Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”  - Elizabeth Stone

"Letting her GO, letting her GROW:

After spending a month in Swaziland Africa through Adventures in Missions, our 'baby girl' arrived home with a “surprise.” En route home from Africa our daughter Mackenzi had already applied for and arranged an interview for AIM’s “Gap Year World Race” mission. So inspired, she couldn’t even wait to land on American soil to apply! Wholly molly! Her Dad and I have always preached that we do not keep secrets except for, well, the present kind. Hmmm, does a 9-month mission “gap year” (whaaat? postponing college a whole year!) to 3 different countries, costing $16,000, serving humanity for God in small and big ways count as a “present” kind of surprise? As parents, we were flooded with mixed emotions and many questions. Paying $16 K to watch our baby travel across the world with a group of strangers as ya’ll can imagine is a bit much to stomach. So many questions. Where? How? Would she? Could she? Would a “gap year” take her off the trajectory of attending college? She’d already showed us she was devoted enough to fundraise and earn the Swaziland mission cost, but how would she earn 3 times that amount? Could she endure the required vaccinations? How would she be used to serve God’s people? Would she be safe? How would she stay well nourished? How often and how would we be able to communicate with her while she is gone for 9 whole months? Would we be able to handle not having her near home for 9 months? As Mackenzi remembers it in a world race blog, our “yes” (after patient listening and deep breathing) implied 'I support you and walk with you and will love you through this always, but you’re on your own to make it happen.' And we sweetly handed over the opportunity to fail, take responsibility and work hard, but simultaneously the opportunity to have God show up in her life. The dream God planted in her heart she had to fight for through her fears (ours too), sacrifice and disappointments. Remember the $16 K? She rose to that challenge through incredible creativity and ingenuity. Through her entrepreneurship she not only raised/earned funds to meet her goal, but she helped her teammates meet their goals to be fully funded too. Oh, and did I mention the world pandemic that literally shattered all understanding and expectations of how this mission would go or even if it would happen at all. It devastated and took the lives of millions of people worldwide and changed humanity forever. It has given the world, as well as the world racers, a deeper understanding of faith on more levels than words can express. In a blog she posted titles Dear Mom && Dad, Mackenzi said, 'Thank you for doing hard things every time they weren’t easy.'  Yes, it was very uncomfortable (not quite a strong enough descriptor) supporting our daughter in postponing an entire year of college for an experience that we could not even fathom. Saying 'Yes' has been such a gift to both us and Mackenzi. Throughout the entire process of applying and serving in the World Race during a historic pandemic God has faithfully 'shown up,' raising our daughter up in ways that only Abba can. This “adventure” experience has transformed, inspired, and molded our Mackenzi into an even more beautiful and amazing human being, deepening her passion for God and her brothers and sisters of humanity. God our Father has planted the seeds of His strength, love, gifts and endurance. Through her blogs and many choppy FaceTime chats we have witnessed the race experience and the people God put in her path along the way nurturing her and her fellow racers to 'grow strong without notice, be prepared for each season, provide shelter to strangers, emerge renewed at the sign of spring and stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky.' -Karen I Shragg.   

Mama’s and Dad’s of future racers we encourage you to say “YES” with full love, faith and support!" 

with love,

Kimberli