"Send me."

Those were the words Elijah Beaty spoke when he heard his grandfather needed a companion for a mission trip to Africa in early 2022. Even though his grandfather was ultimately unable to go, a fire had already begun to burn in Elijah's heart to take the good news of Jesus to the remote villages of Africa. Growing up in rural Tennessee, Elijah was just a willing young man, who enjoyed spending time outdoors, playing golf with his father, and surrounding himself with his large family and group of friends. Elijah, with much anticipation and excitement, began to prepare for his first mission trip to the African people.

Elijah and his team were scheduled to leave on June 23, 2022, shortly after his 19th birthday. Two days before the trip was scheduled to begin, airline workers went on strike and all flights were cancelled. After praying for God's guidance, the team leader was able to make arrangements for everyone to fly to Lima, Peru, instead. When Elijah heard about the location change, his response was, "the people of Peru need Jesus, too." (Read more)