I’m Susan Swepston, and my husband, Van, and I have the privilege of being Elise’s Mom and Dad. (And also of Ian, Eric and Juliana! We borrowed Elise’s good friend, Christie, for the picture above although I would gladly claim her as a daughter, too!) Elise has asked me to write some Guest Blogs before, during and after my Parent Vision Trip (PVT). Here it goes!
“She’s selling these bracelets to raise money to go on something called the World Race.” That was in July 2011, and it was the first time our family heard of the World Race. When the young lady involved, Megan Czerwinski, told me what the World Race was, I think even then I knew that one day, at least one of my children would be leaving on the Race. It described too perfectly the type of thing my high-adventure family loves.
My husband, Van, and I have always encouraged our children to get out of their comfort zone and do hard things. So, it wasn’t too surprising when Elise told us during her senior year at Anderson University that she was considering applying for the World Race. We encouraged her to pursue it. At no other time in her life would she have the freedom that she would have immediately following college. Nothing to tie her down. No bills. No commitments. But have we missed her? Absolutely!
The number one comment I get when I tell people what Elise has been doing this year is, “You must be so worried about her!” In reality, we have not been worried. Adventures in Missions has an excellent track record, or we would not have encouraged her to go in the first place. Van and I also firmly believe that she is walking in God’s will and that there is no safer place she could be regardless of what may or may not happen. Worrying would accomplish nothing except to make us miserable for the year she is gone. While we wait anxiously for her next text, phone call, or update, it is not due to fear but more due to anticipation as we have enjoyed living vicariously through her experiences.
Our one concession to worry prior to Elise’s launch was that both Van and I got our passports renewed. If something does happen during her year on the race, we did not want the lack of a passport to be a barrier to getting to her. (Maybe it was not so much worry as living by the Scout motto to “Be Prepared.”)
What I have been more concerned about is who I will be getting back at the end of the Race. I not only loved but also very much liked the young lady that we left in Atlanta in October. However, I know that there is no way that the same person will be getting off the plane in August. All the Racers will have grown and changed during this year – it is inevitable. The Elise that gets off the plane will be the one that God has made her through the experiences He has given her in the last year as she has learned to not just walk, but to dance with Him.
Originally, Van and I had not intended to attend the Parent Vision Trip. We knew it would be expensive, and by the time the PVT for her squad ends, Elise finishes her Race in just two month’s time. In addition, three days after the end of PVT, Van is leaving on a trip where he is leading a group of 33 scouts on a 2-week trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. That trip has been in the planning process for over 18 months – long before we knew about PVT. Van and I talked to Elise about it, and she understood our reasoning for not attending PVT. Then at Launch, there was a session about PVT and what we would experience. At that point, I turned to Elise and said, “If you invite me, I will come to PVT although Dad still won’t be able to come.” Her eyes filled with tears, and I knew I would be booking a trip to Romania.
PVT will be my first glimpse of the new Elise. I’m excited to see who God had in mind.
In Christ,
Susan Swepston
