Raising Mission-Minded Kids

Mom, “ I Think I’m about to get all emotional in a few minutes”  were the words that came out of my sons mouth as we were preparing to go to bed on our first night in Mexico.

For this mom packing up my most needed belongings, saying good-bye to the life I have known for 26 years (living in Washington) and going to the unknown adventure God has called us to was not nearly as difficult as taking my #4 child out of his normal day to day life, schedule, and surroundings.

When you have a child who the doctors often refer to as a puzzle, a child with learning disabilities,  anxiety, processing disorders and a long list of challenges,  you realize change for that child is more then just saying good- bye. It’s like taking their bodies spinning them around and then tossing them across the room only to have them feel as though they are still spinning and spinning and everything they know is out of control.

So, when your child looks at you on your first night in your new little home (one room)  and says  , “ I Think I’m about to get all emotional in a few minutes”  This mama bear wants to cry with him.  I knew going into this adventure, that the changes would affect him the most.  He has been nervous for weeks at the thought of sleeping on a bunk bed,  going to a new school, not being able to drink the water,  having only two non English speaking classmates, leaving his dog behind,  new foods, schedules and even people who just might want to hug you when you don’t care to be touched.

We have tried to talk about the fun things like the Mexican coke that he has already been purchased at the Hope Café, the oversized soccer field he and his brother can play on , the day trips we will  take into the states to visit local tourist attractions, the God adventures he will get to participate in from building homes for those in need to visiting the orphanages, yet sometimes the fun and good things don’t always take away the emotions one is feeling.

As we begin this new adventure I remind myself of  what Julie Ferwerda once said

Are we satisfied with happy well-adjusted, even ambitious kids who happen to love God , or is there something more?     Julie went on to say Our kids have been put on this earth for a great purpose and a mission.

I want more for my kids then the American dream, I want them to experience God in ways they never have, to realize that God can use  the gifts he has given them in a world foreign to them and that he has a purpose for them not just their mom and dad. I want to raise Mission minded kids.

Though it’s hard to see my child feeling emotionally out of control when we say Yes, to God and what he is calling our family to. We must continue to move forward knowing that soon there will be a new daily schedule,  his  room will feel like home and he will adjust overtime to his new life here in Mexico.

Today, as I walked up to the meeting building ( The Defender)  and saw my #4 running out the door headed to the soccer field where his brother and 3 local boys were playing I could only smile and believe God has called us here and this boy is going to thrive in his new surroundings and be challenged to be a mission minded kid.

The adventure of raising Mission minded kids began long ago in our family – taking short term missions trips as a family, reading books to our kids, praying for the world and our daily talking about how God can use each of us .  This year we decided to step out and take our children on a 5 month mission trip to continue the goal of raising mission minded kids – no one said it would be easy but we have taken the leap – You can follow our journey at www.onefamilycan.com

* Check out the latest Raising Mission Minded Kids  articles Ive been reading over on Tanya Dennis blog.