Global Outreach Testimony
My prayer is that someone would go out on a trip and come back with an idea that would change everything.” - Jeff Vines, 2009
“I had no idea that when I heard those words, a decade ago, that they would shape the rest of my life. Those words played in my head over and over during that season. In 2010, I took the first step and applied to go on a short-term mission team. In early 2011, I was chosen to be a part of the team going to Haiti in Summer 2011. Those two weeks with our group of 5 men and 12 women rocked me. The unconditional love those children shared with us was something I’d never experienced before. We didn’t share a language or any commonalities, but they ran to us with arms wide open, simply wanting to be loved.
I was so moved by my experience in Haiti that I decided to apply for another trip for 2012. In Summer 2012, I was chosen to be a part of a team going to Zimbabwe. While in Zimbabwe, my heart was broken to the different culture shocks I had. About 90% of adults had smartphones with access to the internet, yet the same people had to walk upwards of a mile (or sometimes more) to get access to clean drinking water in the villages. My mind couldn’t process that observation. After returning home, I continued to wrestle with it. Little did I know what God was stirring up through this wrestling bout.
On October 20th, 2012, God changed the course of my life forever. While out on a walk, the Lord stopped me in my tracks and gave me a clear (and quite overwhelming vision) of what He wanted me to do with my life. He gave me a vision for a business opportunity that would not only share the Gospel, but would directly support projects around the world to help children in poverty via clothing, food, and education. Twelve days later, on November 1st, 2012, Walk The Talk was birthed and my real journey of faith began.
As I balanced work and launching this new business, I continued to follow the pull on my heart for Global Outreach. I signed up for a trip in 2013, 2014, etc. In Summer 2014, I left my job and was pursuing Walk The Talk full-time. Designing Christian clothing and planning local and global outreach opportunities had become my life. I could have never imagined this in my wildest dreams. In 2011, I didn’t even have a passport. Today, I’ve been on almost 20 mission trips throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. From teaching high school music to creating VBS curriculum, preaching, and funding clean water projects across the globe, nothing can limit the impact God can use one man for when you realize God uses the available over the able throughout the Bible.
As we move toward the application period for our 2020 Short-Term Mission Teams, I want to encourage anyone who has felt a little tug on their heart or has a passion to serve to sign up. Just do it. You don’t know how long it will be before that flame extinguishes. Men, we need you. Women, we need you. Students, we need you. Grandparents, we need you.
Maybe you’ll be the next one who will come back with an idea that changes everything.
- Andrew, Global Outreach Team Member”
You can learn more about our mission trips at oneandall.church/trips!