I wanted to take some time to share with you about what God has been doing in my life in the past while and about what He is calling me to this fall. I am pretty excited about it and I hope that you will be too!
A few years ago, God started to break my heart for the poor and marginalized. As I learned more about issues of injustice around the world, He filled my heart with compassion and a longing for all people in the world to experience hope and freedom. God has specifically put the issue of human trafficking on my heart, and I believe that He is calling me to work with women and children that have been sold into the sex trade and to speak out against injustice.
Because of this, I am pursuing a degree in social work. I have two years of school left, but have decided to take a year off to get some more practical experience. In January, God led me to make the decision to not go back to university this fall. Until recently, I was unsure of what I would be doing this next year, but God gave me amazing peace in not knowing what the future held.
At the end of May, I learned about Youth With A Mission’s Justice Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Kona, Hawaii. I believe that God is leading me to go to this school in the fall so I will be leaving on September 30th.
So what is this Justice DTS? Well, to start off with, it involves a 12-week lecture phase during which we will be taught about such topics as:
- How to know and communicate God's Word effectively
- The character and nature of God
- Listening to God
- Biblical world view
- Prayer, intercession, spiritual warfare
- Reconciliation
- Spiritual gifts
- God's heart for the poor and needy
- Missions and evangelism
Following this, there will be a 12-week field assignment where we will have the opportunity to put the things that we have learned into practice. I’m not sure where I’ll end up going yet, but the current locations that are being looked at are Cambodia, Thailand, Haiti, and Togo (West Africa). The leaders of the school have also mentioned that we will probably be working with transition homes for women and girls who have been trafficked. This is exactly what I feel that God is calling me to in the future so this is really exciting for me!
As exciting as this opportunity is, I also recognize that it won’t be easy and that this is a big step. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about what Jesus is calling me to and to think about all the injustice in the world. But as followers of Christ, we are not called to take the safe and easy road.
Jesus told His disciples:
If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)
This is a big calling. This is something that I cannot do on my own. But as I walk with Jesus, I have been amazed by how He continually reminds me of His promise that He is with me always (Matthew 28:20). I choose to believe and cling to this promise as I move in the direction that He is calling me.
So why am I telling you all this? God has confirmed that this is where He is leading me in September, so I am preparing to go to YWAM. I am asking you to partner with me in this adventure! I desperately need your prayers during this time of learning, stretching, growing.
Please pray:
- That God would keep teaching me to rely, trust, and surrender all to Him
- For those around the world who have been enslaved and sexually exploited
- That God would raise up more people to speak out against injustice
- For God’s continued provision, direction, and wisdom
- That I will know and love Jesus more in every day
Please also prayerfully consider supporting me financially. The costs for the lecture phase and outreach are approximately $10,000. Currently, I don’t have all of the money that I need to go on this Justice DTS in September but I am trusting that God will provide. If you are interested in supporting me in this way, you can send a cheque/cash/money order:
Made payable to: Katie Born
Memo: Justice DTS
Mail to: 3490 Nightingale Drive, Abbotsford, BC, V2T 5W3
Or you can contact me to make other arrangements.
Thank you for taking the time to read this! If you would like to hear more, please contact me by email (kat_888@hotmail.com) or phone (604-557-7899 or 778-549-9784). I would love to hear about how God has been working in your life and what you’ve been up to!
