This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long.

Tonight is just one of those nights where my heart is wanting to be in Madagascar. I was looking through pictures and all I wanted to do was to be able to go love on a kid at the Wellness Center. I really do feel like I have two homes. I love both of them, but there are those moments where I feel like my heart could explode because of the love for this country on the other side of the world. God’s calling and His will are so perfect.

I realized that I have never shared the story of how I ended up in Madagascar on this blog. I thought tonight would be a great time to share it. As I recall everything that has happened, I can’t help but know that my God is faithful and His plans are way bigger than my own.

I’ll try to keep the first part short just to give you a quick run through of the things happening way before I knew that Madagascar was on my life map!

I had always said that I would love to visit Africa the summer after I graduated college. Well, my mom was sitting in a children’s ministry conference and felt like she needed to go to this one particular workshop. The class was great and she wanted to book the guy for a Kid’s Crusade at our former church. Long story short, he ends up asking her if she would want to go with his team to South Africa. And guess when it was? The summer after I graduated! So my mom, brother, and I joined the team. We established a great relationship with the children’s pastor there and my mom decided to take a team in 2012 to visit this same church. On that 2012 trip, we met Jaco and Ilke, missionaries who were about to return to Madagascar to plant a church. They invited us to join them and we accepted the offer!

A few months before my first Madagascar trip, the Lord really began to put missions on my heart. The fact that 40% of the world had never heard the gospel really began to sink into my spirit. I didn’t know what God was doing in me, but I knew that He was doing something!

I remember going for a walk one day with my mom and telling her about my heart and how I would totally be okay with finding a missionary husband. This was never in my radar before! Talk about preparation!

So we went to Mada, and I loved it. I knew leaving that I was not going home the same. (And not just because I met a really good looking South African Missionary guy either…But that’s a whole other story!)

I went home and really began to pray about what God had for me. During this time Reinier and I were getting to know each other better and I knew that there could be something there, but I was so determined to keep the two separate. I needed to know that missions was where God was calling me!

Well, I decided to go for 5 months and the rest is history. The Lord gave me such a passion and a love for these people. I had so many “there is no other place I would rather be” moments. It was such a beautiful thing.

And now here I am. Living in Texas, but preparing for marriage and for a move to my other home. It’s such an amazing testimony about how God prepared me for what was to come. Little did I know in 2010, that God was preparing the way for my life of missions and for me a husband. I couldn’t be more thankful.

Sometimes I have to go through this story in my mind just to reassure me that God will continue to guide me in every area. I have been so blessed with a church family in Texas that has supported my calling and allowed me to work while I am here, in this home! And I have a missions family waiting for me on the other side of the world. What could be better?

God is good, y’all. 🙂

-Kristen

P.S. Want to support us as we reach the people of Madagascar? Our monthly budget goal has not been reached and we would love for you to join our team!

The fastest way is to make an Online Donation via www.WorldOutreach.org/donations and select my name from the list. You can also set up automatic monthly gifts if you select the “Monthly” option. Or simply mail your gift to World Outreach Ministries, PO Box B, Marietta, GA 30061 and designate it for Kristen Evans #441.