As a "good" Adventist, I grew up involved in missions. I went on mission trips to Korea, the Philippines, and Thailand. However, the trip that impacted my life the most was one I had here in the United States. This is when I realized we look at missions as a trip to a foreign country or a specific time period in our lives, but we don't see life as a mission experience.

I worked for one year with Public Campus Ministries in Ann Arbor, Michigan, sponsored by the Michigan Conference. While there, I realized that my ministry was up against many enticing things of the world—entertainment, football, sex, parties, drugs, etc. The only way I could get people interested was by my life. The words coming out of my mouth wouldn't make much difference—there are many Christians who preach on street corners. It was my life that could spark an interest and a desire for something better than this world has to offer.

After I left Ann Arbor, I realized God has called me to change the world. That world isn’t far away in a jungle—it is wherever I am. If I can prove myself here at home, then God could send me anywhere in the world and know I would be a missionary just as I am here. I realized that once I became a missionary, I would always be one.

Maria Kim is an integrated science for secondary education major.