Realizing a Dream

I have had many goals in my life; some are noble, most are decidedly not. But tomorrow, God willing, I will realize a goal I set almost a decade ago... to take my entire family on a foreign mission trip.

Randy English (think modern-day apostle Paul) introduced me to foreign missions the year after my mom died in 1996. He and his wonderful wife (who has borne him 5 beautiful children) have lived in American Samoa for almost 20 years... Randy invited me to join him on one of his many mission efforts in the South Pacific Islands (yeah, I know, we used to kid him about his 'tough assignment'... we used to call his the 'grass skirt' ministry... incidentally, if that's what you think, please please go with him just one time).

When I arrived in Port Vila, Vanuatu (after 14 1/2 hours on an airplane), I had no idea what to expect. I soon learned how spoiled we Americans are; I learned the difference between 'wants' and true necessities. I soon began to truly understand how unbelievably blessed we are to live in America... I pitied these poor, uneducated people, and looked on them with sympathy...

Before I left, that pity was no longer directed at my new friends in this third-world country.... I was questioning who should be pitying whom. They did not have the latest gadgetry... no IPods, no laptops, no cell phones... no watches, no electricity, no indoor 'facilities'...

But - incredibly - they were happy! They believed strongly in God. They loved each other. They believed that He was in control and He would provide... why wouldn't they? He had proven to them time and time again that He was and would.

I cried when I left; I thought then that it was because I would miss them (true)... I thought then that I was emotional because I was sorry for them... Looking back now (a decade later), I think I can say with certainty that I cried not for them, but for me. I went to teach these poor, uneducated people about Jesus. But I learned a lot more from them about Him than they learned from me... tons more!

I learned that we Americans are truly blessed. But I learned that we Americans have long forgotten how to use those blessings to bless others. These people have little, by our standards. But by God's standards, they are the wealthiest people on His earth.

When I got back home from that first trip, I told my wife that I MUST take my family on a mission trip.

I have returned to the foreign mission field 8 times in the past decade; I have been blessed to travel to 4 countries on 3 continents in that time.

But tomorrow, for the first time, my wife and three daughters will join me on a mission trip to Panama.... and I simply cannot wait!

Blessings!