Hey everyone! My name is Emma O'Connor and I have been blessed to receive an opportunity to go on a mission trip to South Africa. Growing up, I was always an atheist because I never saw how God worked in my life. However, the night before my dad's funeral, God quite literally saved my life. From then on, I declared I would do everything in my power to thank the God who saved me and got baptized this past June! As a high school senior, there has been a lot of pressure surrounding college. However, God had other plans in mind. Before opening up college decisions, I prayed that God's will be done, not mine. In doing so, I didn't get into any of my top schools and entered into a faith crisis: Do I keep on following my will for my life or trust in God? I decided to trust God's will for my life, and he presented the opportunity to spread his word in South Africa. A staple verse that I've kept the past couple of months is Proverbs 3:5- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." While there are many unknowns, I know that the Lord will make a way. This trip would present me the opportunity to teach in classrooms, help with VBS for kids, and spread God's love through action. Your support, big or small, would mean the world to me!