Jamie McKinley
Jamie grew up in a Christian home in Southern California; she is the younger of two children. She came to accept Jesus as her personal Savior when she was 7 years old while attending a neighborhood Local Good News Club. Jamie was involved in church and youth group all through high school. It was in high school that she went on her first mission trip which was in Mexico; there she worked with the children in bible teaching as well as helping with construction work. During that first trip is when she first experienced God’s call on her heart for missions. She was so amazed at what an impact someone could make by being led by the Spirit and sharing Christ’s love through service.
Jamie went on to college to pursue a future in medicine, with this passion still pressing on her heart. She continued to go on short term trips, and participated in a youth outreach knowing there was more to life than books and tests. It was during her senior year of college that several of her friends died; this grief had a major impact on her, for a year she was bitter and angry towards God. Jamie spent this time drifting away from God, as she was not able to cope with the loss of friends and the frailty of life. It wasn’t until after she graduated college that she finally was able to receive the peace and comfort the Lord had for her. She finally realized her foolishness and that the Lord’s plan was perfect and her own understanding of it was so small that she would not always see the purpose.
Jamie then went back to school to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. After graduation she worked several years in a Critical Care Unit and later worked in the Emergency Room. She considers her work in the health field to be one of her ministries. There is where people in great need often look for and are desperate for hope and she is able to offer them hope in Christ and pray with them in their hours of crisis. Her trial in college about facing death has helped in making her a more compassionate nurse. The Lord not only answered her prayer for peace about death, but also placed her in a field where she deals with death and dying every day. Jamie sees in her own life how amazing God is at taking trials and weaknesses and turning it into a way for His glory and power to show through.
She still had a heart for missions and when she went to Kenya on a short-term trip she knew the Lord was calling her to Africa. Since that trip she has been twice, once more to Kenya and also to Uganda. It is her desire to serve those in Africa and show them the love of Christ in any way possible. She has taught a health education class in Kenya and also did a small day clinic in Uganda. She will continue to serve the Lord and reach as many as she can in Africa with The Gospel as the Lord leads her.
“For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” ~Acts 13:47
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” ~1 Peter 4:10
“He who calls you is faithful, Who also will do it.” ~1Thessalonians 5:24