Finding Faith Beyond the Church Walls

“If God is calling you, don’t hesitate.”

Demonstrating Christ’s love through service is one of the most important parts of Christianity. Being able to spread the Gospel to people around the world is honoring and mission trips give Christians the opportunity to do that. For Raegan Whitaker, her call to missionary happened only five months ago.

“I felt the call to missions in July. It was at a summer camp called summersalt, hosted at Charleston Southern University. A youth leader named Caeden, she went over the summer to the same place where I was at, and just her willingness to go.”

Through the help of Caeden Deese, Whitaker felt the passion to fight to attend every mission trip she can. A recent trip to Puerto Rico showed Whitaker how to see God in a new way outside of a church setting.

“I met this little girl called Sophia. She was the pastor’s daughter and she was just bubbly and so sweet and the pastor’s son, Sebastian, just seeing him do God’s work also spoke to me because it’s not just us Christians in the United States working, it’s people all over the world.”

Whitaker’s experiences in Puerto Rico showed her the importance of building relationships. How being surrounded by people with the same beliefs as you, helps you grow with their support.

“It’s up to Christians now to nurture and love the Christians tomorrow.”

Through the support of the people around her, Whitaker was able to feel Christ’s love through them.

“I wind up sitting down and they all end up praying for me. I started crying because I’ve never had an experience like that. I’ve had people pray for me, but I’ve never had people pray over me. I think that’s one of the reasons God called me to go, I needed that message.”

Even though she was only recently saved in March, Whitaker has been growing and learning since. It may be hard for her at times, like reading her bible and praying, but she has learned so much about Christ and His love. Whitaker returns to the bible to share a final message about how Christ is the way.

“John 14:6 says; ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me."