Julia and I are coming to
the end of our time in Ghana. We will be leaving Nalerigu on June 30th
and will arrive home on July 2nd. We are excited to finish our time
overseas! On most days our prayer is that we would finish strong while other
days our prayer is simply to finish.
There is something to be said for completing a task which you started. Two years ago we prepared to deploy with sixty other people who loved the Lord, felt His calling to serve overseas, and all of us thought we would complete our terms on the field. We have attempted to stay in contact with everyone via newsletters, Facebook, and Twitter. Over the course of our two years we have heard stories/received newsletters from friends who left the field before their time was finished. We have been shocked over the number of people who have left the field before their term of service was completed. Some of our friends left the field for genuine reasons (health, children); however, some left the field simply because they could not handle the pressures of living overseas.
There is something to be said for completing a task which you started. Two years ago we prepared to deploy with sixty other people who loved the Lord, felt His calling to serve overseas, and all of us thought we would complete our terms on the field. We have attempted to stay in contact with everyone via newsletters, Facebook, and Twitter. Over the course of our two years we have heard stories/received newsletters from friends who left the field before their time was finished. We have been shocked over the number of people who have left the field before their term of service was completed. Some of our friends left the field for genuine reasons (health, children); however, some left the field simply because they could not handle the pressures of living overseas.
Occasionally, Julia and I
will be asked what sustained us overseas. Individuals want to know what kept us
on the field and will in turn keep someone else on the field. Was it a clear
understanding of our call from God? Was it a daily quiet time? Was it pride and
stubbornness? Was it our love for the Lord and love for the Maumprusi people?
While all of these factors contributed to us staying overseas the number one
reason why we did not leave the field in our two years is because as a child I
was not allowed to quit tee-ball.
Growing up I was like most
children when it came to extra-curricular activities. I would be very excited
to play a sport at the beginning of the season when everything was new and fun;
however, halfway through the season when practices were every week and followed
by a game I would want to quit. I wouldn't want to play anymore. I would
attempt to explain to my parents why they should let me quit. Every season we
would go through this routine and my dad would inevitably look me in the eye
and tell me I couldn't quit. I didn't have to play next season but I did have
to finish the current season. My dad taught me growing up that quitting was
never an option.
I can remember in high school when my dad came home with a truck for me. At first I did not care that the truck was standard; I knew I was going to master driving. Halfway, through the summer when my friends were busy driving an hour to the beach and I was still struggling to make it around my neighborhood I decided I wanted to quit learning how to drive standard. I even found an automatic truck and told my parents I would pay half if they would let me quit learning how to drive standard. My dad would not let me quit. I eventually learned how to drive and to this day I am thankful my dad never let me quit.
I can remember in high school when my dad came home with a truck for me. At first I did not care that the truck was standard; I knew I was going to master driving. Halfway, through the summer when my friends were busy driving an hour to the beach and I was still struggling to make it around my neighborhood I decided I wanted to quit learning how to drive standard. I even found an automatic truck and told my parents I would pay half if they would let me quit learning how to drive standard. My dad would not let me quit. I eventually learned how to drive and to this day I am thankful my dad never let me quit.
My dad taught me to never
quit. He taught me how to hold my head high, not give up, and stick it out. Quitting
was never an option in our house; therefore, quitting was never an option
during our time overseas. No matter what happened (exposure to tuberculosis,
power cuts, no water, sheer boredom, language learning, and culture shock) we were not going to quit. Quitting was
not an option.
In conclusion, Julia and I
remained on the field during our two years not primarily because of our
understanding of our call from God or pride or stubbornness or a daily quiet
time; rather, we never left the field because growing up I was never allowed to
quit tee-ball.
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