I begin researching what I could on the web. I prayed. I went to the library and checked out a book on India. All the while, Gary thought I was out of my mind. Now at this point it’s fair to acknowledge that those who love me will occasionally point out my great ability to pursue a thirst for knowledge, letting nothing stand in the way of accomplishing mastery of my most recent passion. Ok, ok, what they really tell me is that I get obsessed. And I did fear in this case that I was letting myself get carried away with a romantic notion. Traveling the world! Spreading God’s love to all nations! What’s not to like?
Terrorists, my dear husband would remind me. That is, if the mosquitoes or dysentery don’t get you first! We both found ourselves thinking about going on this trip, but were caught between two extremes: fearless enthusiasm, and well, reality. We have a happy life here in Sacramento: a steady job, a house of our own, and a church we’re very involved with. Who’d want to leave such a paradise? Well, it was only a matter of time before things changed. A few days later, Gary was called into a meeting by his bosses ‘people’. Though he delivered a superior work product, they told him, his services would no longer be necessary. Four days after that, our senior pastor made the sudden announcement that he was stepping down to take a position at a church in his wife’s hometown. The future of our church home looked uncertain. Suddenly the stable, comfortable life we thought we had was slipping away. “God?” we said, “Are you doing something here?” And we begin to pray in earnest.
