Hey, guys! My name is Jesse - you can call me Jesse or Jes or whatever you like. I'm 18 years old (will be turning 19 on our trip!) and currently attend Fairmont State University. I grew up in small, very small town Pennsboro, West Virginia - I graduated with 110 kids -  and my university is only about an hour away from my hometown in Fairmont, West Virginia. I am a Pre-Nursing student patiently awaiting my response from the Nursing Program for my acceptance. Depending on everything the Lord wants, He has really shown me a life in medical missions in my future and I am extremely excited for the future in His will! 

     I worked as a tutor in high school and have been applying to about everywhere in my college town just waiting for an interview - meanwhile I've been focusing on school, my studies, and what the Lord has in plan for me. Hobbies wise - I would love to call myself a musician but that is far from the truth. I'm just a college kid that loves to play a little bit of guitar and sing my heart out. My room mate and I play music together most days and love to worship the Lord together. When I was living at home I sang in our Wednesday night worship band and loved it. In high school and as long I can remember I have always been playing baseball or softball. In high school, I dedicated a majority of my free time to either the game or training. I always aspired to play college ball and my senior year my team won states and I was offered to play softball at my current university but I decided  to take a turn in my life and focus on school and my missionary work in the Lord. I still play sports for fun with my friends and run most days but I am learning to love my new life and where God is taking me. I seem to like more things than I do not like (:

    Things I like/dislike?... I love music. And sushi. And my family, Toms, Goodwill shopping with my momma and grandmother, running, journaling, photography, meeting international students, candied sweet potatoes, nature, visiting animals in the Humane Society, and stuffed animals. I have big curly hair (thanks, Dad) and my glasses are extremely thick (thanks, Mom.) I do not like slavery, the smell of Toms, stink bugs, teenage reality TV, extremely cold weather, poverty, sauerkraut, the dark, the plane ride home from Africa, and bologna.

    I had the amazing opportunity of going on a missions trip with Global Expedition last summer to South Africa. I spent about 3 week working with an organization called Impact Africa with the rest of my wonderful team. The Lord truly changed my life and confirmed to me that He had called me to be on the mission field. Ever since I was a kid, I had a heart for Africa - it's culture, it's people, it's movies (Lion King, yo (: ) I love the people of Africa and their beautiful hearts!

    God had made it so clear to me that He wants me on this trip. As I look through the blogs, I know He wants everybody to be here and He is going to do amazing things in Africa through us! Throughout the fall and winter I was praying about where God wanted me this summer - whether it be home or away - and as I looked at different organizations nothing seemed to be the trip God wanted me on. Until I found AIM a few weeks ago. The Lord showed me, even through my doubt, that this is exactly where He wants me. I am so extremely excited to be able to be the hands that spread the Word of God to those who may not even know His wonderful grace and love. I have recently been nervous about raising the money but have really just felt God holding my heart and reassuring me that this is His will and I should have faith in HIs plan.

   I cannot wait to meet everybody this summer and see God work in and through us! Yay for meeting new people who all want to do the same thing for the Lord!  Africa is going to be changed thanks to the Lord this summer (: