Spring Adventure was a time for us to get to know an organization called MBMS International and for them to get to know us. While there, we stayed on the campus of Columbia Bible College.
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| Less Adventurous |
There were times for meeting in groups and some times for more adventurous activities.
One adventure we had was to hang on some cliffs.
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| More Adventurous |
At the end of that week of evaluations and such we were invited to continue to further explore working with MBMS International.
The ten years since have been quite the adventure both for us and our organization.
The organization has changed a couple times and and with each change came a new name. The first change came shortly after we joined, to MB Mission, and more recently the name has changed again to Multiply.
As for our adventures, well, the most obvious has been the moves. First to Canada for a few months, then back to Fresno for just over a year. Then to Thailand. Just over a year in Bangkok, where living in a mega-city was a bit of an adventure for us country folk. After conquering the concrete jungle, we moved to a nearby province named Chonburi seven months. That Christmas we moved just north to Chachoengsao where we lived for almost a year. After a few months in North America, it was onto the far north of the country to Chiang Rai province for a few years. Then a few more months in North America before settling into Nong Khai in northeast Thailand for the past two years.
New places. New faces. New assignments. New languages. New teams. New opportunities to see God at work in different circumstances. Opportunities to see churches birthed and to see people come to new life in Christ. Opportunities to have our faith challenged.
It's good that God has blessed us with a love of exploring.
We're never too old for new adventures. Abram was a young 75 years old when God told him to leave his nice home in Haran and go to a place that God said He would show them. (Genesis 12:4) He didn't have his first kid until he was 100! Imagine having to wait until you're 122 years old to watch your first kid graduate college.
Sometimes, though, we'd like there to be a little less adventure. While getting to live in different places and meeting different people can be fun, it can also be a bit wearying. As we age, we find we don't have the energy that we used to have.
One thing we are sure of though is that the changes will keep coming. Ten years ago, we went to Spring Adventure. Since then there have been ten years of adventure. In the next ten years the adventures will continue. We will meet new people and make new friends. We will experience joys and sorrows, blessings and loss. At some point during that time we will probably officially retire (whatever that is). We will probably move at least one more time.
I thought it was hard to start over in my 50's! I hope that when I get to be 75 I will still have faith like Abraham and be willing to embark on whatever new adventures God calls me to.
