Countdown to Ghana: 24 Hours to GO!

In 24 hours I will be on a plane headed to a part of the world I never thought I would visit for a purpose 12 months ago I thought was someone else's calling.  My mind is a whirl right now and my emotions are right there as well.

Last night during the Pack and Pray for our team, I was very moved by the support shown by family, friends, and co-workers who all took time out of their evenings, to come and participate in the commissioning of the team.  At one point, I found myself seated in the middle of these special people while they took turns praying over me.  What an amazing blessing!  I could not hide the emotion that overtook me.

During the evening, our outreach pastor, reminded everyone these mission trips are two sided in that it takes the person willing to go and serve on one side and it takes people willing to support through prayer and other resources on the other.  The commission is a co-mission.  I think that is a great way to look at this experience.  Without doubt I have been extremely blessed in the out pouring of encouragement, prayer, and support around this trip.  I go to serve, but I am sent by family and friends as partners in this co-mission.

I also have been reminded in the past few weeks that this mission trip actually started as soon as I was named to the team.  It never occurred to me before how true that is.  Almost immediately after being named, the opportunities for me to share my faith - how God has been moving in my life - have significantly increased.  My awareness of my responsibility as a role model - to serve others - for my children also heightened and my willingness to put others before my self has increased as well.  12 months ago, I would have described myself as a selfish person (God has been moving in my heart) but these are all traits and qualities that God has been fine tuning over the past couple months in preparation for Ghana.  Whether or not they are aware, he has been using family, friends, and co-workers in a powerful and positive way in my life to help me grow, to help prepare me to GO.

So, I am only hours away from the next phase of this co-mission - actually GOing!  It seems surreal for me in one sense, but more than anything I am filled with an enormous sense of gratitude for the people in my life who are sending me, the 'co' in this mission.