I grew up attending church and was baptized, but did not understand that Jesus desired a personal relationship with me. Not until I was invited to Young Life when I was a sophomore in high school did I begin to understand. I began that relationship at age 16 while at Young Life’s Windy Gap. When I participated in a foreign study program to Costa Rica back in 1994, I knew God was beginning to draw me to Latin America. After graduating from Furman University in 1995, I put my Health and Exercise Science degree to work for a few years. Then in 1998 I started the adventure of serving with Young Life. I learned Young Life was in Latin America and I began praying for God to lead my life further south. I returned to Costa Rica in 2000 for more language school, served short term in the Dominican Republic in 2001 and eventually moved back to Costa Rica in 2004. The adventure continues with my current position as Work Team Coordinator and Assistant to the Country Coordinator.  Also, I was married in December 2006 to Pablo Barrantes!