Ask a Mission Worker: As a young person called to mission, what's next?
In this column, we ask mission workers from around the SIM world to share honest insights, reflections and practical wisdom from their own experiences.
 
                    
In this column, we ask mission workers from around the SIM world to share honest insights, reflections, and practical wisdom from their own experiences. Whether you’re exploring mission, already serving, or supporting mission workers through prayer or giving, we hope their words encourage, equip, and inspire you to keep walking faithfully with God’s global mission.
Anna Abidan is a self-professed zillennial (on the cusp between Millennials and Gen Z) from Nigeria. She grew up with parents who worked in mission, which meant she saw first-hand what it looks like to serve God in everyday life, in communities who did not have the gospel. In May 2025, she began serving in campus ministry in West Africa.
This question comes from one of our Instagram followers: I’m a 16-year-old who feels called to mission. How can I start preparing now for the future, when I plan to move overseas?
“It’s such a privilege to be called,” Anna says. “It’s not easy but, with God by your side, you can do it.”
Her first encouragement is simple but foundational: pray about it. She explains that building a personal relationship with God is the most important preparation anyone can make.
She says, “Without God we can’t actually do anything. Hold on to Him, listen for His leading, and learn to stay in His presence. That’s the best preparation you can have.”
“Without God we can’t actually do anything. Hold on to Him, listen for His leading, and learn to stay in His presence. That’s the best preparation you can have.”
At the same time, Anna points to practical ways of preparing. She highlights the value of orientations, conferences, and training opportunities. These can all help, she says, but “if you’re not in the right standing with God, you can miss your step”.
Her final reminder is to ,“Pray, pray, pray again. God will lead you to the right place and the right people.”
If you’d like to explore what mission could look like for you, or to think about your next steps, SIM is here to help.
Visit our Explore Mission pages to find out more. If you’re a church wanting to support a young person interested in mission, you can do that here too.
Please pray
- For young people who feel called to mission, that they would grow in their relationship with God as they prepare.
- For wisdom and guidance as they explore training opportunities, conferences, and next steps.
- For Anna as she begins serving in campus ministry in West Africa, that she would be strengthened and encouraged.
You might also like
 
            
        
        In a Yao village in Malawi, new followers of Jesus are choosing faith over fear. Despite rejection and persecution, believers like Saidi*, Patuma*, and Ami...
 
            
        
        What began with famine and a few men hearing the good news in the city has grown into a flourishing Fulani church. Today, more than 200 households are livi...
 
            
        
        AB, a young Fulani Christian, draws strength from his father's unwavering faith in Jesus despite community opposition. Discover how discipleship and pastor...
 
            
        
        Imagine being the only Christian you know, not just in your family, but in your entire region. For many Fulani people across West and Central Africa, this ...
 
            
        
        In Benin, a gospel-centered ministry is transforming the lives of Fulani talibé street boys—offering food, care, and the love of Christ. Discover how th...
 
            
        
        Hambula Musa, a young Fulani man studying veterinary medicine in West Africa, lives in tension between two worlds—his Fulani heritage and his Christian f...
 
            
        
        Yakubu Balewa has a deep love for the Fulani people – a love borne of a profound understanding of Jesus’s command to make disciples of all nations.
 
            
        
        Christine shares her journey of love, language, and friendship with Fulani women, revealing how God uses relationships to open hearts to His truth.
 
            
        
        Spread across 24 countries, the Fulani remain one of the least-reached peoples with the gospel. This October, we share stories of how God is at work among ...
 
            
        
        What began with famine and a few men hearing the good news in the city has grown into a flourishing Fulani church. Today, more than 200 households are livi...
 
            
        
        Explore Fulani culture through Jon’s insights on their nomadic lifestyle, values, and the challenges and joys of gospel ministry among this distinct peop...
 
            
        
        Obed, a Fulani man deeply committed to Islam, embarked on a journey to deepen his faith. After months of searching, he encountered a village chief who chal...