Hi Family! I'm on the other side of the world right now and I wish I could be there with you all so badly!
But…I'm so thankful for what the Lord has been showing me about family here.
Family is so important, isn't it? (Understatement of the year.)
It can be the source of life or death to the people who belong to it.
In the past few months I've seen families who stick together in persecution, in earthquakes, as refugees, as people suffering from everything imaginable… and still, these families stay strong together. It is so inspiring.
I've had the opportunity to spend time with families who are changing their world by their ministry, and they include their young children. They are raising up a new generation of people who will make a difference in this world. I am in awe.
I've seen a lot of broken families too. The hardest is to see kids return to the streets day after day to beg for money because their parents force them to go. Sometimes parents supervise, to make sure the kids hand over everything they get. These parents should be sending their children to school, but they are sending them to the streets to make money for their addictions.
Now I'm in Cambodia working at a rehabilitation home with girls who have been abused and trafficked. They get therapy and education at the school, but sometimes the biggest battle at the school is to convince their parents to let them stay at the girls home. Its a tough battle because a trafficked girl can bring in a lot of money for a family. It's all heartbreaking.
But, I've also seen families in tragic situations and still, the joy of the Lord shines through. Some of them have next to nothing but the extended family comes together and gladly provides the best meal possible for me and my team. It is so humbling.
I wonder what any of these people would see if they came to our family reunion?
I bet they would see people laughing and playing yard games. Every now and then I'm sure someone will bicker because we can all unleash our ugly at each other under stress, but we get over it quick and go back to having fun. All in all, someone observing the big family reunion would see people are mostly just having a good time together.
Anyone I've met in my last three months of travelling the world would gladly trade places with anyone to be in our family. An observer would stand in awe at the beauty and blessing in our family unit. It's really unbelievable how fortunate we are.
The other day I was talking to Malea (my sister) about what an incredible gift she has been given to be a parent. Being a mom or dad is the most important job in the world. When a parent is absent, children are exploited and left alone to figure life out. It usually doesn't end well. But an involved mom or dad can change the life of their child and in that, they change the world in a small but important way.
And the influence isn't just with parents. Its brothers and sisters too. And cousins, and uncles, and aunts. Grandparents, and Great Grandparents.
Families change everything. And we don't chose our family. God gave us the family we have for a reason.
I have a whole new appreciation for my family, for you all, after seeing how important a family can be. Thank you so much for impacting my life the way you all have.
We have been blessed, haven't we? We all have someone in our family who is on our side. We have people who love us. And even though our family is so far from perfect, no matter what, I think we all love each other and at the end of the day our family is there for us.
I've felt the support from you all while on this World Race. And I value the messages and comments and support more than you could possibly know. I can't wait to spend time with you when I get home. I hope you guys have a terrific time at The Russum Reunion!
I'm there with you in spirit and I love you all!
Sidenote to everyone still reading this blog who is NOT at The Russum Reunion:
If you've been blessed by your family, please tell them you love them ASAP. And if you're a parent, thank you for all you do for your children. You have a hard job but God has chosen you for it. I'm praying for parents everywhere a lot more lately, that God would give them great wisdom and guidance as they follow His lead.
God, bless the families in this world. Heal the broken and strengthen the tired, give hope and joy to all its members, bring fulfillment and peace to all the families struggling to function in this broken world. God bless our families.
