Serving in the Gap

When Bri DeKruyff was a junior in high school, she couldn’t quite figure out what her next steps after graduation would be. Starting college didn’t feel right to her, so she began exploring a gap year of mission work.

“When I heard about the opportunity to take a gap year to serve in missions, I felt the Lord calling me to that,” said DeKruyff. “I have always loved being abroad, whether it was on vacation or mission trips. I enjoy seeing new places and exploring the world.”

DeKruyff started mission work at 11 years old with her first family mission trip to Doraville, Georgia. She completed her first international mission trip to Honduras when she was 13 years old.

“From early on, my parents always told us about missions and wanted us to be involved,” added DeKruyff. “Even if it was just helping at the church or going on a trip, they were always very encouraging when it came to me wanting to move overseas.”

DeKruyff was accepted into the International Mission Board’s (IMB) Semester Hands On program. Hands On offers missions opportunities for students and young adults to work alongside a missionary mentor to share the gospel with unreached people. The projects range from four months to one year. DeKruyff matched with IMB missionaries in Scotland, for a 9-month project. DeKruyff had just celebrated her 18^th birthday when she boarded the plane to Scotland.

“Standing in the airport saying goodbye to my family was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” said DeKruyff. “I had to trust the Lord and know his plans are greater than mine.”

DeKruyff partnered with Dennistoun Baptist Church (DBC) led by IMB missionaries TJ and Dena Odom. She assisted with English as a Second Language classes and led two missionary teams visiting from the United States. She also met basic needs of the church by caring for children and even cleaning bathrooms. DeKruyff says she spiritually grew the most in her prayer life.

“DBC is so devoted to prayer that it led me to step up in my own prayer life,” DeKruyff said. “We have at least 4 to 5 specific times for prayer as a church throughout the week. It is extremely encouraging. I have been stretched in the area of listening to the Lord and trusting the Lord’s plan more than I could ever imagine.”

Peyton Hill, First Baptist Church Prattville’s Lead Pastor, is a champion for missions and reaching the lost. Hill had several conversations with DeKruyff as she was making her decision and was encouraged by her willingness to be sent on mission.

“I’ve always been encouraged by our giving toward global missions,” said Hill. “When one of our own actually goes globally, it automatically increases our commitment.”

Hill stated that young people make up the most eager and least tied-down demographic in most churches. He said it is up to the church to get out of the way when God is mobilizing young people to missions.

“If God’s glory is our goal,” said Hill, “and if his Great Commission is the pathway, then why wouldn’t we encourage young people to reorient their lives to accomplish this?”

DeKruyff returned to the United States at the end of May. She is spending the summer as a leader at CentriFuge camps. She will then move to the University of South Alabama in Mobile, to study nursing. She is eager to find a church and plug into ministry. Her gap-year experience, though, is one she highly encourages for other high school graduates.

“If anyone is on the edge about taking a gap year to do missions or interning at a local church, I would say do it,” DeKruyff said. “Let the Lord stretch you in ways you could have never imagined.”