Back in February Mike and I started praying about going on an overseas trip. Our heart is to travel the world, move overseas for a couple of years, and share the good news of Christ with all. Right now though God has asked us to stay here in Salem, OR for a couple years.
We've barely been married 4 months now, so we have greatly appreciated staying in the states and being able to spend the time growing together. We have been blessed with an apartment off of the base. For an apartment we have a wonderfully large kitchen, an office, and backyard. Our neighbors are YWAMers as well and have fast become some of Mike and I's closest friends; we have most of our meals off the base with them, babysit their kids regularly, and are helping each other grow in our marriages and closer to God.
Still our hearts long to go overseas, even if only for a few months. With our plan/hope to move to Southeast Asia in a couple of years we see it as impertinent to visit that area to scout out locations and ministry opportunities. I personally have never been to the area and am excited about seeing what might be my new home for a time.
All of this leads to our plan to go the Southeast Asia for near a month. We do not know when this will be, but feel the God has called us to plan ahead while being very flexible. Our Asia Journey, as we are referring to the trip, will take us to Thailand, Cambodia and South Korea. We will go to Bangkok to work with the YWAM Thailand base in their ministry to women in prostitution in the Red Light District. After this we will head to Cambodia; Mike went there during his Discipleship Training School, giving us the connections we will need. The most common route to get to SE Asia is to fly to South Korea and then on to Thailand; we see this as a great opportunity to stay a couple of days and serve in S. Korea as well. We believe this trip will serve for two purposes: 1. Sharing the good news and serving the people of Asia and 2. Seeing if God is calling us to move there.
Some of you know that we had originally planed on taking this trip this summer. The plans seemed to fit perfectly; we would lead the outreach of an Mission Adventures team in Thailand and then stay for a couple weeks. But even with how eager we were to go and how perfect them plans seemed, Mike and I felt that we needed to stay in Salem. This was a hard choice to make, but I believe we both understand how greatly we and Mission Adventures benefited from us staying and serving with MA this summer.
Mike and I's "rainbow" is to see people come to know Christ. In the 10' 40' window less than 5% of the people have heard the gospel! This is the greatest injustice of all. And we see that there is a great need for people to give up their comforts and preferences to go share Jesus with these people. I don't personally want to live in another country, but isn't God glory more important then my own wants?
We've barely been married 4 months now, so we have greatly appreciated staying in the states and being able to spend the time growing together. We have been blessed with an apartment off of the base. For an apartment we have a wonderfully large kitchen, an office, and backyard. Our neighbors are YWAMers as well and have fast become some of Mike and I's closest friends; we have most of our meals off the base with them, babysit their kids regularly, and are helping each other grow in our marriages and closer to God.
Still our hearts long to go overseas, even if only for a few months. With our plan/hope to move to Southeast Asia in a couple of years we see it as impertinent to visit that area to scout out locations and ministry opportunities. I personally have never been to the area and am excited about seeing what might be my new home for a time.
All of this leads to our plan to go the Southeast Asia for near a month. We do not know when this will be, but feel the God has called us to plan ahead while being very flexible. Our Asia Journey, as we are referring to the trip, will take us to Thailand, Cambodia and South Korea. We will go to Bangkok to work with the YWAM Thailand base in their ministry to women in prostitution in the Red Light District. After this we will head to Cambodia; Mike went there during his Discipleship Training School, giving us the connections we will need. The most common route to get to SE Asia is to fly to South Korea and then on to Thailand; we see this as a great opportunity to stay a couple of days and serve in S. Korea as well. We believe this trip will serve for two purposes: 1. Sharing the good news and serving the people of Asia and 2. Seeing if God is calling us to move there. Some of you know that we had originally planed on taking this trip this summer. The plans seemed to fit perfectly; we would lead the outreach of an Mission Adventures team in Thailand and then stay for a couple weeks. But even with how eager we were to go and how perfect them plans seemed, Mike and I felt that we needed to stay in Salem. This was a hard choice to make, but I believe we both understand how greatly we and Mission Adventures benefited from us staying and serving with MA this summer.
Mike and I's "rainbow" is to see people come to know Christ. In the 10' 40' window less than 5% of the people have heard the gospel! This is the greatest injustice of all. And we see that there is a great need for people to give up their comforts and preferences to go share Jesus with these people. I don't personally want to live in another country, but isn't God glory more important then my own wants?
