Dear Swazi Team,
I am so excited to meet you all! I’ve had a great time looking through your blogs these past weeks and am so excited to finally be able to talk with you all! So, lets begin!
My name is Cait Evangelista…yes, that really is my last name (I think it’s prophetic), and I will be co-leading our Swaziland trip with Caleb and Stacy! I love both of them dearly, and we make a great team. To say I am excited for what the Lord has in store for this team is an understatement!
Cait?
I was raised in California, but grew up in Pennsylvania. I have a Mom, a Dad, 2 younger sisters, Dori and Elissa, and 1 older step-sister, Sonya. My parents divorced when I was 9, so I have a lovely step-mom, Cindie, as well! I have an amazing dog, her name is Rhinoceros Sundance, but we call her Rhino for short…she isn’t anything like a Rhino!
I was raised Christian, but I didn’t come to know Jesus until I was 17. My parents took me to church, I went to youth group, and I prayed, but it was never anything more than that. I would defend God when my friends would bash Christianity, and I would always check off “Christian” on myspace or facebook. I was at Student Life Mission Camp when Jesus came crashing into my life. He made a radical entrance into my life, so I am now devoted to living my life radically for Him!
Now I am interning at my Church, NorthPointe Community Church. I am working with the Youth, which is called 514 Youth Ministries. It is rooted in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” It’s awesome and I am blessed to work closely with the high school students there. I work at a thrift store, Liberty Thrift. It’s a thrift store that exists to financially support prison ministry. The proceeds go to Liberty Ministries, who go into the prisons and preach the Gospel and to men who are coming out of prison who want to turn their lives around to live a life that closely resembles that of Christ! I am a clothes sorter there… It’s great and I love it!
Cait+AIM+Ambassadors
In 2009, I went on my first International mission trip with AIM. I went on the Novas Project, which means, “New Way.” We spent 2 months doing missionary training in Mexico, where we lived in community, lived simply, did outreaches, ministered to a Mexican family every day, and so much more. This was probably one of the richest 2 months of my life. Following that, my team of 5 went to Africa! We spent time in South Africa and Mozambique for 6 months. We didn’t stay in one place for long. It was life changing to move to a different country on a day-to-day basis because we heard from God to “GO.”
Other than traveling like a crazy person, Africa changed me. It rocked me to the core. Jesus revealed Himself to me that in such a way that brought me to a place of personal surrender. I gave up everything I was, am, will become, had, will have, and will ever do… to Him. A spark was lit in my heart for Southern Africa, and it has not dimmed or flickered since.
I saw death and rebirth. Pain and redemption. Devastation and hope. Abandonment and grace.
Africa gave me a passion. I am passionate about other people being passionate for Africa. We are carriers of the Holy Spirit, and if we take Him to Africa BIG things are going to happen. It is inevitable. People our age have enough hope to believe that we will change the world, and I believe we can if we do something about it. That is why I am going to Swaziland this summer with all of you ladies and gents!!! It is going to be life changing!
Here is the blog I used when I was in Africa. I still use it today. I encourage you to read some of my blog posts about my time in South Africa and Mozambique.
Some facts about me
I’m tall…5’11” to be exact!
I like to take pictures…in case you haven't noticed!
I haven’t shampooed my hair since December ( I do use baking soda in my hair every once in a while)!
If I could, I would live outside. Maybe someday the Lord will call me to that J
Sorry, but I REALLY dislike cats.
I don’t know what my favorite color is, but I love wearing brown and green.
I have enough poop stories to last everyday that we are in Swaziland.
I laugh…a lot.
I can fall asleep anywhere.
My family has been stalked because several people were convinced I was Miley Cyrus (I had REALLY long hair at the time).
I was almost held hostage in Mozambique once because a family I was ministering to loved me so much and because they thought I was beautiful.
I get really, really ridiculous when I am tired. Caleb and Stacy have seen it…it ain’t pretty.
Closing
So, that’s a little bit about me. I’m counting down the days until I will see all of your beautiful faces! I am praying for all of you already! And if you would like to learn more about me, I have a bio posted here on my blog page!
Love,
Cait
