The kids and I sometimes sing the classic song, "One in the bed and the little one said, "Roll over!" Do you remember how that song goes?
At the end of this counting song, the "little one" who keeps announcing that the others should roll over finds himself or herself all alone in the bed. I normally think that final verse is a triumphant declaration that the "little one" enjoys no longer sharing the bed with all the others. In McNeal, our staff often feels a little of that transition as the team "rolls over" one family after another to fields of service overseas. Our staff at the international headquarters in McNeal has welcomed an average of three families for the past several years. Families arrive in late August for orientation and most families complete their training within nine months. Some pilots are invited to complete additional training as a helicopter pilot once their fixed-wing training is complete.Our family has been able to rejoice with three families each of the last two years as they completed training and raised the needed financial support to move to their field assignment overseas. We recently enjoyed a sermon from Acts 12 in which the church which Barnabas and Saul (Paul) served as teachers and leaders were given the instruction to send these men on God's mission, to bring the gospel to those who had not yet heard. The pastor recognized the hard task of investing in the life of another for the purpose of sending them to bear fruit somewhere else. Every time another family becomes a part of our lives and leaves for another field of ministry, a part of our hearts travels with them.
This month, we celebrate the one year anniversary of dear friends arriving in the Philippines. We miss the Thursday morning playdates and deep conversations about parenting. A few weeks before, another family arrived in Papua New Guinea to join five other families - all of whom completed training and began serving the field within the last three years. These are pilots and mechanics who worked side by side with David every day. These are moms who homeschooled their kindergarteners alongside Allison and cheered when Joelle learned to enjoy reading. These are the "best" friends with whom we celebrate birthdays in person now and then we let go and let them meet new best friends.
Each summer we let go and each fall we open our hearts again knowing that it will be worth the investment. It isn't easy being called to be a "sender", a trainer, a mentor. It isn't easy being a youth leader, a coach, a teacher, a parent, a pastor. It would be easier to focus on the tasks of the training and leave out the part in which we share lives, dreams, faith, hope, and love. If we live like that, we will miss out on the rich privilege God has given us: to be part of his family, a temple made of living stones (1 Peter 2). If we close our hearts to the people God brings into ministry through training with Ethnos360 Aviation, we will miss the privilege of praying for these pilots and mechanics, their wives, their children.
We are joining together in the spiritual war of advancing on enemy territory with the good news about freedom from sin and darkness. David and I are reading with our kids through the book of Romans. In chapter 10, Paul writes, "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Our teammates are traveling to places that are extremely difficult to reach by foot, but the fruit of their labor is still very beautiful. What a privilege to partner with them and encourage these families as we send them to bring good news so many can call on and believe in our Savior, Jesus.
So when the end of this year's training comes and we face another "roll over" of graduates in May and new families in August, we will still open our hearts and our homes to the people God sends through McNeal to the ends of the earth. Why? Because Jesus is worthy and we want to see "a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb". Together, we will worship Jesus who has been with us through every transition we have faced and has never left us singing alone.
