| Merideth Markum |
| Get to know me paper |
| January 25, 2002 |
| All About Me |
| I was born in the hills of Tennessee. Well, I was actually born in the wonderfully crowded city of Knoxville, as it frantically prepared for the 1982 World's Fair. According to family stories, I was born talking, have never met a stranger, could somehow get my two older siblings to follow my plans, and always made people smile just by laughing. Although my family of five moved to Virginia when I was six years old, I still call Tennessee home. Long forgotten is the dream to move back to those rolling hills, because I could not bare parting with the friends I have made here. Most of those friendships were cultivated at the church I have attended since I was twelve. Although raised in a Christian environment, it somehow took until my ninth grade year to truly care about God and to understand that He had a plan for my life. However, it is still a daily struggle to choose what God desires instead of focusing upon my own thoughts and wants. |
| After being home schooled from the third grade, my parents enrolled my siblings and myself at Hampton Christian High School when I was in eighth grade. Reentering the classroom setting was an extremely difficult adjustment, but it was exactly what I needed. Thankfully, my classmates welcomed me into their circle of life-long friendships. Since the school is quite small, it wasn't difficult to spot the new kids on the block. That's how I met Rachel, an underclassman who had just moved to Virginia. This reserved blonde completely fascinated me since her family had been missionaries in the Dominican Republic for many years and she spoke fluent Spanish. Knowing her created a growing interest about what it would be like to live on the mission field in a far away country. |
| During the summer of 1997, I had the opportunity to travel with the New Covenant Church youth group and minister to homeless people living on the streets of New York City. After that week's experience of meeting people's needs one-on-one, I was hooked. Not only is it extremely fun going to new cities or countries with friends, it is deeply fulfilling to tell people about God's love, and it is awesome to see how God provides basic needs, such as food and clothes for those who can not afford them. Without a doubt, this mission trip was a life changing experience. After seeing overwhelming physical needs and incredible spiritual needs of people in our country and abroad, I spent my summer vacations traveling to New York, Costa Rica, or Germany on young adult mission trips. Yes, I'd definitely say that I became hooked on seeing how God would transform teenagers into instruments of His love and then meet people's needs and heal their minds, spirits, and bodies right before my very eyes. |
| As the time for me to attend college was creeping closer, I decided to join an evangelistic mission team traveling into India for two months in the fall of 2000 and again in the spring of 2001. Although I was incredibly idealistic, this was definitely the most difficult decision I'd ever made. My family was not exactly thrilled about me going into this impoverished and dangerous country, where sharing my faith is against their laws. Plus, this meant that I would give up an academic scholarship to a private college in my beloved hills of Tennessee. However, I am so glad that I followed my heart. I wouldn't trade my experience in India for anything, because I learned so much about God, the Indian culture, and myself. Being half way around the world far, far away from all my support systems and comfort zones, I learned to depend on God and that I had the capability to handle so much more than I ever thought possible. The Indian culture is so different from anything I've ever experienced. It is pretty much backwards from everything in the States. The constant droning of music twenty-four hours a day, the child-like faith of the people, the disease, the distinct classes of the people, the poverty, and the unrest all combined becomes India. To say the least, being in India was a monumental challenge, as well as a priceless learning and maturing experience. |
| As I look to the future, I hold to my childhood dream of helping sick babies and children become healthy individuals. Thomas Nelson Community College has become another stepping-stone in my life as I prepare to enter nursing school this coming fall. With much determination and discipline, it is my hope that I will receive the training needed to become a skilled and dedicated registered nurse. Having seen such overwhelming and great need throughout the world, it is my hope that while working in the medical field meeting people's physical needs that I will also have opportunities to share my faith in this community, throughout the States, and in other countries as well. |
| As the baby of my family, I often remarked that I was the youngest so I had the most power. One could smile or even wonder if that may have even been true to a certain extent. However, as a young adult I have discovered that many, many things are out of my realm of control and that I have extremely limited power, if any at all. Yet, I have seen the awesome power of God and know by faith that through God all things are possible. All in all, I would say that I am a Tennessee girl, whose roots are growing into Virginia territory, while my branches long to reach out to a world in need, as I am continually being watered by God's loving hands. |