University of Auckland

During the year of 2015, I studied abroad in Auckland, New Zealand at the University of Auckland. I only intended to stay for a semester, but the country captivated my heart within the first few weeks of being there and I extended my exchange to a year, completing two semesters at the university towards my Public Health Degree.

While abroad I became connected with Church Unlimited in Auckland, where I was engrossed in a life that only can be explained through experience. The opportunities I was given were incredible, from speaking in front of the entire congregation to preaching at a youth service to leading and mentoring young girls, the opportunities still amaze me to this day. I have become a voice for the young generation at Church Unlimited and a high-caliber leader in such a short amount of time. Come January I am planning on returning to New Zealand to be an Intern at Church Unlimited. Through the Internship, I will be able to expand my horizons through working with the youth, obtain work ethics that can be only learned through experience, and go deeper in my walk with God.

I feel God calling me back to New Zealand to not only work with the youth, but to reveal to me more of who I am in Him. This internship will help me with my future goals and will not be a wasted year, but a year of hard work, commitment, and growth. Taking a year off from my current studies will help me find who I am and the purpose I have for being here. This internship will help me determine where I want to take my Public Health Degree after I graduate. I am excited to see where this next year will take me and I cannot wait to be able to share the stories I will obtain with my family and friends when I come back in December.

"A semester was too short, a year was not long enough, so I am choosing a lifetime."