On The Hill: Student finds calling in overseas missions

By Loren Rhoades, Assistant Features Editor

The ability to do something well and find joy while doing it is truly a gift from God, especially when that gift can be used to glorify him.

Freshman studio art major Victoria Whittall plans to live out her life glorifying the Lord through her love of painting and abstract art.

Whittall said she believes art is a great way to visualize the gospel and she wants to use it to help those who can’t physically hear it the way she has.

“I grew up hearing the gospel with my ears, so I took advantage of that and I realized there are a lot of children with disabilities who can’t hear,” she said. “So, I plan on going
overseas to help them by using art, so they can visualize what they can’t hear themselves.”

Whittall has a large place in her heart for overseas missions, because not only were her parents a part of the International Mission Board, but they adopted her while doing mission work in Argentina.

The majority of Whittall’s life has been spent in countries other than the United States. She has lived in Argentina, Israel, Turkey, Greece and Switzerland.

Whittall and her parents ended up in the U.S. five years ago after getting a call that her older brother had been diagnosed with ALS. Soon after, they were in Oklahoma and making taking care of him their main priority.

During this time, Whittall said she really struggled with feeling loved and wanted. With the responsibility of taking care of her brother while also keeping a full-time job, her parents were unable to attend all of her activities. Not long after, she met a guy and quickly found security in him.

“After my brother passed and I got out of the unhealthy relationship, God really shook
me,” she said. “He let me know that I have a place and that I have both a heavenly Father and earthly father that love me.”

Whittall said the main reason she got through her rough patch was that her friend Megan made it a point to constantly support her and to help her pursue her faith further.

“Even though she knew I was living in sin, that didn’t stop her from showing me Christ’s love and showing me that I was still loved regardless of what situation I was in,” Whittall
said.

Whittall then started making her relationship with God the main priority. She was going to church, talking about it with others and gaining confidence she didn’t know she had.

“My relationship with the Lord is where my confidence is shown because I am confident that I am loved and wanted, and that I am where I need to be,” she said.

While gaining her newfound confidence, Whittall discovered her love for abstract art.

She said it is her favorite form of art because a painting doesn’t have to be pretty or neat and there are no lines to stay within.

“As believers we think we need to stay in the lines, but the Bible shows a great picture about how life isn’t going to work that way. There will be struggles, temptations, and some sins in our lives we need to work on,” she said.

Whittall’s sister Abby said some struggles that Whittall has gone through have caused her to take steps back from her art but she always comes back with a bang. She said that it has been the same with Whittall’s faith as well, but it overwhelms her to see the way she is growing in her faith right now.

“God has been so sweet to bless her with amazing talent and always bring her back to her art and even more importantly closer to himself,” Abby said.