MEET BROOKE BIGGERSTAFF: she felt called to go, pushed her nerves aside, & forward joy in serving.
How did you decide to go to Haiti?
When I got the opportunity to go to Haiti the first time, I was very nervous. I was nervous that it was going to empty my bank account and nerves about going out of the country for the first time were also going through my head. I always knew I wanted to serve, but I was still trying to figure out where God was calling me to go. One Sunday at church, my pastor talked about missions and how if you feel like you are being called, say yes and fulfill the obedience. That is when I knew I was supposed to go to Haiti.
What’s one fear or hesitation you had about traveling and serving internationally and how did you work through it?
A fear that I had leading up to my journey was that I was out of my comfort zone and was going out of the comfort of my home. This was my first time ever going out of the country so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Leading up to the trip, I would think of reasons as to why I could not go because I was so scared. One of the members I went with finally talked me into continuing with my commitment, and I went.
How did you serve while you were there?
My first time going, I went with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, so we tried to incorporate the Gospel into sports. Everyday, we would hang out with the Agape kids and play with the community kids as well. Our goal while we were serving was to teach the older teens how to be leaders. Through sports, we wanted to instill in each of the Agape members that through the Lord and through sports, they can be a positive influence on the younger ones and the community kids around them. Haiti can be a very dark place, and we wanted to show the ones that we got to minister that through God, they can be the light that Haiti needs.
After serving with teenage orphans, how do you now feel about the need for the church to care for the orphans of the world?
After serving with the teenage orphans, I discovered a soft spot in my heart for them, and I think the church should definitely feel the need to care for orphans. Personally, I think that some orphans get looked over, but I think they should be given the most attention because they can be the ones that change the most lives. Most of the time, they are orphans because they came from broken homes and were not loved like they should be by their family members.
As the church, we can show the kids that the only person that can make them whole again is Jesus. Once they find that wholeness, they can share the good news (their acceptance of the Lord) to all of their friends in hopes that they will follow the same footsteps. The church just needs to instill in the orphans that once they accept Jesus into their lives, they can put their whole heart and faith into him and he will provide and be the guidance they need.
What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about serving others?
One thing I wish everyone knew about serving others is that it can take the least amount of effort to serve others. Serving can be as easy as just talking to someone and making them feel like they are worth something. As Christians, it is our duty to be the hands and feet of Jesus. That does not always mean going out of the country. We can be the hands and feet of the Lord in the comfort of our own community. Serving is one of the most rewarding feelings, and I hope that everyone could open their eyes to serve at some point.
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