Hello...Meet Bri!

Walking into her senior year of college, Bri was very comfortable with the idea of dedicating a few years of her life to overseas missions because of the overseas experiences she had in college and the community around her that was encouraging her in that direction. With that said, she had no direction on what ministry she wanted to do or where she wanted to be placed. While meeting with a mentor, she shared with Bri that she thinks she would be a great doula based on her passion that she has had for pregnancy and her desire to pursue advocacy and empowerment for women. Bri asked her GoCorps coach if there was a team she could go to that would give her that opportunity, and there was a perfect placement in the Middle East where she could teach prenatal classes to refugees.

>>Why are you glad that you tithed 2 years in your 20's?  

Bri: I am so grateful that this was the way that I started my career. Being stripped of all that I knew and humbling myself to learn a new culture while being the minority and learning a new language taught me so much about life. My experience strategically evangelizing to Muslim people taught me so much about the beauty of other world religions and illuminated the truth of the Gospel more to me.

>>What was your biggest barrier to getting overseas?

Bri: My biggest barrier to moving overseas was the lack of support I had from my family. As I stepped into my senior year of college, I was aware of the tension that I was truly stepping into adulthood, where I could make my own decisions apart from my parents, but I was also aware that I still wanted my parents to approve and be proud of the decisions I was making. There were many conversations that had to happen for them to get on board with the idea of my moving overseas, and many of them were not encouraging as I made my decision to go.

>>When you think about your experience in your placement, what are you most proud of?

Bri: I am most proud of the fact that I actually did it and made it through. The Lord supplied me with funds, and even through a strong visa band that happened 3 weeks before my launch date, I still went. I learned a new language and said yes to all the fun, but really weighty transitions.

>>What is one thing about the culture or work in your host country that you really enjoyed or appreciated?

Bri: I learned so much about hospitality while living overseas in the Middle East. Middle Eastern culture prides itself on its openness to people and its desire to have an open-door policy, and I was blessed by that.

>>Tell us about one of your craziest experiences.

Bri: This isn't radically crazy, but it was amazing going through the entire narrative of the Old and New Testament with a good Syrian refugee friend of mine over the span of a year. It was a study filled with so many questions that I had never asked before, and I was super blessed by it.

>>Share one or two great things that have happened as a direct result of your Tithing Your Career overseas after college.

Bri: Because of the placement that I chose, I got the opportunity to pursue getting a certification as a doula while overseas. Now I own my own doula business and pursue that here in the States. I also met my husband while serving overseas!!

>>How many years has it been since you completed your two years with GoCorps, and what are you doing now? 

Bri: It has been 5 years since I completed my two years. I now work with GoCorps as the Assistant Director of Coaching and serve as a doula in the city I live in.

>>What would you say to someone who was considering tithing their career as their next step?

Bri: I rarely hear someone come back from doing a GoCorps placement and regret going. Also, when I meet with people and tell them about my job and what I do, the majority of people say, "I wish I had done something like that after college". It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity, and obviously, I am super biased, but I think it is the BEST next step when you graduate because of all the ways you'll grow and expand your view of Christ's character, the church, and the world!

It is a one of kind opportunity, and obviously I am super biased, but I think it is the BEST next step when you graduate because of all the ways you'll grow and expand your view of Christ's character, the church, and the world!