Hi there! I'm Hyeonju, and I'm a lover of God and people.

For those who don't know me, I'm currently working as a graduate student in Atlanta, Georgia, where I've been residing for the past 3 years. Although I've nominally professed to be a Christian for the majority of my life, it wasn't until I moved down south that I found myself walking with God. Overwhelmed in a new city with no family or friends, I found myself seeking after temporary happiness in worldly pleasures, only to be consistently disappointed by broken cisterns and wells that run dry. Outwardly I appeared to be okay, but inwardly I was wasting away. It wasn't until I hurt and lost some people that I love, that my brokenness became evident to me. The pain of these losses brought me to my knees and that's where I found God. He met me in my brokenness, loved me at my lowest point, and promised to never leave me nor forsake me. Ever since then, I've been walking (some days crawling) with God.

I've recently been offered an opportunity to join my mom's church on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. This is my first mission trip ever, so I don't know what to expect, but like most mission trips, our goal is to provide resources and support to the Dominican people through prayer and physical labor, namely with farming and haircuts. But my personal mission for this trip is to show the Dominican people that God is a person and He loves them very much.

Here's where I need your help: I need you to pray for me. Like most of you, there are about half a dozen things I'm thinking about in a given moment. I'll probably be tempted to worry about my lab experiments, or missing my cat Beancake, or daydreaming about jumping into the ocean for a nice swim. But I want to be fully present and give all of my time, energy, and heart to the people when I am out there. So please pray for me that 1) I would not grow weary, 2) I would not succumb to complaining about the heat or mosquitoes or plumbing, and 3) I would be filled with joy in serving for the entire week that I am there. Please also pray for me and my team to get there and come back safely. Last but most importantly, please pray that God would soften the people's hearts towards Him, and do miracles of healing throughout the way.

If you are feeling generous and find yourself in a position to help financially, I would greatly appreciate any assistance I can get. Any money I receive will go towards the flight, lodging, and for purchasing resources to support the people living in the DR. But more than your financial help, I need your prayers. The last time I was in the DR was 9 years ago, on a service trip to teach English to financially disadvantaged students in Montecristi. And for some reason I don't know, God has gifted me with a deep heart and passion for Latin American culture and communities. I'm praying that God uses me to embody His love for the Dominican people through my words and acts of service on this trip. So please keep praying for me and thank you for all of your support!

*If you are seriously committed to praying with me over the course of the trip, please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/eSEdfwE6UsDWBSDL6. Additionally, if you are interested in receiving an emailed summary of my trip when I get back, please leave your email in the form as well. I thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope and pray God leaves a smile on your face today :)