Surprise

My grandmother started telling me that she thought I’d be a missionary about the time I turned twelve. I never believed her. And honestly, I thought she must be a little off her rocker. It was awesome that she considered my faith “deep enough” to do something like that, but I definitely couldn’t see it in myself. I don’t know if I can see it in me now, or if I’ll ever. “Missions,” specifically longer-term missions, has always been such a daunting concept. I believed that people who became missionaries were supposed to have specific strengths and few weaknesses, if they had any. The term “missionary” was tainted with the idea that people who doubt God couldn’t do it. But I have something to tell you, friend. I’m going to be a missionary. I’m going to be a missionary and I never would’ve seen this coming.

I used to tell my grandmother, “No, grandma, I’m not going to be a missionary. God would have to do something really crazy to get me to do that.” But looking back, I can remember how after a while, I got excited when she would talk about her dreams for me. I got excited about buying a one-way plane ticket to literally move into the unknown. I got excited about living in a new culture, not knowing what was going to happen next. I didn’t think much of her comments outside of her presence, though, and eventually I forgot about these conversations Until the fall of 2017.

In September of last year, a friend of mine moved in with a couple while she was working at our church. The husband told me the exact same thing my grandma had said. “You know, Summer, I think you’d be a great missionary.” All of the memories I had from those long-ago talks with my grandma came rushing back. I’d heard this before. This time, though, I got even more excited about it because it could actually be a possibility.

Fast forward seven months to April 2018. I had started to look at different jobs, but I had no idea where to start. This, of course, led to a breakdown in the dining room as I told my mom all of my frustrations and hopes. That’s when she said something that will, undoubtedly, affect the rest of my life. “Why don’t you look into some of the missions organizations you have gone with? Maybe they have a job for you.” I thought, “now’s the time.” So, I started looking. I didn’t find a job, but I did find something else. I found Youth With a Mission (YWAM). I guess I should say I re-found YWAM. They had recently announced the start of a Barista Discipleship Training School (DTS) the year before, and that sounded like something I could get on board with. After thinking and praying for a few weeks, I applied.

A DTS is a six-month long program which trains students in their knowledge of who God is, what his mission is in the world, what each student’s gifts are, and how to use those gifts in the church and around the world. There are two parts to a DTS: the first half is the lecture phase and the second half is the outreach phase. Outreach is an opportunity to put into practice what the members of my specific DTS team learn during the lecture phase through an intensive cross-cultural experience. The destinations will be shared with the members of my team once we arrive for the lecture phase.

The Discipleship Training School I’ve been accepted into is located in Newcastle, Australia. It is three hours north of Sydney on the Eastern side of the (gigantic!) island. My purpose in this six month mission is to place myself wholly in God’s hands-- out of my comfort spaces, away from the world I know, and surrounded by people and lifestyles which challenge the safe faith I’ve normally rested in. I know God is real, I know God is good, and I know God wants more for me than what I’ve allotted for myself. Through prayer and the affirmation of the Holy Spirit, I have come to believe that being a part of Youth With a Mission is an integral part of this. That, my friends, is where you come in.

I need your partnership. More than anything, I need your prayers and encouragement as I walk into so many unknowns. I also need your support. To move overseas for six months is not an easy task financially. Health insurance, visas, plane tickets to and from Australia, training and outreach costs add up to a number around $12,000. My baseline goal is to have $8,000 raised by September 25. It’s a big goal for a little less than three months, but God is SO much bigger than an ostentatious goal.

How to partner through prayer:

Your partnership through prayer is so precious to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for praying for me throughout this journey. Here are some specific prayer requests I have:

• Pray that God will reveal himself to me through this experience. I ache to know Jesus in his reality.

• Pray for my family. We have never been through anything like this, and we all expect to be humbled, to grow, and to learn from long-term separation.

• Pray for those my team will minister to during the outreach phase. Pray that God will begin the process of softening their hearts to the Good News of Jesus Christ.

How to partner through encouragement:

This season is going to be hard! I have a gut feeling that God will use it to deeply change me, which is such a beautiful and trying experience. Please send me a text or a Facebook message about what beautiful things God is doing in your life! I want to hear about what God has been teaching you and how he has been encouraging you in your relationship with him.

How to partner financially:

• Donate through YWAM: From this page click on “Make a Donation/Payment” then select “Student Donation/Payment”. Once you get to your cart, write “Summer Stanley, Barista DTS” in the recipient line.

This type of donation provides funding specifically for schooling and outreach costs.

• Donate through Venmo:

My username is Summer-Stanley-6

This will provide for expenses including student health insurance, a visa, plane tickets, necessary supplies, and schooling costs.

• Donate through One Mission:

This will provide for expenses including my visa, student health insurance, plane tickets, and necessary supplies. Donating through One Mission can be done either by purchasing products (40% of each sale is donated) or through direct support.

Thank you so much for your partnership, your love, and your time. I am excited to go on this journey with you!

Love always,

Summer