Everyone meet Ellie! She is wise, a learner, and passionate about all of God’s people. She gives a great depiction of what the program means to her, and creates a space for anyone to relate to her story. She inspires and encourages, and we can’t wait for you to read about her experience!

Q: Give us a little background about your testimony/story and how that led you to looking for an organization like Cafe 1040.

A: I grew up in a Christian home, but I wasn't aware of God being a global God. In college, I had friends that took the Perspectives class, and that sparked my interest. However, I always thought that the class was their thing and not mine. I was so happy to support them in that but kept saying I wasn't the missionary type. But when a friend asked me to take Perspectives, I figured why not take the course. I took the class, and it completely blew my mind learning about God's heart for all people. That from the beginning of time and throughout scripture, God shows His love for all the nations. I felt unsettled, learning all of this and thought, "What do I do now?". I need to respond, but I didn't know what that looked like. I never considered myself one of those people who were passionate about missions. I just didn't feel like it was my calling. Today, I feel like believing that mission work isn't your calling is such a trend, but we all have a part. It just looks different. You can't unknow the stuff that breaks your heart for the unreached. I had friends who did the program at Café 1040, and they all said how amazing it was. I was hesitant because I was graduating, and I would have left the day after I graduated. I started to think, Was this wise? Shouldn't I find a job? I basically put so much weight on this decision, but a friend said that ultimately, I couldn't thwart God's plan. I wanted God to tell me yes or no, but he tells us to step out in faith and make a decision knowing that he is sovereign. I had so much confirmation that this is where I was meant to be. I never had the inherent desire to move overseas, but I wanted to be obedient. Café 1040 gives an opportunity to go and see.

Q: What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome before going through Cafe 1040's program?

A: Before, it was scary to commit to the program and knowing I was about to graduate. The last semester before college was really tough for me in a lot of ways. Relationally, I was confused with what I wanted to do with my life. I asked myself, how did I get here? What do I do now? It was a season of feeling really raw and broken before I left. It was dealing with all of that before going across the world, and being in a place, I knew I was going to be uncomfortable. It was anticipating what this summer was going to look like and where I was. Emotionally and spiritually, and take care of myself before I entered into the summer. I was trying to make sense of what God was doing in my life and prepare myself well to receive from Him in the program. I was open-minded when I went, but I was scared. Scared that God would say, "Yes, this is what you're supposed to do, move overseas," and I was afraid that it was going to change my life. Just wrestling with the unknown of where I was and that my future was so open. I was free to what was going to happen in the program but also extremely nervous about that as well.

Q: How did the program help you overcome this obstacle?

A: God is so incredibly kind and gracious, and He knows exactly what we need. If I could sum up my summer, that would be it. It was beautiful to go to a place where no one really knew me, and no one had any association with me. It was a fresh start, and really what I needed at that time. God brought me through a pruning season, and everything was cut back in my life. That summer, He gave me glimpses of all the restoration that He was doing in me. My time overseas gave me space to really lean in and see those things. Not having my phone was amazing and genuinely being away. My only responsibility was to hear from God and engage in the program. There was no other time in my life where I could do that. It was three months of a romance with God and me. He was speaking into the depths of my soul and shaping my identity. I was being molded. I learned that the goal was never to move overseas; the goal was to be where God asked me to be. Abiding in Him and being rooted in Him wherever He wants us to go and where He wants us to be is exactly where we should be. There is nothing better than living in the will of God. When we do scary things, we have to depend on Him, which is the best place to be. Dig deep and trust in Him because we fall more in love with who He is. It blows my mind that we don't have to wait until heaven to experience Him.

Q: What were most encouraging for you during our 3-month program?

A: Having a mentor to walk with you through the process. I was pretty convinced before I went that I didn't fit the mold of a missionary and going and realizing I had so much in common with the South Asia staff showed me that there was no mold. It just requires us to say yes. God will use one who is willing to say yes to him. The staff lived in such a real and sustainable way, and they didn't spend all of their time evangelizing. Because they know that it's not sustainable, they have to fill themselves up with Christ. It was humbling to learn from those in the field and doing everyday life there. The most encouraging part of being in South Asia was the joy of participating with God and what He is doing there. In hindsight, I feel like, in college, I was stripped of the joy of sharing the Gospel, and through the program, it was reawakened in me. This is such a privilege and an honor; I can't talk about myself without talking about who God is to me. It felt so natural and didn't have to look a certain way. There was a hunger to know people and share with them the love of Christ. My local friends had a willingness to talk about those things. It was so different than anything they had ever heard. One moment where I prayed with two of my local friends, they were just blown away that they could only pray right then and there with the clothes that they were wearing. Seeing in real life that these people DO see something different in walking with Jesus.

Q: Describe an experience you had that impacted the way you thought about missions.

A: We visited a spiritually dark city where there was a lot of idol worship. People believed that if they bathed in the water or were cremated into the water after they died, they would achieve salvation. It was tough to be there, but I was glad I saw it with my own eyes because I realized that these people need the salvation of the Gospel in their lives. We were walking through the city, and there was this woman covered in sores from head to toe. I had this image of Jesus touching her and made scripture come alive. People would go out of their way to avoid this woman, but Jesus would embrace her and touch her as he did with the leper. He would heal her physical ailments but also give her the hope of eternal life. I just started weeping in the street. And I felt more compelled than ever to share the Gospel and realize how important that is. And why missions matter.

Read Part Two of Ellie’s interview here!