Following God’s call, Kayla will serve a one-year term with SAM in Pucallpa, Peru. With a heart for both missions and teaching, she will begin an immersive language study before stepping into a teaching role at SAM Academy.
Kayla grew up in south Georgia, where her home church, Emmanuel Baptist, played a significant role in shaping her faith and ministry. She considers the people of Emmanuel some of her greatest blessings and has served in music, children’s, youth, and women’s ministries.
Her walk with Christ began in sixth grade after a youth service where Brother Scotty Hayes preached. That moment sparked a deep, growing relationship with God. Currently, Brother Scotty Hayes and his family are serving as missionaries in the jungles of Peru. God has used them mightily in her call to missions.
At 15 years old, Kayla shared with Brother Scotty and Mrs. Jadison (his wife) that she felt God calling her into missions. As she continued to deepen her relationship with God, her heart for missions grew stronger. When she was 17, she took her first mission trip to Peru, where she quickly fell in love with the people and the culture. A year later, God opened the door for her to return, deepening her love for Peru and confirming her call to mission work.
On her first trip to Peru, her team hosted a VBS for missionary kids, many of whom attended SAM Academy. Since that experience, her eyes have been opened to the unique role of missionary teachers and the impact they have on families serving on the field.
Kayla is excited to step into this next season of ministry – learning the language, investing in missionary families, and helping raise up the next generation of Christ followers.
