Cain, Acacia Keshonda
Acacia Keshonda “Royalty” Cain is an international Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service.
The Global Mission Fellows program takes young adults ages 20-30 out of their home environments and places them in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong young leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world.
Royalty is a lay member of Cross Culture Church, a nondenominational congregation in Denver, Colorado. She earned an intermediate certificate as a medical assistant in phlebotomy.
At age 16, Royalty was baptized. “This is the happiest time I remember,” she said. “As soon as I returned from the waters, I found out that my grandfather had passed. Though I can express many emotions behind it, I will say that moment changed my life. It drew me closer to God in a way that I did not understand.”
She yearned to regain her joy within God’s realm. “Healing myself,” she explained, “so that I could be used as a vessel to show love and spread love.”
Royalty’s journey has led her to helping others. “I’ve always had faith that I could partake in God’s will to restore the world,” she said. “My spiritual awareness in peace has allowed me some of life’s greatest joys: to be a voice and advocate to others to have faith by expressing my own testimony. This is not only my passion; it fills my soul.”
She remembers times when she had no one except God. “I’ve seen God’s hand over my life and the people God sent to help me,” she said. “For that, my gratitude could not be put into words how much I love God and God’s will for humanity.”
Even as a child, Royalty loved to serve the community.
“I want to see this world be a better place,” she said. “If I could take away pain from innocent people, I would. I was put here to help restore faith in humanity and to give Christlike love unconditionally.”
She is certain that Global Mission Fellows will continue to expand her perspective, skills and love/passion for the world. “Life is all about experience,” Royalty said, “so I know this opportunity will shape me into the woman I’ve always aspired to be.
“Knowledge is power. I’ve spent many years picking up different trades and skills to show the next person. I believe in ‘Each one teach one.’”
She had the opportunity to do a mural with community children and local police officers and would love to do something similar or even art in the form of music to spread peace. She is interested in using different trade skills to fix, build and create resources.
“I have some construction experience,” Royalty said, “and it would be nice to help on projects of building homes and schools or reconstructing for people who have lost their homes due to natural disasters. I would love to continue using my cooking skills/education to help provide for those in encampment sites or shelters, using all of my medical and holistic knowledge to aid in healing others. I would like to learn more, and I know many international areas struggle with affordable health care or from diseases they think are incurable.”
Through Global Mission Fellows, Royalty wants to teach, learn and share a listening ear. “I personally think that my love is my greatest skill,” she said. “We live in times where many people are all for themselves. At one point, I thought I was crazy. I do put others before myself but not in a way of disregarding my own boundaries, more so that I can see that others may need more than I do.”