Should we be excited to go to Vanuatu? This question has been on my heart and mind a lot lately.
On one hand, we are excited for so many reasons. We get to join our teammates in the work there, experience “community” in a way we never have before, work face-to-face with Ni-Vanuatu people who desire the Bible in their own language, and serve together as a family in this big adventure!
But…I am not excited that our family will be sick and miserable at times. I’m not excited that we will all have days where we wish we weren’t there and we take it out on each other. I’m not looking forward to the angry words and tears and sadness that will linger for hours. I’m not excited about the mistakes we will inevitably make with our teammates and the people of Vanuatu.
When we first spoke to the Asia Pacific Area Director about serving overseas, I told him I wanted our family to go through some hard times together. I don’t normally share that thought because it’s hard for me to articulate in a way that doesn’t sound sadistic but here goes…
I want our family to cement our relationships before the kids start leaving home. I want their faith – and ours – to be tested and strengthened. I want us to make memories that they tell to their kids, hopefully with laughter and joy. I want all of us to know in every fiber of our being that God is in relationship with people all over the word and to think of faces to go with that fact. So even though the heat, sickness, cross-cultural living, and homesickness won’t be fun, I know God can use it to make us better vessels for His love and message of hope. We don’t have to be excited about it coming but maybe we don’t have to dread it either.
Really the only thing I am definitely not excited about is why we – or anyone – needs to go. We’re going to Vanuatu because people are dying without really knowing Christ. People have lived their whole lives with no Scripture in the language they know best. We are going because there is a big need and I am not excited about that. I’m just thankful that God sees fit to use us to do His work!
Angie (for Matt and the kids, too)
Skype Calls
Between now and the end of May we would like to touch base with as many of you as we can. We would love to see all of you in person but we know that’s not possible, so we will be contacting friends and churches to schedule Skype calls. Don’t wait for a call or email from us, though. Let us know what day and time would work for you and you can have first dibs on our busy schedule! We can’t wait to “see” you.
