Hi friends,

 I am Anna Bearss. I am 17 years old and I am a senior at Buena Vista High School and will be graduating this spring!!!

I have three younger brothers and life is full of wild adventures and lots of laughter for sure. I run for fun (it’s crazy I know), I love the outdoors and I wake up every morning in complete awe of the extravagant mountain range that I'm lucky enough to live by.     

I have had mixed emotions as I began this journey towards graduation and the race to figure out what is next in my life. As I have been looking forward to this time in my life for many years, I have realized that I will be leaving behind a little more than I thought as I plan to pack up my bags and leave this little place of Buena Vista, Colorado. I have experienced so much community and support from this town for the last 18 years, but I am excited for what God has for me next!  

I originally heard about the World Race when a close family friend went on the full 11-month race a few years ago. We supported her through that and she came back and shared the great experience that she gained from the trip and how it was so life-changing. I was very young at that point and it never really crossed my mind that something like this would come up in my future plans. Over the years the race has been brought up to me numerous times; by family members, mentors, and friends. I struggled with what was next after high school and for a long time, I have felt so much pressure to go to college directly after high school. As I continued to process it and think about my options, I really felt that God has been calling me to more. I believe that this opportunity could help me grow in my relationship with the Lord and get a better understanding of myself and what my desires are for the future. It has always been a dream of mine to get the opportunity to travel the world and I have had a heart for short term missions for quite a while.

This fall I will leave on a 9-month mission trip and will travel through Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Thailand, sharing the love of Christ throughout many different cultures.  

God has been so faithful, I am excited for the future and everything that God has to teach me over the next year.  

cheers,

Anna