She Stayed in Asia. And Her Parents Reaction.

It was supposed to be a 2 week mission trip.  In and out. Round trip plane tickets were purchased and today she would have landed, safe and sound in America- drinking Starbucks (but, I'm drinking it right now for you friend!) and catching up on sleep in-between swapping stories with friends about the 2 week trip.

But, it all went down a different way.  My email flooded for 2 weeks with the below quotes....

"should I really be feeling like this?"
and "I don't know that I can ever leave...my heart has literally been ripped out of me, like worse than when I was in Africa for a FREAKING year." 
and paragraphs of "I know this is basically the most unsafe country I can possibly be living in, but I feel total peace and like this is normal"
and tons of "MELANIE!!!!! No one understands. I'm here sitting like WHAT THE CRAP IS JESUS DOING. MAKE THIS MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE IT DOESNT BUT IT TOTALLY DOES" 

.....Then finally the email that summed the 2 weeks up arrived, right there in my inbox. Weeks of doubts and confusion from my computer to hers-- miles apart all made sense. "....so then they flat out said without me even mentioning how I felt 'we think Jesus told us you need to stay, so you're welcome here if you don't go back'...."

We processed. We talked. We Skyped-or-tried-to-skype-broken-connections two days before she was scheduled to leave.  I cried like a baby over her complete obedience to Jesus. She cried over explaining to her parents that she was not coming home in now 36 hours.

So there it happened.  I packed belongings and fruit rollups into boxes with her parents and walked into the post office shipping 5 boxes addressed to _____________________ . (because we can't even say where the heck she is for safety, y'all.)

I think it's time someone just declares freedom over not returning home.  If Jesus brings you to the broken nations to preach His gospel, and if He then obviously tells you to stay- don't get back on that airplane home. It is ok to stay.  

I personally will pack your belongings and pay the postage to mail everything you might need - I got your back when you do something radical and just need your clothes shipped to you....

I watched my Asia stayer's parents experience no sorrow or doubt, but rather praise God for His goodness in keeping their daughter in one of the most dangerous nations of the world. I listened to them explain how they are thankful that God is using their daughter because THIS IS WHAT THEY ASKED HIM FOR... They asked God for unsafe, broken, discomfort, radical, irrational, irresponsible decisions for His glory to be her life story.  

I think it's time some parents of this "Christian" american world begin hugging their babies a little tighter when putting them on airplanes for 2 week mission trips and send them off to the 4.5 billion lost souls of the world.  I'd like to hear a little more "Do what Jesus calls you to do." and no more "you had better come home.... then we can talk about you going back" from the "Christian" american parents.

I hope that when you, parents of this world, lay your head down on that pillow tonight, you begin to plead with God to create in the hearts of your children an obedience to go and preach grace. I hope you ask the creator of all things to take your babies from your safe, secure, controlled home to be sheep among wolves for His glory. I hope you understand as parents what I am graciously begging you to do.

There are some of you parents who have adopted beautiful children from the most corrupt nations, and we need to beg God to send your adopted ones BACK to where you rescued them from, so they might be the voice proclaiming eternal rescue to those yet to be adopted and living in utter poverty and hopelessness.    

There are some of you parents who won't let your kid go to summer camp because it could stir up something radical inside them.  So help us if you kid falls madly in love with the gospel and becomes a doctor that performs surgery in Africa for the name of Jesus. Or teaches english in South America...Or owns a business in America and gives all the proceeds to fund the nations rather than to your retirement.  So help us if your kid does not go to college because she moves to the middle east and fights against slavery. [Are we beginning to understand my point?]  So help us if the "Christian" american parents of this world don't read their bible seriously and begin to understand the greatest thing they can give to their children is the freedom to do what Jesus calls them to.      

It just doesn't matter about all the plans that were made and what life was going to look like after that 2 week mission trip or how you dreamed your child to grow up.  There's a higher calling, and my sweet Asia stayer has got it right.  Her parents have got it right.  She has figured something out that all the rest of us haven't.  Her parents have submitted their everything to the one who desires to protect and keep their daughter safe, because their daughter is HIS daughter- they both love her..... and these parents have resolved to trusting HIM.

 I think this explains everything flooding my heart presently.  I hope you'll watch it.  And I hope one day, when I have my own babies you will remind me of this blog. And no I don't have kids or understand the faintest thing about parenting, but I know full well--- I saw good parents as I packed belongings into boxes. Ones who cheered on their daughters radical obedience and thanked God for answering their prayers of taking their child from their safe, secure home to be a sheep among wolves.