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While working at Grace Prep, God revealed to me how much i love to work with kids, it was challenging at times, but at the end of the day i really enjoyed it. Thus being the reason that I am and Elementary Education Major.
Enter Missions. Random right? Not really, missions has been in the back of my mind for a few years. I know that Missions is your life, but in this particular instance, i am speaking of overseas missions.
No matter what occupation i had ever decided to go after, missions was always incorporated in that decision. (I remember when i was looking in to Culinary Arts, i had dreamed up this ellabarate plan of feeding the starving in Africa with my Culinary skills.) When i decided on Elementary Education, i had thought i would have to put missions to the side because i was not sure how teaching kids and missions(overseas) would correlate. BUT, going to the ski retreat last winter (not 08, but 07), my eyes were opened.
Pastor Bill had brought in the IMB Journeymen to speak to us. (TWO of them were ELEMENTARY EDUCATION MAJORS!!!!) after hearing them speak on their experiences there was a tug at my heart. To clarify that this tug at my heart was not just a "thats sounds like something cool to do" but was indeed the Lord doing the Tugging (Jeremiah 29:11 all over this!!).
If im not making sense i appologize, bare with me.
so, since December 2007 i have been praying about this. Keeping sorta silent about it because i wanted guidance solely from God and not from others. So why mention this now?
We had missions week 2 weeks ago. I asked the Lord to show me what I should do. I hadnt declared missions yet as a Minor or a second Major. And i just wanted guidance on if it was really something that He wanted for me.
New Tribes Ministry(NTM)had a representative there. and she wasnt even really talking about the programs, she was just simply asking for us to all pray for God to bring more workers to NTM. Teachers were at the top of the list of needed workers. I spoke with her afterward and she said that The need for teachers in the tribes is great, that was a fact that would not change by the time i graduate, she encouraged me to pray about it. I am really excited about this possibility. i have four years to pray about it, but im excited about the Lord's plan.
The next day, another IMB representative was here, he spoke about their HandsOn program.
A progam that is one semester, on the field training. (Now, it would be really awesome if Iceland got a HandsOn program, but i think that if i were to do HandsOn i would not go to Iceland, it would be an awesome experience but it wouldnt really help much toward the end goal, it would give me missions experience, but if i end up working in a jungle in the middle of nowhere, Iceland just wouldnt really do much for preparation...)

If your completely lost then just read this next part:
I have officially added a Minor in Missions. I dont know what the Lords distant plans are for me. But i am following through in this with faith that the Lord will sort it all out and guide me in his plan. As a part of the Missions Minor, i have to complet 9 hours of a missions internship. I looked it up, and the IMB HandsOn program is 9 hours. I will be praying about this. I do not know what country i would go to, or if i would even do HandsOn or NTM, But its a possibility. My options are open. and ive just added an additional 20 hours of schooling to my degree. if your thinking im nuts...you could very well be right....
I guess that this is what happens when you grow up in a missions based church. Its implanted in your brain forever!