Like many of my peers in the millennial generation, I want to change the world; and I have chosen to live this out through Generation Transformation, the young adult missionary programs of the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church.
The Generation Transformation program is one that every young adult in the church should know about, especially young women. The mission field is a place where young women can grow personally and socially through faith and justice. It is a place where young women can explore their calling and vocation. Mission is a place where I and many other young women have been able to hone in on our gifts and talents.
As I quickly approach the end of my three-year commitment to missionary service, I find myself reflecting over all that I've learned.
Answering the call
I remember four years ago when I first felt my “call”--a call to something bigger than myself. Believe it or not, giving up my life of fashion and design in Los Angeles to move to the Philippines in mission wasn’t a particularly hard decision for me to make. I seem to have an insatiable appetite for wanting more out of life, so I trusted in God that there was a lesson for me to learn along the journey on which I was soon to embark.
Learning to serve in different environments
Spending 18 months in the Philippines working on peace and human rights taught me more than I could have ever imagined. I spent months at a time in rural communities, some with no electricity or running water. Growing up in a suburb of Dallas did not prepare me for these experiences. I learned to adapt to my surroundings, to different cultures and customs and to unfamiliar language.
The Philippines, eventful as it was, still couldn’t prepare me for my next and current phase of mission: 18 months in the concrete jungle of New York City. Yet again, I had to adapt to mission in a new setting. I'm no longer working with rural communities; rather now I’m working with highly populated urban communities.
I have a dual placement here in New York. I am a writer on the content team at Global Ministries/United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). I'm also working as the community engagement coordinator for a local emergency food pantry, Hope for our Neighbors in Need (HNN), a ministry of Church of the Village United Methodist Church, New York, N.Y.
At Global Ministries I’ve found true passion in my work. Every day I have the privilege and responsibility of sharing the stories of United Methodist missionaries serving all around the world. At HNN I work directly with the clients that come into our food pantry and community meal every Tuesday and Saturday. Living and working in such a diverse city has taught me how to be in community with others, not ignoring our differences, yet using them to build bridges of tolerance and understanding.
Committing to missions
There are three core values of the Global Mission Fellows program. The program encourages all fellows to engage, connect and grow wherever we serve. I’ve learned that to engage in community is something that I must do at all times, such as getting to know the individuals and establishments in my neighborhood. I connect the church in mission by exposing all those I come in contact with to the young adult missionary programs of the church. I have also grown in personal and social holiness; I’ve taken the Creator out of the box I had placed God into.
I've come to realize that after my time as a commissioned missionary has expired, I will still be involved in mission work. Although I’m not yet sure of my plans after the program, I am pursuing opportunities that will allow me to further God’s mission of justice and equality in the world. Being mission-minded is a lifetime commitment that I will continue to live out.
Encouraging others to get involved
If you or someone you know--specifically a young woman--wants to make a difference in the world, keep the Generation Transformation programs in mind. Changing the world takes much energy, so why not engage in a program that is sustained by something greater than us? Step out on faith and allow mission service to change your life.
Check out the Generation Transformation programs here: www.umcmission.org/gt and/or free to contact me directly with any questions you may have: lwise@umcmission.org
Laura Wise is young adult missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church. You can read more about Laura at http://www.umcmission.org/Explore-Our-Work/Missionaries-in-Service/Missionary-Profiles/Wise-Laura