I always knew that I wanted to serve people, I just didn't know io what capacit¥. Senior Janet Orgai n ofTrenton. Tenn. found more than hunger and baobab trees on her three mission trips to Africa. On her third trip to Africa in the summer of 2010, Orgain found a future. The summer after her freshman year of college, Orgain joined Partners4Africa, a program designed to empower those in need by sharing the message of God's love and providing basic necessities like food, water, clothing and education. With the program, Orgain traveled to Africa, feeding orphans in Swaziland, going on campaigns in Cape Town, knock ing on doors and participating in home gospel meetings. Orgain was very inspired by the Africans' work ethic, as well as their willingness to hear the word of God. "Seeing the love and the zeal that those people have is really encouraging," Orgain said. Orgain was pleasantly surprised that she did not miss home while in Africa. This made her decision to return the next year much easier. In 2007, Orgain once again worked in Swaziland and Cape Town, but the summer held something different in store with the program's f1rstY.E.S. (Youth Exalting the Son) rally. The rally kicked off in Port Elizabeth with two goals in mind: to spiritually educate and encourage participants in the person and message of Jesus Christ, and to give the youth opportunities to commit to service within their communities. The trip consisted of extensive traveling, but Orgain said the more traveling, the better, because it was all about helping people through making connections. "I always knew I wanted to serve people, I just didn't know in what capacity,'' Orgain said. "We have the resources and they have the need; we're just connecting them." For Orgain, every mission trip was a new experience. In the summer of 2010, the team traveled to Zimbabwe, a country they had never been able to visit before due to its lack of safety. Orgain said that she was used to seeing underdeveloped cities in Africa, but Zimbabwe took poverty to another level. "You really see poverty, and you really see people in need, and you really see how much you can help," Orgain said. This last trip was extremely important because Orgain realized she wanted to spend the year after she graduated doing mission work throughout the United States and Africa. After "seeing the need," Orgain JUmped at the chance to serve long-term in Africa and began meeting her future team members. Orgain committed one year of her life to the program, consisting of three months in Zimbabwe, six months traveling the United States raising awareness and funds for the organization, and three months in Swaziland, South Africa. Though many people would see the difficulties of living outside of the everyday comforts of the First World as much too large a sacrif1ce, according to Orgain, it was not too far out of her comfort zone, because when one is surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ, everything else falls into place. Gino Cie/o/ Monique Jaques
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==