“My junior year I was feeling drained, and I thought I was following Jesus, but was really struggling in that area, looking for…[my worth] in other people's opinions,” Price said. “I ended up going to YoungLife and really started my relationship with Jesus; It has been such a journey since.”

     From that day forward, Price has been actively involved in Girls for Christ at Rose and Pitt County YoungLife, leading a small group of freshmen girls. This past summer, she continued on her journey in Oregon for a month, serving in the dining hall at Washington Family Ranch YoungLife camp. 

     “It was super fun getting to interact with the campers and watch their faith grow,” Price said. “[When] I went to Oregon this summer I was like ‘maybe college isn't for me’.”

     After her realization that she wanted to serve for the rest of her life, Price took action and looked into various options online. Her mentor and senior YoungLife leader, Emily Moore, suggested Impact Africa as her old friend was already leading full-time with the program. 

     “I looked at their website and really loved it and decided I wanted to apply for that one,” Price said. “After I applied they got back to me in about a week and then I scheduled an interview.” 

     Fortunately, the interview went well and Impact Africa got back to Price with an acceptance the following day. She had no doubts that this was what she wanted to do and immediately agreed to the internship in December. 

     “I was so shocked and overjoyed,” Price said. “I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to go, but I knew that this is what I was called to do.”

     This opportunity is completely self-funded, so she has been using social media and prayer cards to receive donations. Price wants to be the hands and feet for those who can not make a trip like this, and commits to sending her community updates throughout her experience. 

     She is going to aid mainly youth in South Africa, which is an area of major need. According to Impact Africa’s Global Internship info packet, a South African female is more likely to be raped than be able to read, as 4.7 million of its people are illiterate and never had any schooling. This program aims to create change, starting from the beginning by trying to reach children. 

     “There are seven or eight schools planted there with about 720 kids, so I will go work in those,” Price said. “[We will] also do door-to-door evangelism, spreading the gospel, in the surrounding city.”

     Along with working with Impact Kids and Impact Students, Price will be working in the Baby Rescue, which houses babies until they are adopted. In Johannesburg alone, at least three babies are abandoned each day, so her hands will be put to good use in the baby rescue. 

     Even though Price is embarking on this journey to serve others, she still recognizes areas that she hopes to improve in her experience overseas. 

     “I want to [grow to] be more comfortable with other cultures and be more comfortable in myself, learning how to communicate well with other people and loving other people well that I wouldn’t normally think of,” Price said. “I am not the best explainer…so [I want to] be able to be confident in what I am saying.”

     Throughout the past two months, Price has remained unwavering in her confidence to go through with her plan for next year, and attributes this sureness to Jesus. 

     “I have a peace around [my decision],” Price said. “It is important for everyone to know that just because I am going to Africa and trying to spread the gospel there, they can do it in college too.”