"I have seen famine in Ethiopia and Bangladesh, but I have seen nothing like this - so much worse than I could possibly have imagined. I wasn't prepared for this. It's so hard to talk about because it's unspeakable."These were her words upon her return, and they struck my heart. I had always known that I wanted to travel the world, and share what little I, as a single woman, have to offer, but the world was a big place, and trying to figure out where I was headed and how I was going to get there, was holding me back more than I realized. Until I read those words.
I read Audrey Hepburn: A Beautiful Spirit, in one day. I picked it up from the library, not knowing it would change my life within the next couple of hours. I picked it up thinking to myself that it would be a light read, not something I would devour from cover to cover.
By the end of that day I knew that Audrey Hepburn had accomplished something in her life, that I can only dream about doing in mine. In her 63 years, she touched so many lives for the better, simply by living her life in a fashion that expressed love for human kind.
So, my life took an unexpected turn. While I always knew I wanted to do something different, it had never had such a direct path. Something to strive for. I knew I wanted to continue Hepburns work in Somalia, now I just had to figure out how.
Enter Bethany Global University. After three months of spending countless amounts of time on Google, and looking up various schooling options, this was the one that stuck out to me in an unforgettable way. October of 2014, my Mom and I flew to Minnesota to visit the school, and meet the people. We both loved it.
I will be attending BGU starting Fall 2015, to earn my bachelor of arts in theology and intercultural missions, with a minor in early childhood education. The schools program will have me in the dorms In Minnesota for two years (no I don't like the cold, no I'm not prepared), followed by a 16 month internship overseas.
My mission is to go to Somalia. My passion is for children. My religion is to love. Please follow me on my journey. Please pray that my God would give me the courage I need to succeed. Also, my least favorite request, while my acting skills are obviously not as well rounded as those of Audrey Hepburn, I must seek funding for my mission from other resources. If you have some extra dollars, please consider providing financial support. Any donations will go directly to school bills.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
With Love,
Trishelle
