When Lauren and I went to see The Hobbit over Christmas, I was struck by the scene in which Gandalf invites Bilbo Baggins to join him on an adventure. To paraphrase, he told Mr. Baggins that he could not promise that he would return nor that he would ever be the same. I had chills because I felt as though Christ were speaking to me. I am Mr. Baggins, safe in my Ponte Vedra world and comfortable with a circle of family and friends, a roof over my head and a pantry stocked with food. Follow me but I cannot promise you will ever be the same.
Gulp.
I am Mr. Baggins striking out for the first time on a mission trip.
After much discussion over many months, Randy and I decided that this opportunity would be a good one for us to experience together as a family. Christianville, Haiti, we have been told, is a relatively safe environment where orphans are housed and missionaries come to help the Haitian people. We want to share with our daughters a different perspective than what we have been taught in our own culture and to put into practice Luke 12:48: "Great gifts mean great responsibilities."
Am I nervous? Yes, I am. I pray for our safety, and I pray God will use us on this trip in the way He has deemed. But what does that mean? I sense we will never be the same.
