While other seniors are sitting in class, working on piles of homework and then walking the stage at graduation, Oliver Gelleni will be spreading the word of God on another continent.
Gelleni will graduate at the end of the fall semester and travel to New Zealand in February to work with Youth With a Mission.
“I love missions, but it’s not where I feel called as a career,” Gelleni said. “I’ve worked with YWAM before. I think it’s a good way to start real life. I didn’t want to have to wait a full year after graduating to go. My particular DTS always leaves in February and I was afraid I could end up getting distracted and not going. To me it was a better option to put in some extra work and leave as soon as possible.”
In New Zealand he will take part in a three-month Discipleship Training School that will prepare him for another three months traveling around Africa. DTS consists of a full time 11-week classroom course centered in New Zealand. While there Gelleni will take classes that will give him a deeper understanding of God and prepare him for missionary work. At the completion of DTS in New Zealand, he will travel to Africa to begin 12 weeks of outreach.
“I’m not scared at all,” Gelleni said. ”I am actually very excited. Africa is a place I have always wanted to go. No sickness or political difficulties could take away my heart for the people there. Faith also definitely has something to do with it. I don’t believe I would have such a strong calling to go somewhere only to be stopped from doing the work needed.”
Gelleni has taken mission trips to Colorado, New Mexico, Chicago, Guadalajara and Miami. He took his first mission trip in 2006 and his most recent in 2009.
Despite his early start in the field of mission work, Gelleni does not intend to continue for the rest of his life. When he returns from this trip he will begin his journey to become a film director.
“I have a strong faith and relationship with God and I love people,” Gelleni said. “Before I start perusing my own adventures I want to give back. It will help develop a foundation of faith and knowledge of the Bible and build a strong mindset of giving and caring for others.”
