About me:
My name is Kelly Marie and I am 24 year old. I am a daughter, a princess, a lover, and a new creation.
I was born in Hudson, NH and spent most of my life there, pursuing things of the world. When I was 18 years old, I met Jesus, my Lord and Savior and King, for the first time and everything changed.
Just 6 short months after completely flipping my lifestyle to pursue the Lord above all things I packed up everything I owned and drove halfway across the country to Milford Iowa to work at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp for the summer of 2008. Growing up I had never been to camp, let alone worked at one! At first I felt very out of place, but the Lord was my strength and comfort. I grew so much and learned so much through that summer that I decided to stay. I lived on site at camp and worked in various roles through the off season and then was a counselor for the summer again in 2009.
During that summer I had some crazy revelations of wanting to travel all over the United States sharing His incredible love! I didn't have a plan, but God did. I was offered a job with Camfel Productions, a company out in California that specializes in multi-media school assembly programs. This meant I got to travel to public middle and high schools all over the country and share about character education. Now you might be thinking, "But Kelly, you can't share the gospel in public schools..." The cool thing is, God continually opened the door for conversations based on the "character traits" portrayed in our programs, and our lifestyles. After I finished up the 2009-2010 school year I headed back to camp for another incredible summer. When summer ended I, again, headed out to California for a second year with Camfel Productions. When the 2010-2011 school year ended I went back to camp for what I thought would be my last summer at camp.
After summer 2011 at camp I joined up with an organization called Youth Encounter. Here I served as a member of the International music ministry team Cross Fire. Youth Encounter is a non profit based in St Paul, Minnesota that’s mission is to partner with Christian communities to strengthen their youth programs. Stateside, Cross Fire traveled through 20 different states, ministering in various settings from Church Sunday worship, to youth nights and lock ins, to detention centers, prisons, and senior homes.
Cross Fire, as an international team, also spent three months in East Africa. We traveled all over Tanzania for two months, and also spent two weeks in Uganda and two weeks in Kenya. We were partnering with the church there, coming alongside our brothers and sisters, worshiping our God. During this time I fell in love with the people of East Africa. Especially, I fell in love with the children.
From the moment I set foot back on American soil I knew in my heart I would one day return to East Africa. Now I have that chance. By ending up on this page you have probably realized that in September 2013 I returned to Tanzania long term. I am volunteering with Neema House Arusha, which is a home for abandoned and orphaned babies. I do not yet have a return date, but my visa will allow me to stay for two years. I am believing and trusting in the Lord’s provision for me to stay as long as He wants.
I believe it is my call to care for children. I believe in the prophetic word I have received (6 times) that I will be a mother to many. I believe it is my call to speak destiny and identity and love into their lives. I believe what we do for “the least of these” is the most important things we can do.
I was born in Hudson, NH and spent most of my life there, pursuing things of the world. When I was 18 years old, I met Jesus, my Lord and Savior and King, for the first time and everything changed.
Just 6 short months after completely flipping my lifestyle to pursue the Lord above all things I packed up everything I owned and drove halfway across the country to Milford Iowa to work at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp for the summer of 2008. Growing up I had never been to camp, let alone worked at one! At first I felt very out of place, but the Lord was my strength and comfort. I grew so much and learned so much through that summer that I decided to stay. I lived on site at camp and worked in various roles through the off season and then was a counselor for the summer again in 2009.
During that summer I had some crazy revelations of wanting to travel all over the United States sharing His incredible love! I didn't have a plan, but God did. I was offered a job with Camfel Productions, a company out in California that specializes in multi-media school assembly programs. This meant I got to travel to public middle and high schools all over the country and share about character education. Now you might be thinking, "But Kelly, you can't share the gospel in public schools..." The cool thing is, God continually opened the door for conversations based on the "character traits" portrayed in our programs, and our lifestyles. After I finished up the 2009-2010 school year I headed back to camp for another incredible summer. When summer ended I, again, headed out to California for a second year with Camfel Productions. When the 2010-2011 school year ended I went back to camp for what I thought would be my last summer at camp.
After summer 2011 at camp I joined up with an organization called Youth Encounter. Here I served as a member of the International music ministry team Cross Fire. Youth Encounter is a non profit based in St Paul, Minnesota that’s mission is to partner with Christian communities to strengthen their youth programs. Stateside, Cross Fire traveled through 20 different states, ministering in various settings from Church Sunday worship, to youth nights and lock ins, to detention centers, prisons, and senior homes.
Cross Fire, as an international team, also spent three months in East Africa. We traveled all over Tanzania for two months, and also spent two weeks in Uganda and two weeks in Kenya. We were partnering with the church there, coming alongside our brothers and sisters, worshiping our God. During this time I fell in love with the people of East Africa. Especially, I fell in love with the children.
From the moment I set foot back on American soil I knew in my heart I would one day return to East Africa. Now I have that chance. By ending up on this page you have probably realized that in September 2013 I returned to Tanzania long term. I am volunteering with Neema House Arusha, which is a home for abandoned and orphaned babies. I do not yet have a return date, but my visa will allow me to stay for two years. I am believing and trusting in the Lord’s provision for me to stay as long as He wants.
I believe it is my call to care for children. I believe in the prophetic word I have received (6 times) that I will be a mother to many. I believe it is my call to speak destiny and identity and love into their lives. I believe what we do for “the least of these” is the most important things we can do.