The Jackson's World Travels - Part 1
So several individuals have asked what we've been up too lately. Well I always have this little voice in the back of my mind saying, "blog, you should blog." However, taking the time to sit down and actually write is a whole different story. I do love to write though, there is something incredibly therapeutic about getting your thoughts out on paper or ummm....... in digital format.
So Bryan and I both have hearts for missions, the Gospel, evangelism, seeing those so desperately lost come to faith in Christ. Read this blog or our Facebook posts or tweets and hopefully it won't take you long to see our hearts, at least that is our desire, for others to see Christ.
So when the church that Bryan is currently working at and where we both attend starting talking about taking a trip overseas of course we were all on board, only problem was my church that I work at began talking to me about helping to lead a team back to Southeast Asia to work as a translator for their group. Two mission opportunities, two decisions...we were torn. So through some various circumstances, Bryan and I felt like we needed to jump on board with our church trip to Romania. We prayed and decided that we'd say yes to Romania and then just handle Southeast Asia down the road. Well, Southeast Asia came sooner than we thought as we needed to make a decision less than 2 weeks after we had said yes to the Romania trip.
The crazy thing was that we felt like God was saying "yes" to both trips. Two trips in one year? That was just too much. 4 plane tickets, 4 deposits, and possibly 4 sets of shots, yikes! But again it didn't seem like we should say no to one or the other, so we signed the dotted line for both. We were going to do it! Two mission trips, 3 1/2 months apart. But you know what happened, God showed up. (PS He ALWAYS does, why I forget that He provides when we are obedient I don't know, but He ALWAYS provides). So the church that Bryan works at graciously offered to sponsor his trip to Romania and the church I worked with offered to pay my way to Southeast Asia due to the fact that I would be working as a translator. 2 plane tickets and 2 deposits down, 2 to go.
Fast forward by a couple of months and it is July. Romania is paid for because of God's people and those gracious individuals who helped us and desired to be a part of the mission trip. (Thank you!) It's sunny, hot, and Bryan and I are at the airport getting ready to take our first international flight together. I'm not a great flyer but with Bryan and Jesus some how this trip felt perfect. So with our 6 other teammates we headed off to Romania.
I often refer to Romania as the place that caused my heart to fall in love with missions. God used Romania as my first ever mission trip way back in the day to stir a passion and a dream within me. So returning to the place I'd left over seven years ago was such a joy and privilege and to have Bryan along was even more of a blessing.
We were able to go back to some of the same villages I had traveled to as a young adult and coordinate VBS style sessions for Roma children, participate and lead Bible studies and have the opportunity for some home visits. I was amazed that some of the moms and children remembered me! Maybe its the blond hair. Our team did great and worked hard each day to pour out their hearts and serve in a capacity honoring to the Lord.
I stood in courtyards of church buildings that once had been dirt sods, I watched as strong Christians who once had been children in our mini backyard Bible clubs years before, witnessed and shared within their community, and I marveled at all God had done there. I'm sure for those who live there in those villages and the workers in Romania it is hard to see change, it is hard to see any progress. But I could see what the Lord had done. As we sang songs with the kids and poured into their little lives, I also observed that some things had not changed.
The poverty, the lack of family support especially from husbands and men, and often I saw in the adults that they had become even harder toward the Gospel. I couldn't help by wonder which of the children would be the next strong one to share the Gospel, to grow up with a knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ. In my heart I knew the Spirit was saying that the work was not finished here. There is still much work to be done in Romania!
So one day while in Romania as we are preparing and practicing our VBS songs inside the church, I looked around to discover Bryan is m.i.a. Now, you need to know that I'm a need to know kind of girl. One of the things I struggle with is Bryan is so people oriented that I'll often turn around at church or a gather of any kind to find him missing. Well, I'm more task oriented and I'm not going to lie, in my selfish sin nature it is a huge pet peeve. So as I'm discovering he is not around I'm getting frustrated, after all he did this yesterday too and I didn't say a word (pat myself on the back) but enough is enough. I decide it is in "our" best interest to go and look for Bryan, as if I'm his mother and he is five years old. (This story is just becoming more humiliating on my part as I write it).
So I go looking for him...back of the church, no. Squatty potty, no (Don't worry I yelled out before approaching, I mean he could have been sick or swallowed whole). House next door, no.
Okay, at this point I'm starting to get a little concerned. So I asked one of our teammates if he'd seen Bryan. His response was that he thought Bryan had went on the bus. "I think he went with them yesterday too." Oh great I thought. My husband instead of practicing and doing what we are supposed to be doing is off on the bus and who knows why. So as I'm relishing in my own self-righteousness and mulling over Bryan's "apparent" flaws, the bus pulls up to the gate. And there, is my husband coming off of the bus with 20 or so adorable Roma children, high-fiving each of them as they exit with the biggest smiles on their faces I have ever seen. Oh.
Did I mention that this story is humiliating?
So apparently Bryan was doing what he was
supposed to be doing. Loving on children, teaching them about God and being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Self-righteous wife - 0
Bryan and Jesus - 1
Beautiful, humbled Feet
So Bryan and I both have hearts for missions, the Gospel, evangelism, seeing those so desperately lost come to faith in Christ. Read this blog or our Facebook posts or tweets and hopefully it won't take you long to see our hearts, at least that is our desire, for others to see Christ.
The crazy thing was that we felt like God was saying "yes" to both trips. Two trips in one year? That was just too much. 4 plane tickets, 4 deposits, and possibly 4 sets of shots, yikes! But again it didn't seem like we should say no to one or the other, so we signed the dotted line for both. We were going to do it! Two mission trips, 3 1/2 months apart. But you know what happened, God showed up. (PS He ALWAYS does, why I forget that He provides when we are obedient I don't know, but He ALWAYS provides). So the church that Bryan works at graciously offered to sponsor his trip to Romania and the church I worked with offered to pay my way to Southeast Asia due to the fact that I would be working as a translator. 2 plane tickets and 2 deposits down, 2 to go.
Fast forward by a couple of months and it is July. Romania is paid for because of God's people and those gracious individuals who helped us and desired to be a part of the mission trip. (Thank you!) It's sunny, hot, and Bryan and I are at the airport getting ready to take our first international flight together. I'm not a great flyer but with Bryan and Jesus some how this trip felt perfect. So with our 6 other teammates we headed off to Romania.
I often refer to Romania as the place that caused my heart to fall in love with missions. God used Romania as my first ever mission trip way back in the day to stir a passion and a dream within me. So returning to the place I'd left over seven years ago was such a joy and privilege and to have Bryan along was even more of a blessing.
The poverty, the lack of family support especially from husbands and men, and often I saw in the adults that they had become even harder toward the Gospel. I couldn't help by wonder which of the children would be the next strong one to share the Gospel, to grow up with a knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ. In my heart I knew the Spirit was saying that the work was not finished here. There is still much work to be done in Romania!
I'll share one humorous and lesson learning story. There are so many I could share but for today this one takes the cake. I'll try and share more later....
So one day while in Romania as we are preparing and practicing our VBS songs inside the church, I looked around to discover Bryan is m.i.a. Now, you need to know that I'm a need to know kind of girl. One of the things I struggle with is Bryan is so people oriented that I'll often turn around at church or a gather of any kind to find him missing. Well, I'm more task oriented and I'm not going to lie, in my selfish sin nature it is a huge pet peeve. So as I'm discovering he is not around I'm getting frustrated, after all he did this yesterday too and I didn't say a word (pat myself on the back) but enough is enough. I decide it is in "our" best interest to go and look for Bryan, as if I'm his mother and he is five years old. (This story is just becoming more humiliating on my part as I write it).
So I go looking for him...back of the church, no. Squatty potty, no (Don't worry I yelled out before approaching, I mean he could have been sick or swallowed whole). House next door, no.
Okay, at this point I'm starting to get a little concerned. So I asked one of our teammates if he'd seen Bryan. His response was that he thought Bryan had went on the bus. "I think he went with them yesterday too." Oh great I thought. My husband instead of practicing and doing what we are supposed to be doing is off on the bus and who knows why. So as I'm relishing in my own self-righteousness and mulling over Bryan's "apparent" flaws, the bus pulls up to the gate. And there, is my husband coming off of the bus with 20 or so adorable Roma children, high-fiving each of them as they exit with the biggest smiles on their faces I have ever seen. Oh.
So apparently Bryan was doing what he was
supposed to be doing. Loving on children, teaching them about God and being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Self-righteous wife - 0
Bryan and Jesus - 1
Beautiful, humbled Feet
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