Howdy all!

My name is Vayla (Kayla with a V) and I’ve never met anyone who has heard of it before so, if you have, you’d be the first. Where did it come from? Well, my parents saw a movie (Silence of the North) when they were dating and one of the little girls in the movie had that name. They both liked it and decided early on that they would name their first girl Vayla. (In the movie credits it was spelled “Vala” but they figured it would get pronounced incorrectly more often than not so they added the “y.” People still come up with some very interesting ways of saying it :)

                I grew up on a farm near Edgerton, MN which is a small town in the southwest corner of the state approximately 30 miles from both the South Dakota and Iowa borders. Living on a farm, surrounded by cattle, horses, dogs, cats, and any other little, orphaned, critters we happened upon (including squirrels, various birds, various amphibians, and even raccoons) instilled in me a love for animals, especially wildlife. I also followed in my parent’s and two older brother’s footsteps with my love for hunting and fishing. God’s creation is awesome!

                Due to my background I have chosen to attend the University of Minnesota, Crookston and to double major in Natural Resources Management and Wildlife Management. I am a sophomore and am very much ready to be done with generals!

                I do not currently have a job other than being a fulltime student but my working history includes a few different summer jobs: MN Conservation Corps for 1 summer, cleaning cabins at a fishing resort and babysitting my niece for 1 summer, and working at a small state park for the past 2 summers. I have also worked at a neighboring dairy a few times. I would not consider myself a moocher since I am paying for college on my own and live too far from home to rely on my parents most of the time.

                As my childhood and choice of schooling suggest, I love being active outdoors. My three biggest passions (other than my love for God!) would probably be hunting, fishing, and wildlife/ landscape photography (not necessarily in that order and I’m no expert with a camera). I also love to ride horse, camp, bird watch, bike, hike… need I go on? Indoor activities I enjoy doing include puzzles (jigsaw, Sudoku, cryptograms, riddles etc.), reading, and creative writing.

                What don’t I like? I do not like being asked about favorites: food, book, movie, sport, color, candy, place, animal, bird, beverage… Maybe I’m just too easily pleased and like too many things because I simply don’t have ONE favorite and I don’t like being forced to choose one.

                 Put simply: my family means the world to me. I have two older brothers, both married, a younger sister (my best friend), and the absolutely most adorable little niece and nephew. My family and my passion for the outdoors are what makes me me to the extent of being called brainwashed :) Other interesting things about me: I am a die-hard Twins fan, I could very well be the least picky person you’ll ever meet when it comes to food, I am very easy going and can be very competitive at the same time, when I’m around people, other than family, I am very quiet, shy, and introverted. It may take a while but I usually loosen up once I start getting to know people.

                I have never really been on a mission trip, before, outside of some local community work. God planted the thought in my head when I was in about 6/7^thgrade. Due to conflicts I was never able to go on any of the one week trips that many of my high school friends participated in. God’s schedule is often different than our own (and what a good thing too!) and I feel he is finally calling me to service!

                I’m really excited for this whole experience because I’ll be pretty much taking a giant leap out of my comfort zone and, because God’s by my side, I’m ready! I’ve always wanted to fly and now I get to, in God’s name, to bring hope, love, and joy to many people and to have my own life shattered and refocused! I am super excited to meet all of you and I pray that God provides for you whatever your needs may be.

In Faith and Love, To Africa!