Click, click, clack, click, click, clack…do you hear that?  It’s the sound of the roller coaster.  My husband and I just strapped our 3 boys in and then pulled the safety bar across our laps and the ride began.  I see the metal chain moving and hear the sound as the gears pull our coaster up hill.  I have no idea what the ride is like, never been on anything like this before and I cannot see what’s over the crest of that hill.  This is the part of the coaster that I hate the most, you know the clicking and clacking is about to stop, gravity and the laws of physics will soon take over.  Will it be a loop? Will it be a huge drop? Will it be one of those fake out drops?  Or my worst fear, will the gears break and this coaster end up sailing backwards and falling apart?  Yes, I do have that thought every time I ride a roller coaster.

This is how I feel.  A year ago we went to Burundi, Africa for 2 weeks as a family and when we returned home God said, “go back.”  This time it will be a longer ride.  We’re committed to go for at least a 1-year term.  We’re selling our house, we’re quitting our job, and we’re selling most of our possessions.  We have officially strapped in and we’re ready to go.  Excited and terrified.  The practical side of me says, “What in the world are you thinking?  Who does this?”  The free spirit in me is saying, “Woohoo, finally!” 

I wonder why in the world Peter wanted to walk on the water?  I don’t know exactly why, but I know he did want to go to His Savior after Jesus said, “come”.  I want to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, I want to come when He says, “come”.  I can’t believe Peter had the guts to get out of the boat.  I don’t have the guts, I don’t have strong faith, but I know the Holy Spirit working in me is cultivating and growing faith to serve and step out of the boat.  I don’t want to just say, “Lord, I will follow”, but never go.  I don’t want to be the man in Luke 9 that says, “Lord, I will follow You, but…” My family and me are completely, imperfectly relying on the Lord to help us follow Him.  We believe He has shown us how He has wired us; prepared us and will use us in Burundi, Africa working with Sister Connection.  He has grown in each of us a love for the country, the people and has given us just enough weird and crazy in us as a family to serve in one of the poorest countries in the entire world. 

We will be doing a myriad of things while there: teaching English, Josh will work with the young orphan men and boys and disciple them, we will visit the widows and orphans of Sister Connection to encourage them and help provide for them, we will seek to encourage the staff who works tirelessly to serve the widows and orphans.  We will go to the homes that no one wants to visit, we will hold hands with the ones that no one wants to touch, we will serve the servants and we will love, by God’s grace, every person regardless of their status, skin color, or ethnicity.  Our deepest prayer is that God would heal broken and wounded hearts, and draw many closer to Himself and grow His kingdom.  We invite you to join us on this ride by reading our blog updates, supporting us financially and most of all by lifting us up faithfully in prayer.  Rides starting, here we go!