A Summer of Possibilities 6.3.18- Payton Calvert

I am Payton Calvert, a rising Junior from Cramerton, North Carolina. I am a Sociology major with education and dance minors. Last summer I was able to intern at Hope 4 Gaston and the Dream Center of Gaston County through the assistance of the Kirby Grant. Working with local nonprofit organizations, specifically with children, last summer prompted my search for my current summer plans. I am interning at Good Shepherd’s Fold in the Buikwe District for two months. It is a missions organization that serves as a school, children’s’ home, and clinic for the people in the village. I specifically will be working in the sponsorship program, meeting the children and assisting them in writing sponsorship letters to the organization donors.

I hope to form meaningful relationships this summer with the children, missionaries, other interns, and many others who make GSF function so well. I want to learn from them and serve them all in whatever ways I possibly can. Another goal of mine is to gain understanding of what it takes to operate such a nonprofit organization as this one and understand why the different roles are all so crucial. I most prominently want to serve God and grow in my relationship with Him this summer. I feel led to serve in this way and I am beyond thankful that the Lord has opened the doors for me to do this. I hope that my service at GSF will further His kingdom and that I can be a blessing to others.

These goals are rather subjective and can be hard to progressively visualize, but in addition to blogging my progress each week, I plan on keeping a journal to document highlights from my days, moments that stand out to me as advantageous for my goals, as well as the challenges. I know it will not always be easy, but I am so, so excited to take on this adventure with the Lord by my side!