In 2010 as a young, single woman I was working with Sister Connection and traveled with a team to Burundi. I typically traveled in 3-4 times a year but this was the first time I was seeing Mt. Hope. Mt. Hope is the land given to Sister Connection and Hope Africa University. At the time it was a barren mountain and we were praying for water and electricity and waiting on the Lord to do A TON of miracles. As I walked around the top of the mountain I took a deep breath and I felt the Lord’s presence, I had such a peace and an, odd to me, thought crossed my mind, “I’m going to live right here someday.” I had an overwhelming peace that this would be the view I would see one day. It was like I could see myself on a front porch looking out as I was then over the beauty of Burundi and there in country living and serving. It was fleeting, but it was deep.

I fell in love with Burundi and the people in 2009 and Josh knew when he met me there was a part of me he wouldn’t understand until he went to Burundi too. We were married in May 2012 and traveled to Burundi together in July, he fell in love too. We love the slower pace of life in Burundi, we love the weather up country, the views are incredible and the people are wonderful.

When all 5 of us were able to go in 2022, we realized our boys were falling in love with the country and the people too. Our favorite day the entire 2 1/2 week trip was the day we spent on Mt. Hope, the day our bus broke down. We spent hours and hours at Mt. Hope. We got a tour and it was incredible to see how much has been done. We walked to the top of the mountain and the director said, “this is where the future missionary/guest house will be built.” Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized that’s the very place I stood in 2010 and felt I was going to live one day! Josh and I came back to the states like it was a normal mission trip, but our boys seemed to be changed and missing it a lot more than we anticipated. So, we kept praying.

Josh had been extremely sick all year in 2022 (except when we were in Burundi) so by the time November rolled around I had it. I was ready to do war with whatever this sickness was he had. I planned a short night trip to a place called Shepherds Gate Inn, it’s a spiritual retreat center. Josh and I have gone individually numerous times, but rarely together simply due to babysitting. This time I was headed in with my sleeves rolled up and ready to seek the Lord even more and ask Him for healing for Josh, beg Him for healing. I was so tired of seeing my husband hurting so much.

When you go to Shepherd’s Gate Inn the sweet, amazing couple that directs and cares for the place and the people pray with each guest. Becka was helping another guest when we arrived so Chuck took us into their office and just asked how they can pray for us. For some God ordained reason, we immediately started talking about Burundi and how our hearts long for it sometimes and how our boys were even deeply impacted on our short trip. We talked for probably a half hour and Becka came in and we were about to pray and I vaguely mentioned Josh’s sickness. The whole purpose I wanted to go down there, I barely even mentioned to them, but we shared our hearts openly and freely about Africa, we unloaded what we didn’t even fully realize was so deep on our hearts.

We all 4 bowed our heads and Chuck began to pray for Josh and I and our boys, he prayed for Burundi and he prayed that God would make a way for us to go as He made a way for the Israelites to cross the Jordan to the promise land. I sat there in that office and tears ran down my cheek as Chuck prayed because I saw in my minds eye Mt. Hope and the street kids playing and smiling and my own kids playing joyously and Josh by my side in that very spot again on the mountain and the view.

After the prayer Josh and I both had a sort of shocked, excited demeanor. When we talked I said, “what did you think of Chuck’s prayer?” Josh said, “I loved it, when he prayed about the Israelites crossing the Jordan and going to the promise land I saw our family on Mt. Hope with Burundians around in the very spot they’re planning to build the guest house. It was so clear. Isn’t that crazy?” During our short stay at Shepherd’s Gate Inn it was like the Lord said, “Michelle, I will heal Josh in my timing, you need not worry. I brought you here to tell you, it’s time to cross the Jordan (to walk out in faith) with your family. You’re going to Africa.”