Kerstin MedardIf you know me, you have probably seen this acronym plentehhhh times..if you’re just getting to know me then you’re about to see it plentehhhhh times 😀
In 2012, I found myself somewhere I thought I wouldn’t have been for a very long time: Back home.
*Pause* AND *Rewind to 2010*
In 2010 I had a full proof plan of where I saw my life in the next 5 years. Move to the UK…get my masters, then get my working visa and thus employment, find husband, have family, make a life, Got into my university of choice, attained my Masters in International Business. Boom…plan going smoothly! Then just before graduating, the British Government decided to revoke a piece of legislature that was KEY to my plan. At the time, international students in the UK who had completed a degree would be eligible to stay and attain a work visa for a certain number of years. Then in 2012…REVOKED!
*Play* *Fast forward to 2012*
Back home. Plan totally wrecked but still really happy to be home. I figure, go back to the drawing board and make a new plan. Little did I know…the REAL plan was already in motion. (Stay with me now…) A dear friend of mine, Magnus Popo Deboville, saw my homecoming as a great opportunity because he always wanted me to come onboard and assist with a community youth group – Youth on Fire Ministry aka YOFM.
I remember being a little hesitant to come on board until I got cornered by the other ROCK of this group, Albert Joseph. He said something that rocked me to my core. He said, “part of the reason our community is still so impoverished and non-progressive is because many persons from the community who go out and do well never turn back to help.”
After that, there really isn’t anything I could’ve said. I was GUILTY. So I came on board with YOFM and what a BLESSING it turned out to be!! Literally LIFE ALTERING! That ONE decision set forth a chain of actions that led me to reevaluate myself, take a hard honest look at my life and whether is was living for me or the standards of others.
In this group, is where I found myself, my purpose and a joy I didn’t know was missing from my life. I found myself in very unfamiliar territory, unable to navigate from my “high horse” perspective. The universe was like “Okay get your head out the clouds and down here, your community needs you.” At first, I thought I was coming to teach these young people, and I did, but they ended up teaching me so much more: compassion, patience, empathy, joy, laughter, the gift of service and so much love.
I needed them just as much as they needed me but I didn’t even know it til I knew it. Get it?
May you call me corny but Youth on Fire literally lit my soul on fire. I felt more alive when working with them than ever before! I had every motivation to make Kers a better person so I can help them be better. I couldn’t wait to learn something new so I could come back and teach them. I couldn’t wait to read this book and then tell them about it…and so it became I started having sessions I dubbed “Kers-versations”
…and the rest is history (well kind of… this is just the beginning)
*Fast Forward to NOW*
Truly, it wasn’t until some time after I REALLY understood the meaning of “Everything happens for a reason” So in retrospect, thank you Great Britain for amending that piece of legislature. At the time, I was upset that my plan didn’t work out but I am so happy it didn’t. I would never have found my passion for youth work and ultimately my deep passion for helping people.
Here’s hoping you find your purpose because living it is a beautiful thing!
Peace, Love and Light!
– Kers
Please enjoy this very small snippet of my time with YOFM below <3
*Picks up wine glass*
PS: It’s a beautiful thing to work with amazing people in service, but it’s bliss when these people become family.
…sips wine while lonely tear falls from right eye… #inmyfeelings#yofmforever
*Puts wine glass down*
