Originally published Monday, 18 February 2013.
The day that I signed up for the trip I knew there was no turning back. This mom of two preschoolers had come to a fork in the road and had perhaps taken the less traveled path. If Ron had not encouraged me 100 emphatic percent to travel to Honduras I would more than likely have talked myself out of it.
I had never been away from the kids for a full 24 hours. How would they do without me for 7 consecutive days?
This thought crossed my mind more than once. However, I trusted that God is the ultimate protection for my children and surely in the hands of my competent mother they would be more than okay without me for a few days.
This was indeed the case. My going provided an opportunity for increased discussion of missions in our home. The kids were involved in purchasing toys to send and putting boxes of toothpaste in bags for Dr. Traci to give to the school. Joshua was even persuaded to give up two of his cars to send to little boys I would encounter.
The week leading up to the trip Emily said, “Mom I don’t want you to go to Honduras.” I would explain to her that God commands us to go and preach the gospel, to care for the poor, and to make disciples of all nations. The final night I hugged her and said, “I must go Emily, God has asked me to go and other people have paid for my trip. How else will this suitcase full of toothpaste and toothbrushes get to the children at the school? One day God may ask you to go far away to do His work and I may not want you to go. I will want you to be obedient to God even if that means that I will miss you. I have to do the same.”
When we follow in the footsteps of Jesus to reach out in love to those in need, we will ignite in our children the sense that they are worthy to consider themselves part of the solution in meeting people’s needs. Patterns of ministry will naturally be caught as they learn from us and from Jesus a new and initiating love. In the process they will be inspired to give themselves in ministry, to become skilled and loving workers for his harvest fields.~Sally Clarkson, The Ministry of Motherhood, p. 94
More than one time I missed my husband and children during the trip. More than one time I lifted up prayers for their safety, fun, and that they were not wearing out Nana too bad.
Everyday I was so very thankful to be on foreign soil. Everyday I felt what John Piper so eloquently pens, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” I felt the satisfaction of God on this trip. I knew I was where He intended for me to be. I am blessed beyond what I can convey to you that my family was at a stage this summer where this mission was possible for me. Not all seasons are like this…
The fulfillment of world missions is God’s kingdom coming to earth. If God calls you and you have the blessing of your husband, then mother I urge you to step out in faith and take a mission for the Lord. Little footsteps will follow in time because they want to go where the authentic faith of mom and dad has led them. I believe it to be so and I pray it is so in the lives of our children and yours.
In the faces and testimonies of the people I encountered I heard God longing, and fulfilling a bit of that longing, to pour out His love and blessings on His people.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ~Acts 1:8
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