...or, technically, a journey within a journey.
For those who don't know my whole story, I earned my undergraduate degree from UW La Crosse. The city of La Crosse La Crosse is where I learned Spanish and language teaching methods, where I was launched to Panama, Mexico, and France, and where God worked in my life in many ways. It is also where I competed in my first pageant.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered the Miss La Crosse/Oktoberfest pageant, except a chance to get dressed up and maybe earn some scholarship money. What I found, though, was the opportunity to begin lifelong friendships, create memories, and learn valuable habits and skills- and I don't just mean walking in high heels! The intense private pageant interviews taught me to know who I was, what I believed, and make sure I had actions to back up my words. Preparing for swimwear and eveningwear competitions taught me to develop healthy habits; contrary to popular belief, it's NOT the skinniest girl that wins. Even small pageant-skills, such as proper posture and expression, continue to serve me today. I competed in six local level Miss America pageants before aging out. The highest I ever scored was first runner up, but the actual titles and awards were only a small part of everything I took away from pageantry.
After college, God called me to serve Him overseas in Spain. In November 2012, I got on a plane to Madrid, and a few days later I began teaching at Evangelical Christian Academy, a small, Christian school for children of missionaries just outside of Madrid. Arrangements were made for me to rent a room from another teacher, Mark, his wife, Charis, and their three children, ages eight, six, and three. I learned that their youngest, Ati, had just joined the family in February, when they adopted her from Ethiopia. What started out as an "Aw, how sweet!" story quickly became heart-shattering as I learned the truth: that there are five million orphans in Ethiopia, and due to the lack of space and sources available, they cannot live in orphanages after they turn fourteen. Fourteen-year-olds with no parents, no source of income, and no one to take them in, are living on the streets. Ati had been given a loving family, but most others would not be so fortunate.
And this was just one country. This tragic reality is a worldwide phenomenon. As an adoptee myself, I have always believed adoption to be a great "option" for couples who cannot have biological children or for those who would like to "do something special" for a child without a family, but now I knew that adoption was not an option, it's a necessity.
I resolved that I would one day adopt at least one child, maybe more if God provides the means to do so. However, I didn't want to wait until I was able to adopt to take action. There is nothing, nothing a child could do to deserve abandonment, poverty, or life without hope for a better future. It was at this same time that a few of my friends back in Wausau made plans to host orphans from Latvia and Ukraine over Christmas. I followed their blogs and email updates, glad to read that these children where having a chance to be part of a family, even if it was temporary. One couple, Josh and Susan, had hosted a beautiful young lady from Ukraine, Anna. They desperately wanted to adopt her, but they did not meet the age requirements for adoption. Time was of the essence as Anna would soon age out of the care system and would have no where to go.
I was hesitant to get involved. It wasn't that my heart wasn't breaking or that I didn't believe that Anna deserved a family; I was afraid that, if our efforts to find her a home were unsuccessful, I would spend the rest of my life wondering and worrying about her. But that was no excuse. As a hobbyist vlogger, I offered to create a short video for Susan, sharing their story and asking people to please consider adding Anna to their family. I published the video to youtube, and then all I could do was pray. Three weeks later, Susan emailed me to tell me that a family in another state had seen the video, and had committed to adopting Anna.
I had been able to play a role in bringing an orphan to the family she needed and deserved. I had no connections, no experience, and I was living in a foreign country, but none of those factors had stopped God from using me. If He could use me to bring one orphan home, would He use me to do more? The idea was thrilling to me.
I applied for Miss Wisconsin International because I wanted the chance to use the title as a "megaphone" to bring awareness to this cause. It was a leap of faith; my return ticket isn't until June 7th, and I didn't know what I could accomplish from the other side of the ocean. But people who have never heard my name have heard the words "Miss Wisconsin," and people who won't notice a 5' 5 1/2" brunette will notice a crown and a banner, and they will listen to what I have to say. I sought the blessing of my ministry directors and colleagues in Spain, and they were fully supportive. Last night, I spoke on skype with the national pageant director, and she officially offered me the title. I have fallen in love with my students and my work in Spain, and they will remain my priority until I hand in my final grades at the end of the semester. However, I will always have another cause to fight for, regardless of what country I live in or what profession I am engaged in. As long as their are children living without families, I will be fighting for them. I am honored to be able to use the title of Miss Wisconsin International (and, hopefully, Miss International 2013) as a platform for this cause, all for the Glory of God!
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