Cassandra Perry has desired to be a missionary since she was very young. In her homeschool classes, she read about many missionaries and said she felt a call to be like them and spend her life spreading the Good News about Jesus. Today, her dream is to serve the nomadic tribes of Mongolia. Nomadic tribes of Mongolia are some of the most challenging missionary posts because their life is so harsh and different than we're accustomed to in America. But Cassie believes God created her especially for something so challenging. She enjoys hardcore camping, wilderness hikes, tough mountain biking, and proving she can out-tough anyone around her. On another hand, she's a huge animal lover, an amazing artist, drawing exquisite pictures of nature and animals, and can improve any kind of dish with an exotic combination of spices that excite the palate and surprise the taste buds. Cassie is also fiercely committed to her family and friends and would defend them to the death. All of these gifts are assets for the work she wants to do for God and we praise Him for creating her this way.  

After those early years, the enemy tried to discourage Cassie with many obstacles, in an attempt to take her focus away from God. But with God's help and His grace she overcame years of self-harm, underage drinking and other challenges that caused her and her family much pain. At that time, when she considered her future, she said it didn't end well. She was on schedule to fail high school and daily experienced a lot of internal pain and anger. Plans to isolate and self harm were her only real goals for the future, at least until the pain stopped. In the last few years, though, she began pursuing a real and active relationship with Jesus and surrounded herself with godly examples and prayer groups. She courageously spoke up about her temptations and challenges, asked for prayer many times and continued to reach for what God desires for her. Cassie is now one semester away from graduating high school with high honors, she has a driver's license and volunteers to drive her sisters all over, and the scars on her arms have healed quite a bit! She has also made a decision to stay sober for life. She is a much more vibrant version of herself! And she's truly excited about the prospect of working in the mission field. She is so certain this is God's plan for her life that she said if she didn't work in missions, she has no idea what she could possibly do with her life. 

She plans to begin an internship training program with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Salem, Oregon in February. She will volunteer to help with their Mission Adventure program until she can earn or raise enough money to enroll in the Discipleship Training School (DTS). DTS is a 6-month program with half the time in classes and lessons and the other half working abroad in an active mission field. The cost of the program is about $8000 and covers all classes, dormitory, meals and the trip abroad. With DTS she will also receive college credit if she chooses to attend another college after the program. She's happy to hear about the college credit but says she doesn't anticipate leaving the mission field. We will continue to pray for her and support her in this ministry as she continues to live and love others for God. We're so proud of her!