live.connect.grow: GO Conference - getting to know ourselves and our team

Welcomed to our cabin

Church de Nieuwe Blasiuskerk

One of the great opportunities that we had this summer was to join with over 230 other international "OMers" who were also beginning their field assignments. This 10-day conference was held at a camp near the town of Delden in the Netherlands. We were really thankful for the beautiful surroundings and for the opportunity to meet so many other people who have answered God's call to serve on the mission field.

We had prayer and worship times each day, personal reflections called, "Shhh time," and great opportunities to meet with other OM missionaries who have already been working in the field for years. It was a great time for us to learn about the culture of OM as an organization, but also to get to meet some of the people who lead it.

Although it was meant to be a kind of working retreat, we found it to be really stressful at times. Having been on the field for 8 months already and the thought of school looming ahead of us as soon as we got back home put us in a unique situation. We spent a lot of time talking about transition and what it means to move our family from one culture to another; why it seems so difficult to fit in even if you look the same on the outside; and how we can better prepare for some of the other transitions coming our way in the future.

As difficult as some of these days were, I can really say that at the end of it, we came away very thankful to be a part of OM. We are really encouraged by the leadership of our teams, in the US, in France, and internationally. I personally came away with a clearer vision for France and for what it will take to really reach the French people. Watching God use veteran missionaries to speak to us and encourage us one-on-one really means a lot. Knowing that there are other families out there who have already done or are in the process of doing what we're doing builds our faith.

I am truly excited to be part of a team that focuses so much on prayer, on worship, on the word, and on resourcing the people that they are working with. So here's my shameless plug, if you're considering missions in any way, please think of OM!