Beth’s Story

by | Aug 6, 2015

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God used some crazy twists and turns in my life to bring me to Sight.org.
I grew up in a developing country, and even though I moved to the States at age 12, my heart never left. I knew in tenth grade that God wanted me to be a missionary. I earned my undergraduate degree in missions and even went to seminary to continue my study of missions. I knew that was what I was supposed to do.

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After seminary, however, God closed one door after another. I ended up working at a church with youth and then at the Montessori school where my children attended. I enjoyed my work, but I knew I wasn’t doing what God created me to do. My husband and I went on mission trips every year, gave to missions, and even decided to adopt internationally, but I still knew that I was meant to be involved more directly.
Last year, I was broken in every imaginable way – my health, my sleep, my accomplishments, my finances, my relationships, my emotions, my psychological well-being, my children’s health, and everything in between.

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At first, I thought Satan was attacking me, but something happened that made me realize that it was actually God who was breaking me in order to heal me.

A pastor at my church asked me to go on a mission trip to Ecuador. I only had four weeks notice, school was starting soon, and I was still in a lot of pain from my health issues, but I knew immediately that I had to say yes.
God gave me two verses to hold onto on the way to Ecuador. The first was 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My gift of undeserved grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” The second was Psalm 10:17: “You listen to the longings of those who suffer. You offer them hope and you pay attention to their cries for help.” I knew God had big things for me in Ecuador.
Although I had never been to Ecuador before, I felt at home there, and by the time I left, I was revived. At the end of the trip, I realized that I hadn’t had any pain the whole time we’d been there. In Ecuador God reminded me that He hadn’t forgotten me. He had been breaking me just so that He could heal me and bring me to the place where I needed to be to be ready to serve Him. He was still moving me in the direction of His calling on my life.

He broke me of my pride and self-sufficiency so that He could work through me.

Then He healed me by taking me overseas, where I have always felt alive. He gave me a precious gift by showing me that He knows me and that He made me specifically for His kingdom work.

I felt so loved and known by God when He unexpectedly sent me to Ecuador. He knew my heart’s desires, and He fulfilled them.

I came home knowing that I had to pursue what God had for me. Through a friend, I got connected with Lewis Swann, the founder of Sight.org. I didn’t know much about his ministry, but I loved its mission – Christians serving the blind and hungry in West Africa. Around the same time, I read this story of two blind girls in India receiving sight. I was so moved by the story that I knew I wanted to be a part of something like that.

Lewis asked me to be the Volunteer Coordinator and Communications person for Sight.org. I have a background in both art and missions, so I knew it would be a perfect fit for me. I was also nervous, however, because I was a little rusty on some things that were in my job description. I was honest with Lewis about my fears, and he said,

“I know you have a heart for this ministry, and that is what is most important to me. All the rest will fall into place.”

When he said that, my heart leapt. For years, I had been crying out for God to give me a job in missions, but I felt like no one ever saw my heart; they only saw my shortcomings. Finally, someone was seeing that my heart was fully in missions and wanted me to be a part of it. Again, God gave me a sweet gift.

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I get to hear and tell stories about people receiving sight, people knowing Jesus for the first time, volunteers serving with all their heart, and team members on the ground in Togo giving selflessly to others. I still get overwhelmed that I get to do something that I love so much and be a part of what God is doing around the world.