medical mission trip for azalea's 10th birthday

For the last few years, Azalea and I have walked through some incredibly difficult loss. Through it all, one thing has amazed me more than anything else: even in the middle of her own grief, she has continued to pray for others.

Nearly three years ago, she started a nightly prayer that began simply enough. At first, she would ask God to help us have “good dreams and not nightmares.” But over time, she began adding more and more people to her prayer.

Today, it goes something like this:

“Please give food to the foodless, water to the waterless, homes to the homeless, hope to the hopeless, and love to the unloved—even though everyone is loved because You, God, are love. Please help abandoned pets find homes and shelter. Thank You for Your Son Jesus and for Him dying on the cross.”

Every time she added another group of people to pray for, I found myself in awe that such a big heart could fit inside such a little girl.

As her 10th birthday approaches, I cannot help but reflect on how much God has done in both of our lives. Since the deaths of both of our fathers, He has carried us through seasons of heartbreak, uncertainty, and healing. Time and time again, He has shown us that He truly stands in the gap for the fatherless and brokenhearted.

As I have prayed about this opportunity, I have also been reminded of another chapter of our story.

In 2017, shortly after celebrating Azalea’s first birthday, her dad, Azzi, and I were preparing to move to the U.S. Virgin Islands. I had accepted a travel nursing assignment and we were preparing for a completely different life. Then Hurricane Irma devastated the island and destroyed the hospital where I was supposed to work.

What still amazes me is that the only reason we were not already there was because I delayed my start date so I could be in my best friend’s wedding.

Had I left as originally planned, we likely would have been trapped on an island with limited food, clean water, medical resources, and no clear way home.

At the time, it felt like a tremendous loss, but even then I could still see God’s hand in it—protecting us from a situation that could have been far more difficult and dangerous than we realized.

Instead, we landed in Florida, where I completed my Master’s in Nursing. While living there, I also had the opportunity to work as an international critical care flight nurse, traveling throughout the Caribbean and parts of Central and South America. It was by far the coolest experience of my nursing career.

When life unexpectedly brought us back to Michigan, leaving that work behind was one of the hardest parts for me. I truly believed that chapter of my life was over forever.

But God has a way of redeeming what we think we’ve lost.

Looking back now, I can see that what felt like closed doors were actually preparation. He wasn’t taking something from me—He was building something greater than I could see at the time.

Recently, I felt a growing desire to use my nursing experience and medical training to serve others in a greater capacity. As I prayed about what that might look like, I asked Azalea if she would be interested in serving alongside me for her 10th birthday. I told her I could help provide medical care while she could help serve children and share the love of Jesus.

She didn’t ask if she would still get a birthday party.

She didn’t ask if she would still get presents.

She simply asked, “Where are we going, and when do we leave?”

I told her we first had to ask God.

Her response was simple: “If He says yes, then I say yes.”

This fall, we hope to serve with Mission of Hope, helping bring medical care, food, clean water, hope, and the love of Christ to families in need.

What makes this opportunity so special to me is that it feels like the redemption of multiple chapters of our story all at once. What once felt like loss has become preparation. What once felt like closed doors has become a calling. And what began as a little girl’s prayer is becoming an opportunity to put that prayer into action.

One thing I haven’t mentioned is that serving others has been part of Azzi’s birthdays for years. Since she was about six years old, she has asked friends and family to donate an amount equal to her age to help animals in need rather than bringing gifts. What started as a simple idea became a tradition she embraced wholeheartedly. She never once complained or asked to keep the money for herself.

As she turns 10, it feels fitting that her birthday tradition would grow alongside her. For years, she has used her birthday to help animals in need. This year, she hopes to use her 10th birthday to help people in need as well.

So in honor of her 10th birthday, we’re inviting those who would like to celebrate with her to consider a $10 donation toward her first mission trip, where she will have the opportunity to serve children and families firsthand. Her fundraising page can be found here: https://ffnd.co/a8fFKI

To help raise additional funds for the trip, Azalea plans to sell faith-inspired shirts/sweatshirts (details will be shared later).

Whether it’s $10, a prayer, a shirt purchase, praying for us or simply sharing our story, every act of support helps make this opportunity possible.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We are grateful for every prayer, every word of encouragement, and every person who believes in raising up the next generation to serve others.

With love,

EmilyJo & Azalea