The road I never thought I'd travel

"A man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps."

Prov. 16:9

I've told and retold this story so many times in person, it's about time I write it down.  This post gives you some background about when I decided to leave the education field and enter missions.  For now I'll be sharing more about the plunge into missions and how you can be a part of that.

Lesvos sunset, 2018

God first introduced me to refugees wayyyy back in 2010 when He brought me to Bangkok, Thailand.  I had agreed to help a coworker teach English to a large Pakistani family, and we ended up growing close over the next two years.  We were no longer just teachers and students.  We became a family during those two years.  I shared what I could about American culture to help prepare them for a life in the States.  They in turn shared their warm culture with us and their delectable culinary skills.

I wished I could devote more time to working with refugees, however, I couldn't figure out realistically how that would work.  I was teaching full time, after all.  I had to earn a living, didn't I?

I was wrong.

If I truly was relying on God to handle  my finances and future then I would have realized that I could devote myself to His work and not worry about financial stability (Phil. 4:6-7, Matt. 6:25-34).  The truth of the matter was, I needed to live my life as though I believed what God said in His Word -- after all, faith without deeds is dead (James 2:17).

In June of 2017, while volunteering with Lighthouse Relief, I was sitting on a rocky beach on a Greek island when I finally submitted to His will. And it was a relief.  I was struggling with teaching and I knew it.  God new it.  Ever since my time in Bangkok, I felt deep inside that I was headed toward something big.  Little did I realize it meant changing careers and moving to another country on another continent.  That's the beauty of God's plan -- it is far grander than anything we could imagine for ourselves, and will ultimately take a route we never saw coming.  I couldn't believe I was seriously considering quitting teaching.  At first I was startled, but I was immediately flooded with peace.

I was brimming with excitement.  This meant I could now devote all my time to working along side refugees without feeling like I should have a "real" job (i.e.: earn a salary).  So by June 2018 I headed back to Oregon without a definite time frame for heading into the mission field or what exactly I would be doing with refugees.  I had been in contact with Greater Europe Mission (GEM) since January, and was accepted as a one-year intern.  My plan has been to work as a substitute teacher in my hometown while I raise a year's worth of financial support.

Then in the month of August (before the school year really kicked off), I had the opportunity to go on a vision trip to Athens and the island of Lesvos to check out the ministry opportunities available.  I am so incredibly grateful for this trip!  Lesvos had my heart since I first volunteered last year.  I wanted to stay open to where God would led me, but if I were honest, I was pretty set on returning to the mission field on Lesvos.  But then God showed me the overwhelming work that needed to be done in Athens.  The families that want to integrate into Greek life.  The minors who are trying to reunite with their families.  The divide between Greeks and refugees caught in limbo.

And it broke me.

Even after my visit with the mission team on Lesvos, I was hesitant to give up my dream of returning to the island.  I desired Lesvos for selfish reasons, and sensed God was not drawing me there.  If I truly cared for the Kingdom, then I would have to be obedient to His calling.  He would take care of Lesvos with people He was equipping.  I am so thankful that God has brought me such peace through this entire decision-making process.  Although the need in Athens is great, two ministries in particular caught my eye, and can be found in this post.

Lesvos sunrise, 2018

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you are a part of it."

1 Cor. 12:27

It has not been easy, but God has been gracious.  I have never had to raise support of this magnitude before, so asking for financial support when I have always been self sufficient has been a humbling experience.  However, I also know, and have been reminded several times, that God equips certain people to go and certain people to stay.  Those He sends out of their home country are not alone, but are one part of the whole body of Christ.  We cannot all be proverbial feet, or ears, or eyes (1 Cor. 12:12-27) -- this was something I had to come to terms with.  I was not a failure if I couldn't do it all. God never expected us to be able to do everything.  And He never expected us to be everywhere.

Ultimately, His lesson is clear: we all work as one body.  All I can do is trust others to do what they are called to do, and support them as much as possible.

This is where you come in.  As I said, I cannot do this alone; which is why I am boldly asking you to join me on this venture.  If you have ever thought about ministering to asylum seekers and refugees, this is a wonderful opportunity for you! I need to raise $24,500 USD to live for one year in Greece, and I greatly need support!  I am confident God will supply this financial need.

Currently I am around 40% of my financial goal.  I would like to be in Greece by the end of January/beginning of February, however, I cannot set a 'launch date' until I have reached my goal; therefore these funds need to be in before the end of the year.

If you would like to make an end of the year donation, know that all financial contributions are tax deductible.  The best way to partner with me is through this link: www.gemission.org/missionaries/40130 and you may choose to make a one-time donation or become a monthly supporter.  This link operates similarly to a crowdfunding page, only it is directly through the GEM site.

Working with asylum seekers and refugees has weighed heavy on my heart for eight years.  Please consider helping this dream become a reality in the near future!  Let me know if you have any questions, and I will be happy to answer them!

-  Lissa