"I Couldn't Believe I Was in Africa": Ashley's First Rwanda Mission Trip

Ashland Watson
2 days ago
7 min read

At Mosaic International, we believe transformation happens when ordinary people say yes to God's extraordinary calling. Today, we're honored to share Ashley's story, a college student whose first international mission trip to Rwanda became a turning point in her faith journey. Partnering with Cornerstone Church, Ashley discovered that following Jesus doesn't require perfection, just willingness.

When Ashley joined Cornerstone Community Church and Mosaic International on a mission trip to Rwanda in June 2025, she had no idea how profoundly it would change her. It was her first time preaching, her first time in Africa, and one of the most spiritually stretching experiences of her young life.

A Heart for Missions

At home in Southern California, Ashley is finishing her degree in Kinesiology at Cal State San Marcos. She dreams of becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy because she loves helping people heal and regain confidence in their bodies.

"Being near the water always reminds me of God's peace and creativity," Ashley shared.

When she's not studying, you'll find her surfing, sailing with her dad, or spending time outdoors. But deep down beats a heart that has always longed for missions.

"My heart was inspired by missions the minute I met my Savior. I remember thinking to myself one day, 'People have helped lead me to Jesus and following him was the biggest and most important decision that I could ever make. I want to be that person for someone else if it is God's will.'"

Her connection to Cornerstone Church began in high school when a friend invited her to youth group.

It was there, at sixteen, that Ashley went on a "hunt for a relationship with Jesus" and found Him.

Years later, through her friendship with Tyler Reber, our Creative Director and Ashley's volleyball teammate whose daily "Activate the World" Instagram posts inspired her, Ashley first heard about Mosaic International. "Tyler easily became a good friend and helped my testimony in Christ grow by his example."

The Year-Long Whisper

What makes Ashley's Rwanda story even more remarkable is how God prepared her heart long before she knew about the trip.

Last summer, while hiking, Ashley had an unusual thought: she would be serving on a mission trip to Africa the next summer. She had no plans, no team, no idea how it would happen. It was just a quiet impression that wouldn't leave her.

"It was so unique because I had always wanted to serve in Africa but never got the opportunity to do so."

Fast forward to two months before the Rwanda trip. Ashley was sitting in church one Sunday when she told her dad she wished she could serve in Africa.

"He looked at me with a smile and said, 'Cornerstone is going to Africa. You should see if they have any spots left.' My heart exploded. What are the odds that last summer I felt like I was supposed to go to Africa and here I am with an opportunity to serve?"

She immediately emailed Pastor Andy AND texted him, just to make sure he got her message.

"What led me to join the Rwanda trip was my love for Jesus, my love for people, my love for my church, and my love for always striving to submit to where the Lord calls me."

Kigali: Beauty and Presence

When Ashley's team arrived in Rwanda, the beauty took her breath away.

"Rwanda was so beautiful. I remember it being very humid and thinking that the city was so unique. Everyone I came across was really nice and curious."

But beyond the sensory experiences, Ashley felt something deeper.

"I remember feeling peace and joy. I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I couldn't believe that I was in Africa."

That confirmation mattered, because the days ahead would require every ounce of faith Ashley could muster.

Preaching Jesus Alone Is Enough

Some moments etch themselves so deeply into our hearts that we know they will stay with us forever. For Ashley, one such moment came when she preached for the very first time.

"I had never preached a full sermon before, let alone spoken French in a long time, and here I was preaching a sermon with it, and the theme was 'Jesus Alone Is Enough.'"

Standing before a Rwandan congregation, speaking about grace and the sufficiency of Christ in a language she hadn't used in years, Ashley experienced something profound.

"I remember looking into the crowd and seeing people nod, smile, and even tear up, and I realized that the Gospel truly transcends language, culture, and background. It wasn't me speaking that morning; it was God through me. That moment will stay with me forever."

But perhaps the most transformative encounter came later, in a humble home with an elder named Antony. Antony survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide. He had lost everything, his family murdered before his eyes. Yet when he invited Ashley and her translator into his home, what she witnessed was not bitterness, but overwhelming grace.

"He told me his story with tears in his eyes and comforted me when learning his story felt unbearable and I couldn't stop crying. He is so strong and taught me so much." "I aspire to carry his level of gratitude and forgiveness."

That afternoon, Ashley learned what transformation truly looks like, not just personal change, but the kind of radical healing that only Jesus can accomplish. Antony's forgiveness became a living sermon more powerful than any words Ashley could preach.

"I miss you Antony!"

The Beautiful Challenge of Surrender

The days in Rwanda were full, teaching, serving, traveling, worshiping. Each day stretched Ashley physically and spiritually.

"One of the most challenging parts was balancing exhaustion and emotions. There were moments I felt physically exhausted or spiritually stretched. But every time I opened my Bible or looked around at our team and the people we were serving, I remembered why we were there."

In those moments of weakness, Ashley discovered a truth she'd heard before but never fully lived: God's power is made perfect in weakness.

"God gave me strength in my weakness and reminded me that His power is made perfect when I have none left of my own."

She saw God move in countless ways, in the joy of children, in the worship of believers who had so little yet gave everything, in the unity of a team that became family.

After church one Sunday, Ashley met a woman who had lost family in the genocide yet radiated peace and forgiveness.

"She smiled as she told me how Jesus had healed her heart. That moment taught me so much about resilience, grace, and the power of forgiveness, lessons I'll never forget."

Coming Home Forever Changed

When Ashley returned to California, she came back different.

"This trip changed me in the best way. I came home with a new level of gratitude and perspective. A stronger testimony."

The trip reminded her that joy isn't about possessions or circumstances, it's about relationship.

"It reminded me that joy isn't about what you have, but who you have and when you have Jesus, you have everything."

"I also learned that mission work doesn't stop when you get home, it continues in how you live, love, and serve daily. I'm forever changed."

Her connection to Cornerstone Church and Mosaic International also deepened. The team that traveled together became family, praying together, laughing together, crying together.

"Since coming home, I feel more connected to Cornerstone and Mosaic, not just as a church and organization, but as communities of people united in love and purpose. I love seeing everyone at church on Sundays and miss the days when I was with them almost every hour of each day."

A Message to Anyone Hesitating

For anyone considering a mission trip but feeling uncertain, Ashley's message is clear:

"Go. Don't wait for the 'perfect time' there isn't one. God doesn't always call the most qualified, He equips the willing. If you feel even a small tug in your heart, that could be the Holy Spirit calling you to step out in faith."

She knows the fear is real because she felt it too.

"It may feel scary or nerve-racking. But, it will change your life forever. You will see and experience things you've never seen. You will grow closer to the Lord and love all of His children. You'll be a vessel in the greatest mission ever given to the world."

Ashley was the last person to join the Rwanda trip. She didn't have the finances. She felt spiritually unprepared. Yet God provided everything she needed.

"Trust that God will provide everything you need, financially, emotionally, and spiritually. You just have to say yes. He'll take care of the rest. You'll come back changed in ways you can't even imagine."

"There is someone out there who needs you to be that vessel. Then let God do the rest. You or your life may be the testimony of God's love someone gets to see."

For Ashley, this won't be her last mission trip.

"I will be serving plenty more mission trips in my lifetime."

When asked to describe Rwanda in one sentence, Ashley said:

"Rwanda is a country overflowing with beauty, forgiveness, and the undeniable presence of God."

Experience Rwanda Through Our Eyes

Ashley's story is just one glimpse of what God is doing in Rwanda. Watch our Rwanda mission trip highlight video below to see the beauty, the community, and the transformation happening through Mosaic's partnerships with local churches.

Want to learn more about how Mosaic International partners with local churches around the world to bring hope and lasting change? Visit our website to discover the work happening in Rwanda, the Philippines, Tanzania, and beyond.