Living Life Media

I Left My Heart In… | Missions and Raising Children

THIS POST IS A COPY OF A POST FROM JOANNA’S BLOG ABOUT WEST AFRICA | RAISING CHILDREN | MISSIONS.  If you are moved by it, as I was, I encourage you to leave a comment on her blog and read the comments left by others. This post reminded me a lot about the South Africa Missions video I created for ANCC and about my own time when I was in Uzbekistan.

I left my heart in West Africa

I had this post on private for about a week trying to search out a quote, or even my own words to explain why.

Why, since I was a very young girl I knew I wanted to live in a third world country.

Why, when Mom and Dad came back from a month long missions trip, and showed me these pictures, saying “We took some of these for you..we kept saying ‘Oh Jo would love this!’ The whole time we were there.” It made me want to cry b/c it meant so much to be understood.

I don’t know the words, but it is in there deep.

After Steve’s parents left our house I went through my journals and photos of the trip Steve and I took to Niger.  I should scan them and show you some of them…

I want to live there, or India or somewhere like that.  I want to see their eyes light up when I speak their language.  I want to wear wrap around skirts, and live in a mud house with a bright blue door, and eat curry, and get involved with the people.  I want to work in an orphanage.. to hold the babies who lost their parents and whisper in their ears about the Abba who will never leave them.  I want the GRIT that comes when you survive in a country like that.  I want the walk with God that comes from daily desperation. I want to have fewer belongings.  I want my belongings to be people.

I want my kids, while they are still young, to experience it.  To be changed because of it.  Deeper, wiser, and more grateful.

To see that life is more than cartoons on Saturday and what Thomas engine/Star Wars figure they want next or when they get to go to the park again.

Someone messaged me and asked a very very good question. ”How do you teach a child gratefulness?” I have been thinking it over in my mind constantly since she asked me. I have asked that question many times myself to other mothers, and would love to hear your thoughts on it.

What if I never live in another country, what if I raise my kids here.  Surrounded by things and commercials who tell them they need more? And what about the “I am bored” mentality among kids today. Isn’t that connected to gratefulness? I am curious what your thoughts are even if you do not have children..you were one once, what do you remember. What helped or would have helped you?

*I did not take any of these pictures, they were all taken by Missionaries including the first photo which was taken in England.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, April 14th, 2007 at 4:06 pm and is filed under Pictures for fun, Amazing Pictures, Raising Children. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.