Hello everyone, my name is Jake and I am a 17 year old junior at Byron Center High School.  I live in Byron Center, Michigan, which is a small suburb of Grand Rapids.  I have lived in the Grand Rapids area my whole entire life.  I have two brothers, one sister and a cousin who we adopted at age 9 and moved out when he was 16.  There is Josiah who is 23, Danielle who is 21, Jeremiah who is 11 and my cousin James who is 18.  Then there is my mom, Manuela, and my dad, Dan. Nowadays it is just me, my parents, and my little bro.  I played four sports for almost all of my childhood but I lost all interest as I entered into high school.  I do still enjoy playing basketball, baseball, football, and golf for fun but I hate the way it takes over some peoples lives when they play competitively.  I also play the piano and just recently picked up the guitar and I am not good at either.  The things I love to do most though would probably be going on long walks in nature and going on long bike rides with my friends.  I also love animals.  I thank God everyday for the beauty of his earth because it’s probably the only thing that keeps me sane.  I love the peace and quiet because that is where I can meditate on God the best.  Traveling is something that I absolutely love to do, except I hate the plane rides.  They are so long, uncomfortable, and boring.  I also love helping people and showing them the love of Christ. So basically mission trips are perfect for me.  About three years ago I traveled to El Salvador for about a week or two and the trip absolutely changed my life.  Then after a few years it was obvious I needed some work done in my life so my parents sent me away to the Dominican Republic for a month with AIM last summer.  The things God did on that trip are absolutely mind blowing and I will never be the same. The relationships I have made through that trip are amazing ones both with my team and the natives. That is why I am so excited for this trip.  I know this trip will be a great experience for all of us and I cannot wait to meet all of you.

                                                                                                                        In Love,

                                                                                                                        Jake O’Brien