So, here we are, finally making a few new friends and whack... they hit us with the news that they are all (two couples really) planning to move to France in the future.
Honestly, when Drew and I talked about this I think we both (but definitely me) really thought about just dropping these friends. Of course we would still be friends with them and do community group with them but we wouldn't really invest or dive in or seek them out for deep relationships, knowing they would just leave.
But that didn't really work because we really liked these couples and we saw them on a regular basis and you couldn't help but become a little attached. We got to see each couple have a baby (or two) and then watch those little ones grow and change. Drew got to know one of them men better at work and then the guys started cycling together. They just weren't going away! haha
I think a few times they mentioned to Drew, "you guys should just come to France" or something along those lines. But it was always with out any real pressure and mostly joking it seemed. So we just laugh, "yea...right.".
However, we had also started talking about all of the opportunities we had had in the past and all those we hadn't had as well. Drew had been actively seeking out jobs in the Christian camping world and though in my eyes he is overly qualified and perfect for every position he applied for... door after door were closed. He seriously made it to #2 on a number of jobs and then they'd give it to some one else. Super discouraging. So, after a trip to the camp to talk to some people in person and still no open doors, we decided that maybe we needed to pick a new dream to pursue because it seemed God just wasn't letting us get into the camp world.
Shortly after some discussions along those lines and more talks about dreaming big and trusting God, our church announced they were going to have several summer mission trips and that one of them was to Southern France.
Hmmmm....
We were just talking about maybe sort of slightly thinking about maybe seeing what it might be like to almost kind of look into what our friends were thinking about France.. maybe.
So, what better way to check it out than to GO?
But, no.
We don't have that kind of money.
We've always wanted to go on a mission trip but going to France seemed like a pretty lame place to go on a mission trip to (shows what we knew).
Also, I'm not sure what I think about short term missions.
I have friends (well I think they are my friends b/c I blog stalk them) who were missionaries in Haiti and they really talked about how short term missions can be a waste of money that could be put to better use and how they often are more detrimental to the people and culture than helpful. She is actually having a whole discussion about this now so check out Heather Hendrick in my blogroll.
Then there was the fact that they were encouraging only future missionaries to go on the trip and we had noooo idea if that is what we would be led to do and we weren't even leaning one way or the other.
Plus, we are goobers and not super spiritual, holy amazing missionary type. We are sin every day, barely remember to tell ourselves the gospel much less tell any one else... trying to survive people.
Thankfully, we met with the guy who overseas missions at our church and was leading this trip and we were very upfront and honest with him about who we are and what are motives are etc etc.
He straight up told us, we were exactly what they were looking for.
I'd say their standards are pretty low but I will also say, I was flooded with a sense of peace.
No one was deceived about who we are.
We could be ourselves. Be real. And be accepted and welcomed on the short term team.
So, we went from pretty positively NOT going on the trip to filling out a CRAZY LONG application overnight and turning it in at the last second of the deadline.
Whew.
So... we were going to France for 10 days.
We had no idea what to expect from the place, the people or the trip but we were going completely open.
We figured we had nothing to lose b/c at the very least we would know how to better pray for our friends going long term and we could encourage the current missionaries there.
At the very best we might find God's next step for the plan he is working out for us.
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