As far back as I can remember I have heard about missionaries.  Not sure what your perception is of such people but I have always had the utmost respect for them.  Whether it’s a couple as old as my parents who have been in Africa for most of their adult life or a young family who sacrifices two years to missions, I feel it’s all good.  Some of my most favorite books are about brave souls who give up the American comforts to serve those who are the least of these.  I remember a time in my life that I wanted to be a missionary.  my first taste of travelling to another country and serve people who spoke a different language was when I was 19 and I went to Mexico.  In fact, my husband asked me about 12 years ago, ‘Where do you see us in 10 years’ and I said with great conviction, ‘I see us on the mission field.’

Fast forward 12 years and we have not sold our belongings, packed up the family and moved to a remote area of Africa to ‘become missionaries’.  I do believe that you don’t, in fact, have to go to the deepest areas of Africa to serve others.  I have a mission field and it’s called Rochester, mi.

Last week, God gave me a beautiful picture of this mission field as I worked alongside some amazing women from Zoe’s public school.  They were from India, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, Japan, South Korea to name just a few.  We held the school’s 2nd annual International Festival and I was excited.  I decided we would celebrate Zoe’s heritage and set up an Ethiopian booth.  I focused on children of Ethiopia and like in my old high school fashion I waited until the last week to prepare.  I did order a flag and many little flags and a beautiful authentic dress for Zoe to wear with plenty of time to arrive before the festival.  However, how I was going to transform a 10×10 tent to look like an Ethiopian house was a bit stressful.  The night before the festival I spotted a well used box of burlap in my basement and imagined that draped over the tent to make it look like a real hut and it turned out perfect.  My husband helped me set up and I was ready.  The daytime was split up into hour blocks for each grade to come through and ask questions and talk about your country.  The kids were fascinated to see other kids who had very little be very happy in these pictures.  It gave them a great perspective and I loved sharing with them.  This was not my favorite part of the day though.  I must say, when I walked around and learned about other countries and these wonderful people’s culture I felt like walls were down and barriers were broken.  Some couldn’t speak English very well but a smile and love goes a long way.  The children in Zoe’s class alone represent about 10 different countries.  This is incredible to me!  God has brought the world to my doorstep.  Zoe loves to share that she was born in another country.  Being born in Canada makes all our family aliens.   Canada isn’t far from here but it’s still different.  There is growth through an event like this.  Kids don’t have to feel different just because they don’t speak English and have different colored skin.  Sometimes when we hear that a school is culturally diverse we shy away from the unknown.  Zoe tells me that at lunch time her friends bring homemade pasta, samosas and eat with chopsticks in her cafeteria.  Awesome!

A proud moment for me was Zoe’s first day of school this past September.  She just left her old house and school of three years and made some neighborhood friends but walking into her school she carries a confidence that much prayer and open conversation has built up in my eight year old.  Some day God might call me to a different mission field.  I’m always asking and want to only live in His will.  I’m certain that He has shown me that my front porch light is on for a reason.  People need to see Jesus’ love right here in my city as I walk Zoe to school and see moms at the gym.  It’s pretty exciting to think that conversations around my kitchen island is just as important as serving someone around the world.  Look up and see who is around you.

The term, ‘life on mission’ gets me out of bed in the morning.  It makes sense of the mundane tasks and gets me out of the Michigan winter blues.  Looking at every relationship and encounter as important as we are to Jesus is also a great perspective.  Walk out your front door and encounter the world.