Journey to the Start

In less than a week, I'll be arriving in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, to work in a women's shelter. DaySpring Villa is the place I am privileged to call my home for the next 75 days. DaySpring is Oklahoma's only faith-based, certified shelter for women who have been domestically abused, as well as the first of its kind in the state for adult victims of human trafficking. This shelter exists to provide a safe place for these women as they heal, and to help them start on a new path for their life. This shelter is where God is sending me for the summer.

Why Summer Missions?

People have asked why I'm spending my entire summer working in a shelter, when I could be spending my vacation with friends or even making a few extra bucks or taking classes. Truthfully, this is what I would normally do over a summer. But this year, God has a different place for me.

Last year, several of my friends traveled across the country and around the world on mission trips. Many of them went through Go Now Missions. I heard the stories and saw the work done through these students who were willing to sacrifice time and money to go on missions for God. Last fall, I realized that God intended for me to spend my summer similarly.

However, I wasn't sure where I was meant to be. Initially, I was focused on trips that would take me somewhere I could help people through physical labor and hard work, but as the weeks passed, I had doubts that a trip like that was what God had for me. After prayer and conversation with my team leaders over Discovery Weekend (the initial preparation time after which students are assigned to trips), I felt strongly called to work with women who have been abused or trafficked. This has been confirmed time and time again by friends, spiritual leaders, and increasing opportunities to learn more about the issue through special training, class coursework, and conferences.

And then my assignment came. Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

Where?

That was my first thought. Google tells me that Sand Springs is a town of less than 20,000 people just outside of Tulsa. 

I'll be honest; when I first signed up for summer missions, I thought I would be spending my summer a little further away from home. Alaska or Washington State at least, maybe as far away as Thailand or South Asia. Many of the available mission opportunities that dealt with trafficking or abuse were in other countries, and I had grandiose ideas of travelling abroad to play my part in rescuing those in need.

Oklahoma wasn't even on my radar. Then I did my research.

Domestic abuse takes place all across the United States. Nationally, 22% of women are subject to domestic violence in their life. In Oklahoma, almost half of the female population suffers from the same abuse, ranking Oklahoma as one of the top ten states for domestic abuse.

Human trafficking is not limited to destitute, third-world countries. As many as 17,500 people are trafficked into the United States each year. We are the number one destination for child sex trafficking in the world. And thanks to major highways, more people are trafficked through Oklahoma than many other states.

As it turns out, the place is important whether it's 300 or 3000 miles away from home. Because no matter where you go, evil strives to corrupt and destroy. No matter where you are, there are always people who need help. Whether you're in West Texas or India, there are always those you can serve.

How will I help?

During my summer at DaySpring, I will work with women (and their children) who have been abused or trafficked. My role at the shelter will be that of house staff. This means I will be interacting directly with the women and children who stay there and working one-on-one with them to attend to their needs, both physical and spiritual. Throughout the summer, I'll work alongside the six other college girls going with me, as well as the shelter staff.

My first week at the shelter will be spent in intense training learning the policies and procedures of the shelter, as well as how to work with the women living there. The training will be followed by shifts of shadowing and being shadowed by shelter staff. This period of training and instruction will enable us to be able to help these women effectively.

I will be spending Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at Dallas Baptist University for Orientation. My flight for Tulsa leaves shortly before 1 pm on Tuesday afternoon. Prayers as I prepare to leave are coveted. This is my first time to be away from home for longer than a few weeks, and while I will miss my family and friends dearly, I know that God has called me here with a purpose. My desire for this trip is that God uses me to touch the lives of these women in hugely positive ways. Pray that God humbles me throughout this experience and reminds me daily that this is not about myself but about those I am going to serve, and more importantly, about Him.


My goal in creating this blog is to share the experiences I encounter and events I witness while at DaySpring. It is not to bring attention to myself, but rather to show the miraculous power of God as He does profound works in the lives of the shelter residents, staff, myself, and my fellow summer missionaries. I know it will not be an easy summer, but through it all, may God be glorified.