Making of a Missionary

My name is Lauren Walker. I am 22 years old. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies. I have lived in Twain Harte, California, since I was five years old.

And I am a missionary.

My whole life, I have believed in who Jesus said He is: the Son of God, sent to Earth out of love to restore each and every one of God’s children to a right relationship with Him.

I grew up believing that I didn’t need money, alcohol, drugs, or relationships with boys to satisfy me, so I wasn’t interested in chasing those things.

I went to church every Sunday with my family, and we prayed before dinner every night. Every once in a while, I might even pick up my Bible and read it on my own.

I didn’t realize it then, but in reality, my faith was shallow. It was my lifestyle, rather than what made up the core of my very being.

I wasn’t ALL IN for Christ. If you had passed me on the street, or sat behind me in class, I would have looked and acted like any average student. But that isn’t how living for Jesus is supposed to look.

If He is really in my heart and He really loves people the way He says He does, my life should reflect that reality. Not because I’ll get in trouble if I mess up and make mistakes, but because that is the natural outcome of a real, deep relationship with Him.

I came on the World Race to serve, to love, to encourage and build up, and to live out my faith on a new level.

And it’s the best decision that I could have made.

I began this crazy journey in October.

I spent month one in near Santiago, Chile. We worked with missionaries from the US that were planting a church. We helped to some work on the building, we spread the word about the church to the surrounding community, we taught English at a local school, and we spent time in worship and did bible studies with our amazing ministry hosts, James and Coletta.

For month two, our whole squad of nearly 50 people worked together at a YWAM base in Mendoza, Argentina. We did manual labor on base, helped kids through the ropes course there, visited elementary schools to speak to kids about bullying and play games, visited El Campo (the desert) to visit indigenous people and encourage them and remind them how much they are loved, and spoke to people on the street about Jesus.

Month three brought my team to El Alto, Bolivia. We worked in rehab homes for young men and women that had struggled with drugs and alcohol. We helped with their chores, cooked in the kitchen, cleaned, braided their hair, played soccer, played card games, and did Zumba with them. We loved them the best we could, because we know how much the Father loves them.

I spent month four in Siem Reap, Cambodia, searching for and contacting people and organizations that could benefit from hosting a World Race team. By the end of the month, we found eight potential hosts! I also did some evangelism (which is something that I want to continue growing in). My squadmate, Emily, and I met a couple from Brazil and we spent over an hour talking about our lives and a long list of other topics, and we prayed with them.

I wish that I could give a proper account of how much work I’ve completed, and how productive I’ve been, but the truth is, I just don’t know.

I may never see or hear about the total impact of the work I did. I don’t know if the church near Santiago will grow, but that’s what I hope for. I don’t know if any of those children we played with in Argentina will remember us in five years. I don’t know if their lives will be any different because we were part of it for an afternoon, but that’s what I pray for. I don’t know if those girls I spent time with in Bolivia will really turn their lives around and accept Christ. I don’t know if the countless hours spent with them actually mattered.

But I believe they do.

I believe that every second spent serving and loving others, every simple act of kindness, every smile, every prayer, every conversation, every interaction, every little thing that I do, matters. They matter because God is good, and because He loves me and you and every single person you and I will ever come into contact with. And He loves to use us to show others just how much He loves them.

I’m so thankful that He has sent me to the other side of the world to show how much He cares and how far He will go for His children.

I’m thankful that I had to travel for seven days to get here, and that it was hard, because that shows that He will pursue His children even when it’s hard.

I’m thankful that sometimes I have to use squatty potties and eat bugs and boil water for 20 minutes before I can drink it and sleep on the floor, because that is nothing compared to what He has already done to win us over and show us His heart.

And I will willingly do these things over and over and over if that is what it takes, because it is WORTH IT to show people all over the world how loved and valued they are. And because I know it is worth it, I love every second of it.

No, I can’t tell you all of the good things that will come from me being here, but I have faith that they will indeed come. Maybe today, maybe next week, or maybe in 5 years, but they will come.

Something else that I love about the World Race, believe it or not, is the way that God has built communities. Not just what I’ve seen on my team and my squad, but through this experience the way that the body of Christ is knit together has become so evident.

The generosity that I’ve experienced in my fundraising journey has been such a huge blessing, and it makes every person that has supported me a part of the work God has been doing over the last four months, and will continue to do in the next seven.

I ask you to consider financially supporting me, as I still have $4,000 to raise as soon as possible. If you can’t donate, please keep me in your prayers as I continue to search for funding.

It’s no secret that God loves His children, and wants a relationship with every single one of them. We have the honor and blessing of sometimes being a part of initiating those relationships. Sometimes it costs us time, our reputation, or even our money. But every single time, no matter the cost, it’s worth it.