Tell us a bit about yourself
Hi there! My name is Annie and I am going into my 3rd year at UofT. I am currently studying human geography and human resources. I was born in Taiwan and moved to BC when I was 10, and now I’m in Toronto for school! When I am home (in BC) I like spending time with family and breathing the fresh BC air. When I am in Toronto, I like to play Just Dance and Mario Kart with my friends. You can also find me making crafts or baking in my spare time!
How has being a Christian impacted the way you made plans this summer?
To me, being a Christian means listening to God carefully and involving Him in discerning how I spend my time during summer break. As the end of the school year drew near, I began to brainstorm how I can keep myself busy in the summer by serving in missions. I looked for opportunities to go on mission trips abroad, specifically in Asia, hoping to share the gospel with people living in cultures where Christianity is unfamiliar. However, after prayer and discernment, I did not feel confident that God was calling me to this opportunity at this time. Although I was initially disappointed and conflicted, I ended up being able to spend more time resting, as well as with my family, specifically my grandma who is not yet a believer. Ultimately, I learned that I can honour God with my summer plans even if it doesn’t look like what I have in mind because God’s will is good and His timing is perfect.
Describe a moment from this summer, big or small, where you felt God affirm you in your journey pursuing His mission
While I was in Taiwan visiting family, God gave me the opportunity to help out at an English camp in Taiwan run by a local church. I served alongside short-term and long-term missionaries to host 40 kids. The camp aimed to introduce the good news of the gospel to the campers as well as to show the love of Christ by building meaningful relationships with them. Each day, there was a different lesson about a core Biblical concept that related to the theme of the local attraction in Taipei that we visited. Though taking 40 kids to a different tourist location each day was exhausting, it was nonetheless, a fulfilling experience. I was able to witness God’s love for these children through the leaders who made the camp happen. I was encouraged by the love the leaders had for the kids at camp and their faith in God through all the hard work and challenges of running this camp. Overall, I felt God affirm me in my journey to pursue His mission by giving me this opportunity to serve at camp this summer.
