Our journey to Africa began in 2003. Our sending church PaulAnn Baptist Church, put together their first mission trip to Mozambique where they would come alongside and work with Samaria Mission, a ministry of Christ Baptist Church in Polokwane, South Africa. While in Mozambique, we began to have a heart for the people. Several times we would talk about mission work and what it would be like. We were very careful when we returned from our trip not to make any decisions on a "mountain top" experience. As the weeks went on the desire to return to Africa grew.
Mark had an opportunity to go to Guatemala and work with Pat and Charlie Reynolds, who at the time were involved with taking the gospel to the local law enforcement. Mark spent 2 weeks there in 2004 and had a great time and enjoyed the work he was able to do. The Lord used this trip to continue to grow a love for missions in our heart, especially for Mozambique.
We were able to go back on outreach to Mozambique in 2005. The desire to move to Africa became stronger and we began to talk to people about wanting to go into full time missions. In 2006 we went back on outreach to Mozambique and took our 2 children with us (age 6 and 11 at the time). We felt like the Lord was continuing to open a door for us to move and join Samaria Mission and we wanted Brit and Luke to experience it. We were able to come on outreach again in 2007 and began to talk to the mission staff about the possibilities of joining them full time. They invited us to stay for one extra week after the outreach in 2008 so that we could meet and interview with the staff and elders of Christ Baptist Church.
After returning in 2008, we were certain that God wanted us to join, Samaria Mission but we just were not sure of the timing. We prayed and sought wisdom from the Lord on what to do. This was not a move we could do on our own but one that had to be guided by Him. Together we studied Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby. Chapter 18 is titled, "Joining God Requires Obedience." It is a great chapter and in it Henry Blackaby says that obedience is costly to you and those around you but disobedience is far more costly. God called us to full time missions and we knew we had to obey him. We have to trust that His plans are perfect for our family. We began to make steps toward the move, with LOTS of prayer, trusting the Lord to open or closed doors as we walked.
In June of 2009 we left the States and arrived at our new home in South Africa, Polokwane. It has been and continues to be a journey, one that is sometimes difficult but for the most part good. We love working with the mission and being able to build relationships with the people of Mozambique and South Africa and share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them.
We started this blog before we moved. If you want you can go back and read all that God did to get us to where we are today. We try to keep the blog updated so that you can see what our journey here in Africa is like.
When Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
