Our New "Adventure"

“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” Marissa Mayer

“Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing.” Denis Waitley

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” Steve Jobs

The above quotes screamed with relevancy as I, Payton, read them a few days before last Monday, March 3rd 2014. Which by the way, was MY FIRST OFFICIAL DAY AS FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OASISIAH. WOO to the HOO!!!

My journey to this “wow, i’m not really sure I can do this”, “risky”, “not going to live someone else’s life” place in my life has been a really cool one. It is/has been a somewhat surreal experience. However, the true and beautiful reality is that it is far from surreal. It is proof of a faithful God, whom despite my many incompetences, involves me in His work anyways.

With a worshipful heart, I Payton Junkin, joyfully and obediently testify to His faithfulness by sharing a deeper look into the journey of becoming Executive Director of Oasisiah. In my 28 years upon this earth, these are a few key moments that serve as great confirmation and give me great confidence as I step into this new role.

20 years ago…
I played with the pencils under the pews in the floor of my home church in my new neon Nike shorts with a matching shirt; unaware that in a short few moments, Christ would make himself known to me in a way like never before. He did. I was new.

16 years ago…
I came to the realization that within me, their was a love and compassion for children that not everyone else held.

13 years ago…
I began to feel a real tug toward “ministry” that I was not quite mature enough to clearly articulate nor give myself to. Fear held me back from being open to what that “tug” may have actually meant.

12 years ago…
I sat weeping in my bathroom, in spite of being a 16 year old self centered teenager, after watching the movie “Hardball” starring Keanu Reeves. The character “G-baby”, a young, full of life, charisma-filled child had been killed tragically by a stray bullet. The thought of this injustice being a “real thing” was too much for me to contain.

8 years ago…
I was captivated by God’s love and grace in a way that shifted the rest of my life. The white flag was raised and Christ was truly made Lord of my life like never before.

5 years ago…
I had the opportunity to go on a short-term mission trip which gave me tangible insight and hands on experience with children in need. It was upon this trip that God gave me vision and clarity within my heart that His purpose for me would indeed be to serve the orphaned, abandoned, neglected child.

3 years ago…
I married the love of my life, Heather Millington Junkin, whom holds the same passion and conviction for the orphan and abandoned child as I do.

2 1/2 years ago…
Upon another short-term mission trip, within a country ravished by an earthquake that had changed it forever; a little round faced boy, rockin’ a pony tail on the top of his head entered the church in which we were working. Just a newlywed, I now held the one whom would first give me the title Dad. Our son, Rowen Thomas Junkin entered our lives on this hot June 2011 morning and God has used his life and our journey of bringing him from Haiti to home, as a catalyst to establish Oasisiah.

2 years ago…
Upon a trip to visit Rowen, I had a free day to go into the community and serve. It was Thanksgiving Day of 2011. Sweat dripped from my head, as I fed two mouths simultaneously within the malnutrition clinic where we served. I had never seen such a site. These two children were literally skin and bones, both two years old, weighing only 14lbs apiece.

As if that was not enough, I had also never seen marks upon a childs body, as I saw upon one of the children that I fed. “He must have been burned”, I pondered. After giving the last two bites of food to the two mouths in front of me, I grabbed my translator to inquire of the marks upon the little boy. The words from the translators mouth, still shocks me to the core! Oh how I wish this boy would have just been burned. His reality though, was much more grim than that. On the day in which we as Americans throw out as much food as we eat; I stood feeding a boy whom had gotten so hungry, that he had began to eat his own flesh! Yes, thats right, not burned, starving! And so badly so, that his own body was his last shot at surviving.

Ironically, his name was Emmanuel. As the meaning of Emmanuel is “God with us”, so will this little guys story remain with me. An irony, I think not.

A year and a half ago…
Heather and I sat in our living room floor counting the cash gifts we had received for Christmas, hoping for enough money to buy the cool dining room table we had been drooling over.  And sure enough, we had gotten enough! We went to sleep that night, ecstatic.

6:30am the next morning, the phone rang.  Jesper, who is now our director on the ground in Haiti, was on the other line. I could hear the sadness in his voice from the moment he began speaking. “My brother, you know those 4 orphanages that I have been telling you about?” “Three children have died that are connected to them!”

Here we sat, counting our money to buy a table in order to more stylishly and comfortably eat our food, all the while, children whom we have a direct connection to and ability to do something to help; are dying from a lack of food. This reality brought us to our knees and led us to give our gift money and launch a grassroots campaign to raise funds for food. Thanks to many of YOU reading this, we raised $7,200.00 dollars in 13 days for the children within these orphanages. This was the direct need which led us to launch Oasisiah.

1 year ago…
Fueled by the occurrences and experiences spoken to above and due to the support of many of you reading, Oasisiah was officially born!!!

Today…
As Executive Director, I am PUMPED for the days ahead and PUMPED for the opportunity to build this organization into one in which truly creates Oasis for children. We stand confident and humbled at the opportunity we have to give children rest, relief and revitalization; enabling them to live out their God-given purposes. This is our reason for existence and we plan to exist for years to come. MUCH MUCH work is ahead, but I stand confident in Him and in YOU, our tribe, to bring this vision to fruition.

So thankful for the journey to this point.  I personally and, we as an organization, humbly ask for and covet your prayers as the journey pushes forward.  To God be the glory!

P.S. More specific insight into “our property” spoken of here, will be shared on Thursday.  Also, a very specific need will be made known which will take your support to make happen. Creating Oasis for children upon “our property” starts this Thursday, March 13th!!! Please JOIN US.

P.S.S. Follow @Oasisiah on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more frequent updates.

Within this new "adventure", the Lord has also opened a door for Payton to work with a pharmaceutical sales company as a side job opportunity.  Though Oasisiah is Payton's full-time job, this opportunity is very exciting as well. We are so excited about this transition and thankful to each of you whom have and do support our family.  God is faithful! 

Hopefully our next "adventure" update will be letting you know we have had some movement with Rowen!  :)