I am packing again. I pack, Jordan hauls. It's a perfect strategy!
These past few months we have been living with friends who have gifted us with their basement suite! What a massive blessing.
Now we are getting ready to say goodbye to them and so many others in Three Hills whom we love. Our car is going to be loaded down with 3 guitars, loads of scrap booking materials, a box of books and all of my clothes (still unsure how that is going to happen) and we are driving the 40 hours to Belleville Ontario!
It's a good thing we like being together.
God is teaching us how to jump off a cliff and trust Him to land us. Do I hear an amen? Nothing new...just walking with Jesus.
This past year we have been taking steps towards living in Germany. A place we believe He has called us to. Black Forest Academy is a boarding school for Missionary kids (Here is the link if you're interested in more info! http://bfacademy.com/).
Last April I was reading a book called "Too Small to Ignore" by Wes Stafford, the then President of Compassion International. He was a missionary kid in Africa and was sent to boarding school far away from his parents. Atrocious things went on in that school in the name of Christ. The kids were abused and sexually violated. I read aloud to Jordan some of the worst parts and broke down weeping, too overcome to continue.
God started to speak to our hearts. I remember thinking, "God, may we be people who protect and love children, show us how to bring hope to kids like these. "
Black Forest Academy started to enter our life. It happened randomly, again, and again, and again. Jordan was in a wedding and a bridesmaid was from Germany, so I asked her where, she told me "Have you heard of BFA? I live in that town." I remember going cold and hot all over.
A friend started to tell me of her journey as a missionary kid and without knowing we were thinking of BFA, told me how much impact the Dorm Parents make in the life of a student. She said they are the difference between a good and bad school year.
I could almost hear God saying "Is that enough, or should I give you more hints?"
We sat beside each other on the couch last summer, filling out the application to be RA's in a dorm at BFA, counted down and hit the send button's. Then we stared open eyed at each other, wondering what this would mean.
It would mean leaving Trochu. It would mean not knowing where we were going to live next. It would mean months of wondering and panicking and doubting and being flexible (I'm not so good at that). It would mean praying, long and hard. It would mean the image of the white picket fence in suburbia would be demolished and the 150 year old dorm of high school boys in the mountains of Germany erected.
Whoa.
God knows the plans He has for us.
Over the next four months we will be fund raising. I like to call it humble raising. We have a very short time to find the money we will need to get to Germany. For some, 1 year is not enough to fund raise. Others, 6 months is not enough. For us, we are trusting God to bring in the needed funds in 2 weeks.
That's all we have. If we are on that plane to Germany in August, it will only be by the hand of God.
"For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and who says to you, "Do not fear, I will help you." Isaiah 41:13
Right now we are placing one foot in front of the other and going down the path we believe God has put us on. Please, please pray for us and if God has placed it on your heart to help us financially, contact us by facebook or email- jordanlovesrachael@gmail.com.
I'll keep you all updated on this crazy adventure!
