Isabella is an 18 year old University student from Georgia. She recently walked on the Silk Road for a week long intensive, and shares below how God changed her life during that time.

This is my first out-of-country missions trip. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t have any apprehensions about coming to Central Eurasia. I had an idea of where I was going and the kinds of people I would meet here. But just like I had prayed prior to the trip, God wrecked me this week.

He wrecked my close-minded mindset. He wrecked my perception of Central Eurasians and Muslims. He wrecked my ideas of where I thought I was going and who I thought I was. God has totally turned my life upside down this week.

There are about seventy-five million people in this country, and only five thousand of them are believers. This fact has stuck with me all week and has become very eye-opening. I come from a town in Georgia, and it has become so easy for me to be numb to the urgency to share God’s Word in my small corner of the world. I pass by opportunities and walk by lost and broken people every day without even giving them a second thought. Who am I to decide who is and isn’t worthy of hearing the Gospel? As a Christian, it is our responsibility and right to share His Word with a lost world. Who am I not to take every opportunity to share God’s love everywhere I go? There is a big world out there that is searching for any sign of hope.

Yesterday, we walked through the memorial site of one of Muhammed’s best friends. As I walked through that place, hundreds of Muslims were praying to a god, an idol, who would never hear their cries or have a relationship with them. My heart absolutely broke. As humans we all long for peace, hope, love, relationship, and forgiveness. And all of this can only be found in Jesus Christ. Who am I to sit back in my small part of this big world and say “I’m too busy,” or “I’m too scared,” to share Him? Part of “living dead” is dying to what feels comfortable or what you want to do and making God’s plans your plans.

If I have learned anything this week, it’s how important and urgent it is to go where God calls you, to love like He does, and to share His Word every chance you get.

Maybe God is calling you to another country. Maybe in five years, your life will look totally different than it does now because of the calling God has placed on your life. But I am certain that He is calling you now to share His Word. It doesn’t matter where you are; God can use you in Florida, or Iowa, or Oklahoma to share the Gospel. Listen to Him and obey His call. I would urge you to pray for God to speak, and to have an openness for what He is going to show you. There is a whole world out there that needs to hear how much God loves them.

As much as it hurts to go back home, I am excited to share what I’ve learned with my part of the world and make a difference where I am.