He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31 NLT
One of the most challenging aspects for missionaries traveling far away to serve in another country is saying goodbye to family knowing it may be over a year or more before they see each other again. Especially during the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year as they scroll through social media seeing pictures and videos of their family and friends gathered.
I never knew what it might look like or entail for my wife and me to serve abroad as missionaries being apart from family, but also for our families living apart from us. It is something that many both the missionaries and the families of missionaries struggle with every year, every month, and for some every day. We were recently contacted by one of our supporting churches who wanted to better acquaint their congregation with the missionaries they support. One of these items entailed asking us if we would be interested from time to time to write an “article” for their churches newsletter with something a bit more personal such as a story of how God answered a prayer, an example of cultural differences, or a day in the life kind of account.
To which we accepted and I began to think, “What is something that would be good for supporting churches and individuals to know?” This led me to think more on the personal part of the challenges that face missionaries serving abroad and that is the physical separation from family. It is great to send missionaries all around the world, but when they step on that plane there is a piece of them left behind as they say goodbye to family. The same is true for the families as they watch their missionary daughter, son, father, or mother part ways in the airport terminal, a piece of them leaves them and goes with their loved ones going to serve abroad.
While I do not by any means intend for this to be a sad blog, this is one of the realities that missionaries and families of missionaries face. However, it is also a reality in which supporting churches and individuals can step forward to bless and encourage both the missionaries and their families.
As such, we want to encourage you as our church family to keep not only us, but also missionaries all around the world in your prayers, but even more so during this holiday season. Having said this, I (Derrick) wanted to share what “A Missionaries Goodbye” looked like in the form of a message I sent my mom, dad, sister, and brother in-law following our 2019 Christmas gathering which was our last time seeing each other in person as a week later we stepped on a plane bound for Norway.
I want you all to know I love you so very much. I am the proudest son there ever was because how much you (mom) and dad have sacrificed for me in giving me a stable home life and the encouragement for us kids to always chase our dreams. There are not many parents willing to sacrifice as much as you have for family and let alone bless your kids to pursue their dreams no matter how far that might take them. As I said when we left, I promise this is not easy for me as I love you all dearly and family is one of the most precious gifts the Creator gives us. Sitting in the car on our way home in no man’s land of I-69, I am laid back in the passenger seat staring out into the sky at the most beautiful and brightest stars I’ve seen in a while.
About 4 years ago when Mikaela and I were star gazing on grandpas property, it hit me that this day would come when we would be getting ready to leave for Norway and I cried knowing geographically I would not be as close. But it came to me tonight even though Mikaela and I may be far, we all get to look up into the night sky and look at the beautiful stars that shine down on all of us no matter where we are at geographically. For me that gives me peace and comfort and a way of God telling me that we are never far apart. But close and connected through many things, one of which being the beautiful stars He created and gives us. So know whenever I look into the night sky and gaze at the stars I will be thinking of all of you, knowing that the same stars that shine down on me, also shine down on you.
I am excited for what the future holds and know even though we may be geographically far apart, we’ll be just as close as ever and just a message, phone call, or video chat away until we’re all back under the same roof. You all mean the world to me and I am so blessed to have each of you in my life and can’t wait to share the journey that God has us on with each of you. Praying for comfort and peace for each of us. I carry you with me in my heart so that is how close we are and always will be. Until then, hoping to take a selfie with a Norwegian salmon soon and send it to you, haha. Love you all.
Even rereading that now tugs at my heart in thinking about how clear that night was and how bright the stars glimmered as many different emotions ran through me. Then the following week we said goodbye to Mikaela’s parents in the Indianapolis airport after eating the Lord’s blessed fast food restaurant being Chick-fil-A, haha. As we stood there Mikaela’s father read a beautiful prayer/blessing that brought the weight of emotions on as we realized that this was it. After he finished reading it with a shaky voice, we hugged one another doing our best to encourage each other so that all of us would be strong, and we said goodbye as we walked towards security.
We have now been away and in Norway as of 10 months tomorrow and it still is not easy being away from family and naturally I do not think it ever will be. If it was easy to be away from family I would think that it would be quite unnatural. The beautiful thing is during our time here on earth God blesses us with relationships. Relationships that are so rich especially with our family relationships in most cases.
While it will always difficult to be apart from family, both Mikaela and I acknowledge this as one of the costs of following, yet we can say loudly and confidently proclaim that our lives have become so much more richer and blessed in following God’s calling to leave our home and go to a land somewhat unknown to us. In God we place our trust and faith and from him we are blessed with his love, peace, and comfort.
The lives of the Norwegians and internationals that we have already been able to touch, bless, and encourage in the name of Jesus is such an immense and humble blessing. That all of this is possible by God’s hand and provision as we respond with a heart posture that seeks to declare, more of you and less of me. To have the support of Mikaela and I’s family who are willing to encourage us to pursue this calling and let us go no matter how far away this calling may take us brings us peace. To have the support and partnership of 15 churches and over 50 families/individuals who believe in God, this calling, and in us to go fulfill the great commission here in Norway and beyond just leaves me speechless as I write this.
Driven by love
Till all have heard
We’ll carry Your name
To the ends of the earth
We’ll carry Your love
And shine with Your light
Till the whole world knows You
And lifts You high
To draw this blog to a conclusion, I again want to encourage you as our church family to keep not only us, but also missionaries all around the world in your prayers, but even more so during this holiday season. But also specifically the families of missionaries such as ours and many more that you or your church personally know of.
“What can we do to help support missionaries and families of missionaries?”
1. Are there specific ways you can be praying for them especially during the holiday season?
2. Can you call/video call them to share an encouraging word and see how they are doing?
3. Can you send them an encouraging message to state that you are thinking of them and that they are in your prayers?
4. Can you send a card/letter in the mail to encourage them?
5. In the case for missionaries are you up to sending them a care package of things from home they can enjoy that they don’t have access to where they serve?
6. In the case for the families of missionaries are you up to stopping by their home or taking them out to dinner to ask how they are doing with having their loved ones serve abroad?
7. Fill in the blank ______________________________________________________.
I share this to give you ideas of how we can bless missionaries and the families of missionaries as this is something that Mikaela and I also seek to take part in as we are not preaching to you the reader, but also to ourselves. Blessings
“Small acts wrapped in love will change the world.” - Egil Ellingsen