It’s election day and this is how I’m changing the world.

It all started about four weeks ago. I was coming down from the high of my Disney adventure with Together We Rise. I was doing some serious digging in my walk with Christ. Ya know, the big life questions. Why am I here? What is my purpose? Am I living the life God has called me to? What does it look like to be Holy and follow Christ? I was scrolling through my insta and The Archibald Project, an orphan awareness non-profit I’ve been following awhile, posted their need for photographers for an up coming Media Mission to Ethiopia. It immediately caught my attention.

I read the post and kept scrolling.

Then I went back, and read it again.

Over and over.

So I grabbed my laptop and before I knew it I was filling out an application. I didn’t tell Steven. I didn’t think about anything. I just poured out my heart on an application, shed a tear or two, prayed for the Lord to guide my steps and emailed it over.

That night Steven came home and after Corbin was in bed I said, “Hey…so I should tell you… I applied for a photography mission in Ethiopia today. I probably won’t hear back from them, but just thought you should know I threw my name in the pot. It basically said on the application don’t expect a reply.”  I said it as fast and calmly as I could to act like it was NBD (Mom, that means “no big deal.”) He shook his head, knowing my dreaming heart to serve others, and said “I just need more information.” I said, “I don’t really have any…yet. I’ll know more if they contact me. But there’s no way I’ll be in the running.”

And that was that.

The next day, less than 24 hours later, I find a sweet email in my inbox from the founder wanting to interview me. Me?! Umm what?! Ethiopia?! What did I just get myself into?! So I screenshot the email, sent it straight to Steven and said “Umm…well… didn’t see this coming. Looks like we need to have an actual conversation.” He did the husband thing and told me how great I am and how of course they would want to meet me. (He’s the best, guys!)

That night I started questioning everything.

I’m a mom and wife first. Above all things.

Right?

I mean that’s what the world tells me constantly.

Wrong!

I am first and foremost the daughter of the King. My life is His and everything good in it is because of Him and His sweet mercy. Including my family. The what if’s, how can I’s, and mom guilt started flooding my mind. Is it selfish of me to even consider going? Do I want to go for my glory? Can I leave Corbin for 10 days? How dare I leave Corbin for 10 days?! But then my husband, who is full of much more wisdom than I ever give him credit for says these calm, simple words, “Kim, you really have no decision to make here. If you are meant to go, they will invite you to go. Take the interview. Keep walking through the doors.”

So I took the interview.

I met Whitney Runyon, the founder of The Archibald Project, sitting on my couch on Skype. (Side note: Can I just say how awesome it is to do meetings in your yoga pants, but look professional from the waist up! Now THAT is my jam.) Anyways, once I met her I felt instantly connected. She asked some legit questions and I asked her about Jesus. Not really a normal “hey we just met” convo, but more like a “hey, you’re my sister in Christ what does that look like in the mission field” kind of conversation.

Exactly a week later, after a lot of prayers and great talks with Steven, I got the email. Whitney and her husband Nick were inviting me to be a part of their Media Mission Team! I immediately started sweating and crying. Because if you know me…I cry…over everything. Steven was in the kitchen and I said, “Babe! I got the email! I’m going!” He threw his arms around me, held me tight, kissed my head and said, “Well there’s your answer. You’re going to Africa.” He then made fun of me for being a crybaby and said, “Are you happy or sad, can’t tell?!”

I said through the tears, “God just blows my mind.”

I was crying in awe of my Maker. Once again.

This mission wasn’t even on my radar one month ago. But God opened the doors and I just said a simple “yes, Lord” to keep walking through them.

So, if you made it this far, I am going to be spending my 30th birthday (Feb 24 – March 6, 2017) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with The Archibald Project and a team of crazy talented creatives to love on an orphan community with my camera in hand. Because I believe in their mission, “Storytelling Changes the World.”

I cannot get there without your help! In the next few months I need to raise $3,200.

You can help in a few ways, first and foremost PRAYER. Can you join me in prayer? I know I am in the Lord’s hands, but I ask that you would pray for wisdom, strength, peace, courage and safety. We will be spending the majority of our time loving on kids in the orphan community and I want to make sure my heart is prepared to serve them, in their needs, where they are, not just what I think they need. I know my heart will be sweetly broken by the Lord in our time there.

Secondly, can you SHARE this post? The more people who see it, the more I can share our story with! We welcome you along for the ride! We will be posting in real time on Facebook and Instagram while we are on the trip. So be sure to follow @thearchibaldproject and @kimigphotography.

And third, DONATE. If you feel moved to help the orphan crisis in some way, but don’t feel called to physically serve, would you prayerfully consider giving to those who do? I’d be honored for you to partner with me on this mission. You can give here and all the funds generated though this link will go directly to funding my trip to shine a light on the orphan crisis. I truly believe the giving of your means is just as powerful as being on the front lines of service.

In the next few days I’ll be posting more about The Archibald Project, so you can learn who they are and WHY their mission is so rad. I’ll also be posting about the project we will be working on while we are there and the amazing things being done at theSelamta Family Project.

Family photo by the amazing Stephen Bryant