Saturday, July 23, 2011

Lead On And I Will Follow

About this time 15 years ago I was in the final weeks of preparing for my first year of living overseas.  I remember sitting through training for Educational Services International (ESI aka TeachOverseas.org) and struggling over which country I should go teach English as a Second Language in.  I had initially intended on going to Czech Republic but at that time they had a change in law or something and didn't need so many foreign teachers anymore.  Then I thought about going to Romania because my great-grandmother was from there and it would be interesting to explore those roots.  In the end, I went to Hungary - a country I knew nothing about.  The whole process of getting to Hungary was a battle of wills.  I had to let go of control of my life and let God lead me.  It was not easy then, and it's still something I am learning now. 

I spent three years in Sarospatak, Hungary teaching conversational English at a Hungarian Reformed high school.  It was there that I met George and was wooed across the border into Ukraine.

I had been to Ukraine once before when my dad led a two-week missions trip to Kiev back in 1990 and took me along at the age of 16.  I don't remember saying this but my mom says that I came home to announce that I would go back again some day.

Here I am!  I have lived in Hungary for 3 years and in Ukraine for 12.  I have been overseas as a missionary for the past 15 years! And now, what can I say?  I am content.  I have seen God lead and guide me.  Through the {figurative} deserts and beside the quiet waters, I have experienced the ever-faithful guidance of God's hand.  I know that there will be new paths to follow and more unknown places, but in the past 15 years I am starting to learn that I am not in control of my life.  And that's exactly as it should be! 

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