What does a Calling to World Missions feel & look like?
Aaron and I have felt led to do missions overseas since we first started dating. He has been talking about Africa since the day I met him. We were not sure what all that entailed and what God was calling us to do.
After nine months of being married, Aaron and I started discussing possibilities of where we wanted to move to meet adventures and to also someday start a family. Colorado was the main topic of discussion, mainly because of recreation and the endless outdoor activities.
As we pondered on this seemingly wonderful idea, our hearts ached as we thought “What are we doing?” We had just heard a sermon talking about the atrocities in Sudan and Ethiopia. Africa popped into my husband’s head and when he brought it to my attention I knew immediately that God was calling us to Africa.
A Change of Heart
We originally were going to go to South Africa and find jobs primarily to support ourselves and then also do missions. My husband went to Perspectives, a missions preparation course, and was given a referral to Floyd and Sally McClung. After researching this couple and All Nations, our heart drew towards serving with this organization in Capetown, South Africa. They have the vision of planting simple churches and spreading the love of Christ, which is very similar to the church we attend at Sojourn Community Church in Louisville. The more we prayed about it, the more we felt led to do full-time missions and raising support.
A Call to South Africa
Around this time I was having direct visions from God. He kept telling me “Sell all of your earthly possessions and come follow Me”. When I told Aaron this, immediately things were clear and we knew exactly what God was telling us to do. It clarified that God was calling us to South Africa and serve with All Nations to do church planting.
God is BIG
At this point we were and are still VERY excited to go to South Africa and serve God’s people and bring them to Christ. Although there are definately some fears that come along with it, just like anything else. How are we going to raise enough support? How can we leave our family and everything we know behind? How long does God want us in South Africa? Will we start having children while we are over there? Basically, we do not even know the full extent of what God has planned for us. What we do know is that our God is BIG and He loves us unconditionally. And He will ALWAYS take care of us wherever we are.
This is what a calling to World Missions feels and looks like for Aaron and I.
Filed under: Uncategorized on April 5th, 2008
Nichole, you will love South Africa. My daughter (Mandy) and I spent two months there (summer of 2006), on assignment for World Vision (documenting HIV/AIDS-related health issues). You can read some about our adventures on World Vision’s blog, http://blog.WorldVision.org/, though you have to scroll down quite a bit to get to the summer of 2006.
We used Johannesburg as a base and travelled from there to various countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, and the Congo, as well as spending quite a bit of time in Soweto, the Drakensbergs and other places throughout South Africa. Our last week there we took a road trip in our rental car, driving from Johannesburg to Cape Town then following the coast southward and eastward to Durben, and back to Jo’burg. It was a fantastic trip.
Some of the greatest AIDS ministries in the world are in South Africa. Fish Hoek Baptist Church (in Cape Town) won Willow Creek and World Vision’s 2007 “Courageous Leadership Award” for its amazing outreach. See http://www.worldvision.org/news.nsf/news/200708_courageous for details.
Anyway, God bless you as you go. It’s obvious his hand is on your heart. Let us know in your blog how it goes.
- Larry
Great post! God Bless you both. I hope you blog and twitter while you are there. I think the mission experience will be an awesome story to tell. I look forward to reading about it.
Hi Nichole! HOW EXCITING! Will be praying for you all as you start out on this amazing adventure together! I was just in South Africa a month ago for graduate classes. Let me know if you want more contacts there (I have a ton)!
blessings,
Adrienne