During the past few years of my Christian life, I adopted as my own personal verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13 NKJV). Yet, as I’ve been reflecting on and remembering the lessons that God has been teaching me throughout and leading up to the week that I was privileged to spend in Kensington, it’s become clearer to me that more than being confident that I can do all things through Christ’s strength, I can be confident “that He who has begun a good work in [me] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6 NKJV).

Even just prior to intensive training, I had still been under the misconception that going on missions was an end itself and that after our week in Kensington I would conclude another chapter in my life. I was about to have a welcome awakening and adjustment to my outlook on life. Throughout intensive training and the more intense experience serving in the community of Kensington, God revealed slowly but steadily how He has been working in my life. My experience in Kensington was not an end, but an opportunity for me to grow and experience more of God and His love and realize that as I follow in His will, He continues to prepare me for whatever He may bring my way.

I remember thinking that my week in Kensington wasn’t as difficult as I had thought it’d be because of training I’ve had through Youth With A Mission in the past. It wasn’t until we departed from Kensington that I began to realize that just as my experiences with YWAM had prepared me for Kensington; my experiences in Kensington would be preparation for the challenges and opportunities that are still to come. With that in mind, I look back at the memories I’ll hold on to from that week and find myself thinking not of the kids whom I served and tried to love as Jesus does, but of two men I met on two separate occasions while at the St. Francis Outreach.

Though we spoke to and prayed for many at the outreach center, the two men I was privileged to encounter challenged me in ways that I’d never been before. Both of these men were Hispanic and spoke little or no English and I found myself trying to communicate in Spanish. Though I’ve grown up speaking Spanish, I’ve never studied the Word nor prayed or even used Christian vocabulary in Spanish at all! Unable to communicate in English, I discovered myself relating to this man who grew up in a neighborhood not far from that in which I grew up in Mexico City. We shared stories of our childhoods and I came to discover that he was a fellow believer and was doing his best to trust God for his own life as well as for those of his family. Though I did not get to pray with him, when I met a second non-English speaker the next day, I discovered myself praying in Spanish for the man’s prayer requests including those for his health, his family, and his faith.

As I make preparations to study abroad in Chile for the fall of 2003, I find myself thinking that God allowed me those opportunities in Kensington to prepare me for what lies ahead during the five months that I will be in Latin America. Once again, God reminds me that missions didn’t end in Kensington but that my life is an ongoing testimony of God’s faithfulness. All I need to do is keep asking, “What’s next?” and follow and obey to fulfill God’s purpose for my life! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).