HEY! Goodbye... See you later?

There are a LOT of challenges to living on the foreign mission field. 

Power-outages.

Mosquitoes. 

Tarantulas.

Government strikes.

Rice and Beans... every day :) (I actually love rice and beans for the record... but as much as I try I can NOT make it like the Dominicans and I could never eat it every day!)

We won't even begin to mention the spiritual attacks, especially when we live among  Satan worshipers and voodoo! 

It isn't always the easiest life... but it is worth every bug, centipede and dog bite :) 

(If you don't know what I'm talking about, now is a good time to read some of my older blogs, haha!) 

However, one of the most difficult things about serving here in the Dominican is the number of "Hellos" and "Goodbyes" that we have to say.

Amazing mission teams, interns, visitors and missionaries come down and we say "HEEEEYYYY!!!" 

A tarantula visiting our friends Craig and Joanna

We get excited, we fall in love, we bond, we laugh, we cry... and then in a few short days, weeks, months or years at some point or another we have to say "Goodbye" once again.

There are people who we meet once and won't reunite with until we pass from this earth.

Others that we have the blessing of seeing at least once a year!

Some come several times a year.

And there are a few that just overstay their welcome :) heehee. Just kidding!

But I must admit, it is hardest to say goodbye to those we have lived with, served with, suffered with and laughed with for more than just a day or two.

We face yet another one of those "Goodbyes" this week as we say "See you later" (because I refuse to say goodbye) to some of our dear friends - Ashley and Charles Carter. Because of a clear leading from the LORD and some health concerns, they will be heading back to the States tomorrow.

Charles (who we all call by his last name - Carter) and Ashley have been serving in the Dominican Republic for 5 years. They primarily served in the GAP ministry (college-aged students studying missions, Spanish and Bible), but also translated, taught, and served with Lily House as well. They have worked their butts off for God's glory!!!

Ashley and Charles Carter

However, you may know Carter more for his famous pregnancy announcements on my Facebook wall FAR before we even thought about having baby. 

Either way, they are some of our closest friends and we are sad to see them go. 

Like... REALLY sad.

So, why do I tell you all of this? 

What GOD is teaching me through their leaving and other circumstances that I am facing at this time, is that sometimes GOD leads us in a direction that we don't quite understand. 

HE pulls us away from those we love. 
HE turns our world upside down.
HE empties our hands of our most treasured belongings.

Not because HE is an evil GOD, but because HE is a loving GOD.

Because in our emptiness, our rawness, our nakedness... we have nothing more to cling to than to GOD Himself. 

It is where true trust comes in to play.

I don't know why trusting an all-knowing, all-powerful, always present GOD is so hard (HA-HA) but I guess the fear isn't so much in GOD Himself... it's more the "what comes next?"

HOWEVER, knowing that my Saviour is also, ALL-LOVING means that HIS plans are best. 

Jeremiah 29:11, 

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

So friend, maybe you're not heading to another country, but you're still heading in to the unknown. Be at peace. You may not know what's coming... but HE does. Trust Him. Follow Him. And rest in HIS promises.

Please pray for Ashley and Carter as they transition... until we say "Hello!" once again :)