Our Journey: Eight Years in the Making

I will never forget a specific evening, sitting on the rocky edge of the South Beach jetty in Miami. The silhouette of palm trees swaying in the breeze, boats coming and going in the channel. Jack and I sat next to each other on the rocks, looking out over the water. 

It was 2013, and we had met several months before through mutual friends while playing soccer. We found a way to spend every second we could together despite Jack being in his first months of medical school.

Our first picture EVER together! We were at a Miami’s Critical Mass event (basically, a huge bike ride) during their Halloween ride. I clearly had no idea what to do with my hands. ;)

We were at that turning point in most relationships where we had to ask the question - “So, what’s going on here?!” We knew (but hadn’t said) we both really liked each other and knew this could be the real deal. Jack had invited me out to California to meet his family. But in that moment I finally mustered up the courage to ask - “Sooo…what are we?”

“Of course,” was his answer. We hadn’t even held each others hands yet, but we were head over heels. “Of course I want to date you. But I also know you wanted to move to Africa as soon as yesterday. I don’t want to stop you from that.” 

The thing is, Jack had just started medical school. He had four years of medical school in Miami, followed by another four years of residency. All in America. 

Baby Jack! On his first day of medical school in Miami in 2013.

I literally remembering doing the math in my head. “I’ll be thirty-two years old by the time he’s done.” It felt like an eternity away. I immediately thought, “I’d want to have kids by then…” I felt my dream of spending my twenties on a wild adventure across the world start to crumble. 

Nevertheless - I felt Jack was an answer to years of prayer. Meeting someone with a heart like his truly felt like a miracle. But I also was deeply aware I was called to a life overseas. And I felt SO lucky Jack also shared that passion - but really, God?! EIGHT years of training?! 

Jack and me on my attempt at surfing in Monterey on my first visit in 2013. Let’s just say it did not go well.

Well, here we are. Eight years and two kids later. I was so afraid that with that much time in the States that we would get de-railed from this calling to serve the poor globally and re-routed in another direction.

But instead, as we continued to dive deeper into what it looked like for us to follow Jesus over the years, God continued to re-affirm the calling to use our skills to serve the vulnerable and marginalized around the world. 

And we’ve grown in many ways since then. I think my romantic view of what missions looks like has been altered (for the better). I think I had a pretty naive and white savior-ish vision of how I could change the world in a way that hadn’t been done before. That’s not to say I’m free of my unconscious biases now, and I’m certainly still naive about many things, but I’ve done a lot of learning along the way.

Now in my thirties with a family, I feel the sacrifice of moving halfway around the world much more clearly now. We’re finally at the point in our lives where we can earn a good income, settle down, build a life for ourselves. As a mom now, I’m less concerned about adventure and thinking more of the safety and well-being of my kids. With all our moves and transitions from Miami to San Diego to Monterey over the past nine years - everything in me wants to settle down. To buy a home. Paint and decorate a cute nursery. Stop saying goodbye to friends. Have my kids live near (at least some) of their cousins. 

And yet, we still feel called to go. To move to a place that is not our home, to build relationships with people we do not yet know. 

We don’t do it for the adventure now. Or because was have some religious guilt. We feel a deep sense of joy and purpose in seeing how our gifts and passions can align with a deep need in the world. We feel so grateful to have an opportunity to pursue a path in such alignment with our hearts. 

Moving overseas in my twenties was a much different idea than in my thirties with two kids involved. It’s one thing to let go of owning a house, it’s another thing to tell your parents they will be halfway around the world from their very quickly growing grandchildren. 

It truly is bittersweet. 

And yet, I couldn’t be more grateful for the faithfulness of God. To have put a purpose in my heart at such a young age. To have led me to a man who also shared a heart for the serving the vulnerable around the world, and who was patient enough to take the time to develop skills that would be so valuable in this context. 

As we continue on this journey I know the road won’t be clear cut, simple, or easy. I am sure there will be many detours, cancellations, and re-scheduling along the way. But I am grateful to have a story to look back on - a story where the future I felt called to felt impossible and uncertain, and to see God’s faithfulness through it all. 

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And so: welcome to our blog. 

We are here, opening our hearts to you, and grateful that even simply in your reading, you are joining this journey with us.

Thank you for coming along.