Leanne Bohn

Leanne on mission in Nicaragua.

Nationality: American. Occupation: Pastoral administrative assistant at Hope Lutheran Church in Rochester, NY. Missions with C4C: Nepal 2012, 2015 (twice) and 2016.

How long have you climbed? Never. Type of climbing you do: None (yet). Highlight of climbing career:  I suspect it will be the first climb I complete.

How long have you been a Christian? I have known Jesus all my life. But the last 14 years, I have had a deeper relationship with Him. I love Him more every day. Type of ministry you are blessed to serve in:  senior high, family, children’s, VBS, mission ministry leader at Hope, and team member of international and U.S. mission teams.

Favorite Scripture verse (and why): My favorite scripture verse is from Isaiah 6:8. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Serving Him has blessed my life in ways I would have never imagined. I am thankful every day.

Special “God moment” you’d like to share: While on my first mission trip to Nicaragua in 2005, the rest of the team had gone into town to the Internet cafe and I stayed back in the hotel to journal. I had a particularly emotional day, seeing things I had never seen or imagined before. I tried to journal, but the words wouldn't come. So I turned to the Lord and prayed, “Father God, show me some encouragement. I feel overwhelmed. Am I really making a difference here? Is this where you want me to be?” When my own words wouldn’t come through my pen, I opened His word. I brought a Journey Bible from home, and planned on gifting it to someone before I left Nicaragua. I just opened the Bible to the place God would have me read. And there it was my answer to prayer. The page I opened to was before the book of Proverbs. It was the story of the boy and the starfish. It’s the story where the boy is on the beach and the starfish are covering the shore. One by one the boy throws them back. A man approaches him and says, “You can't possibly make a difference,  look how many starfish there are on the shore.” And kindly, the boy answers, “I made a difference to that one.” The Lord was telling me that I was there to show His love to that one and that one and that one. “Make a difference to the ones you can. Show My love to them. Tell them about Me.” I slept well that evening and woke refreshed and ready to serve the next day.

What does Climbing For Christ mean to you: C4C is an answer to prayer. I am blessed beyond measure to be called to serve Him in Nepal...again! Being called to go the first time was incredible and,  um, frightening. My first C4C mission trip was by far the most physically and spiritually challenging mission I’ve done. I look forward to all that the Lord has planned for this trip. I’m so excited to see the newly constructed church in Kathmandu and worship with my brothers and sisters there. I am so humbled that I am returning and share Jesus’ love and Word.  Let’s GO team, let’s go!