Parental Perspective

Parents, I just wanted to post a quick blog entry to let you know how impressive our kids have been these last three weeks from our perspective as missionaries here.  

I know you have all taken a huge step of faith in putting your kids in the Lord's hands and trusting that God is big enough to teach them, use them, and keep them... all while they are so far away from you.  

Life overseas is full of interesting experiences...new food, new people, new language, new ways of working, plans changing...sometimes things lacking, like hot water or Internet access, and on and on.  For Alfie and I, this is very much life in cross-cultural ministry.  Many short-termers do not do well with so much to adapt to and do without, but our kids have demonstrated flexibility, teachability, patience, kindness to one another...just plain maturity. They have dealt with disappointment, sorrow, inconvenience, and confusion by pulling together, talking things out, and bringing things to God.

Alfie and I are raising our three children here in Ukraine. We are foreigners here, and there are times when we just can't meet a need one of our kids has had. This is humbling and scary for me at times. But I have never failed to see God provide for my kids the things that they have needed through unexpected people, or unexpected circumstances. Their world has had to be wider than just mom and dad. And The Lord has never failed to awe us in the way He chooses to take care of our kids here.

Similarly, your kids have faced many challenges here and have grown as a result. Their world has had to become wider too, and we have seen  that the love of God is still far wider, deeper, longer and higher and as they have become more rooted and grounded in this Great Love, they have responded to challenges with great grace.  And just so you know, the five leaders who have labored alongside them, Josh, Lyndsey, Blake, Scott and Kaitlyn, have been faithful and wise channels of that love. 

At times, God has asked our kids to understand that this trip isn't just about themselves, but that there are ripples of the Spirit moving through the relationships they are building that radiate out into many lives.  On many occasions they have chosen to say "not my will, but Thy will by done, Lord." We have had teams of adults who have not been able to make that choice.

So I just want to say "thanks,"  for letting your kids' worlds be wider than just life in OC this summer, to include us, Ukraine, and the many new Ukrainian young people who are also journeying towards God with them.

Julie Mossé