Russia...

When I was 8 years old, I attended Kid's Camp in Carlinville, IL. It was there during an altar call, that I felt God tell me that I was going to be a missionary to Russia. I had no idea where Russia was, or even what Russia was. I did not know that it was, at that time, a communist country closed to outsiders. I just knew that I heard that word in my heart. I came home, and shared the news with my parents. My mom asked how I knew it was God who spoke to me, and I matter-of-factly replied, "Because it was a sweet voice." My parents supported me, but knew that I was a young girl who felt called to a closed region with an "iron curtain" to keep foreigners out. It was a far fetched idea. But, they never told me "no".

When I was 15, I was sitting at home and I received a phone call from an individual named Renate. I had never met her, but she had heard my name from a family member. She was calling to ask if I was interested in going to Russia to work in an orphan Bible camp for a summer. As soon as I got off the phone with her, I started to cry. I knew that I was supposed to go, because God had told me that seven years earlier. I told my parents about my desire, and they knew the answer immediately as well.

Never once did my parents question where the money would come from to support my trip. Instead, they helped me raise the money. Never once did my parents express anxiety about me going half way around the world without them at the age of 15, for over a month. Instead, they prayed for me, and helped prepare me. They knew that is was God's will, and instead of fighting it, they complied.

My parent's obedience in that circumstance set the stage for the rest of my life.

More tomorrow.