Why do I want to work for Kaleidoscope? In order to answer this question, I have to answer the question, “how did Kaleidoscope change my life?"

     In April 2015, I was 20 years old, and the semester was coming to an end. My college graduation date was December, and this was my last summer to do an internship. I had put it off because how could I pick an internship when I didn’t even know what I wanted to do with my life!? 

     I ended up working with One Challenge International, which hired Jessi Vance to lead their children's program. During that summer, I learned a lot about Kaleidoscope and myself. Not only did I learn how to work with other strong women without butting heads, I learned that I love working with children and that I am actually good at it! 

     That summer is burned in my memory very clearly. We worked with some young children who were getting ready to become TCKs. I remember asking myself one day, “how do I teach these children to live a life that has caused me so much heartache? How do I prepare them?” At the time, I was struggling with my sense of belonging. I had never felt more like a TCK in my life than I did then. When people asked me where I was from, I couldn’t seem to get the words out of my mouth. What could I tell them? Where I was born, where I lived last, where I lived the longest, where my family lived, and where I was currently living were all different answers. My life mantra at the time was, “I am from everywhere yet nowhere,” or to quote lyrics from Gabrielle Aplin’s song "Home," “I am a phoenix in the water, a fish that learned to fly.” How could I help these children? 

     I am a visual person, and I often process by drawing. That summer, I drew a small tree in a potted plant with its roots growing over the sides. This plant was me. Beneath this drawing, I scribbled the words, “I was born in a pot. I was made to be easily transported, but now I find myself outgrowing my pot. My roots are spilling over the sides, longing to sink into the soil.” I desired to belong somewhere. While teaching children about identity, instead of finding geographic location to belong in, I found that my perspective started to change. I stopped cursing my potted-plant syndrome and began to see the blessings it carries. I do, in fact, have roots. My roots are deeply embedded in the pot that is God’s love. He is where I find my sense of belonging and purpose. This new perspective changed everything for me. 

     God used Kaleidoscope as a beautiful tool to bring me to my knees and establish my identity in Christ. 

     This is why I want to work for Kaleidoscope. God is 110% behind this organization. Because of that, Kaleidoscope is changing lives, and I want to be a part of it. I want to give children tools to live healthier lives and create safe places for them to process their stories.

     In short, I want to work for Kaleidoscope because I wholeheartedly believe in its mission.