Williamsburg—Over Christmas break, University of the Cumberlands students, Sarah England, of Versailles, and Bethany Yonts, of Lexington, are giving up their time with friends and family to serve a greater calling. From Dec. 18-Jan. 3, the two students will be overseas observing Christmas in East Asia.
Rather than catching up on hours of sleep and enjoying freedom from tests and papers, England and Yonts will be intentionally investing in the lives of collegiate students from East Asia. Though neither of them is certain as to what all they will be doing, they are confident in knowing that they are called by God to give up their Christmas break from Him.
“The night that ‘The Traveling Team’ came to UC Worship and talked about the 80-40 window was the night that really left me feeling burdened for that region of the world,” said England, a member of Versailles Baptist Church.
After much time in prayer and countless divine appointments where East Asia was brought up, England knew without a doubt that it is what God was calling her to do.
Yonts, a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Corbin, heard about this opportunity while serving on the mission field in Macedonia with staff and students from the University of the Cumberlands. As she began to fervently seek direction, God began to place people in her path who would lead her to this calling.
“At Centrikid, there were people on my team who had been to East Asia, and I became very interested in that culture and people,” Yonts said. “When I got home from camp, I knew I had to go.”
Responding to a call from God is nothing new for England and Yonts. In their time at UC, both have served on campus, in the community, and internationally.
England has served with UC’s Appalachian Ministries throughout the school year, as well as during the summer; has been on an Acts1:8 Team that served in Murray, Ky., and Zimbabwe; recently served on medical mission trip to Nicaragua; served at an orphanage in Mexico; and attended several mission trips with her church.
Yonts has served across Kentucky through UC’s Baptist Campus Ministries, working with children and women; has been faithfully leading the International Student Ministry at UC; worked for Centrikid camps at Campbellsville University; and has served internationally, going to Guatemala, Macedonia and Greece.
As the two UC students continue to follow God’s lead in their lives, He continues to provide opportunities and open doors. While both students are open to fulfilling God’s call on their life in whatever capacity, both have intentions to serve overseas one day.
“I’m going to be attending the University of Louisville School of Medicine and hope to do full-time medical mission work abroad wherever The Lord calls me to go,” said England.
Likewise, Yonts said, “After graduation I plan on being obedient to wherever God will have me go. I feel called to foreign missions work, and the Journeyman program looks like a great first step. Following it, I would like to spend some time at a seminary.” (UC)
Abbey Cherry