Why?

Why are you going?

This question has been posed of me, in reference to my upcoming mission trip to Ethiopia, a few times in the past couple weeks.  This question, “Why are you going?” is a very different question than, “What are you going there to do?”  While I surely know what our team is going there to do and what I am specifically going to do, the big question of WHY behind the trip is still a bit of a mystery to me. 

Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture here kids.

I am the wife to one husband, a mother to three children, an Elementary Ministry Director to a couple hundred children, and a housekeeper to one house among all the other hats I get to put on in a given day.  In the midst of my life and especially in my head is normally pandemonium.  I’ve worked VERY hard to bring structure, balance, prioritizing and calmness into our home this fall.  That, in and of itself, brings stress!  Trying to bring peace, brings stress!  Giminy Crickets! How twisted is that?!  But I’m sure several of you are laughing at me at this point because of one true fact.  I. CANNOT. BRING. PEACE. Just not attainable.  True peace can only be given by the Lord.  And so in the midst of this revamping of our family life this year there have been many successes and many failures.  Oh boy… I’m really getting off on a tangent here and this is not going in the direction I was originally thinking.  Let’s get back on track, maybe I’ll come back to those thoughts later.  You’re probably thinking, what kind of a writer are you?!  Well, a jumpy one I guess!

On track, READY! GO!  Ok, so I wear a lot of hats.  This is true.  Now I’m going to add “missionary” (or maybe we should say, “Global Project Partner” to be politically correct here) to that pile?  Really Lord?  I know that, “Really Lord?!  Africa?!” is a question that was asked by some people close to me and I know that it’s because they love me and my family.  Back to that whole, wife, mother, job, home thing…  Shouldn’t I just stay put and manage what I have?  Shouldn’t I be focusing on my own children, rather than taking a 15 hour flight to focus on other children?  Shouldn’t I be creating lessons for the Sunday School kids at my home church (for my job!), rather than creating lessons for kids in Africa?  Shouldn’t I be putting time and effort into my marriage with my best friend rather than building relationships with others half way around the globe?  Shouldn’t I?  Shouldn’t I?

Maybe.  Maybe I should be.  But that maybe is only what the world thinks.  This journey across the globe has been nothing but peaceful.  As I told my mother-in-law about going, “I can’t even say this feels right. It IS right.”  I know, that beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has called me to do this, has called me to GO.  I may not know why He has called me to do this, but I know He has and that’s all I need to know for now.  God is sovereign, His timing is impeccable, His plan is perfect and His love & mercy are immeasurable.  Those are great things and I’m going to cling to those truths.