This fall, a 24-year-old Dawsonville woman will embark on a nearly yearlong series of mission trips around the world.

Alana Lusted bought a backpack last week for the journey through 11 countries. The bag will hold all of her belongings as she assists in orphanages, preaches on the street and teaches English in schools.

“I can tell myself I’m prepared for something this life changing,” Lusted said. “I can try my best to be ready for everything that will happen, but really there’s no way to know what God’s going to do.”

She leaves on the missions trip in October, but she’s already in the process of raising $15,000 to pay for her living expenses while overseas. “It’s a lot of money,” she said, “but if you think about food, shelter and plane tickets for a year, it makes sense.”

Donations go to the Gainesville-based organization, Adventures in Missions.

They oversee Lusted’s journey, as well as many other young people.

Lusted, who attends the Life Church in Cumming, said the opportunity for “all the different experiences” drew her in.

“I’m not married yet, I don’t have kids, I don’t own a house, so if I don’t do this now, then I never will,” she said.

Lusted is no stranger to missions trips. Her first experience was when she was 10 years old and visited Mexico.

However, the upcoming trip, will be another story.

“I’ve never done something this intense,” she said.

According to its Web site, Adventures in Missions is “an interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship.”

For more information or to donate to Lusted’s trip, visit www.racewithalana.com.