Still Accidentally Traveling the World
I wrote two years ago about the way my family accidentally broke our travel rules. My siblings and I grew up understanding that leaving the country as independent travelers was something between discouraged and unthinkable. This was largely for good reasons - my family of 5 is a strong-forged web of loving relationships. We have an established life in Pennsylvania with connections and opportunities. Our loved ones beyond the immediate family are almost all in the U.S.A and many are in our state. But I think the rule was also motivated by fear. The fear of unknown dangers and the fear of the pain of separation.
Bafflingly, I grew up convinced that I should spend a span of my life in South America. When my family processed our first passports and the security worker screened our plans, I was the only family member who said he was thinking about going to Peru. I explored that path, but eventually decided it was not for me.
A series of steps of faith and personal adventures brought me to my temporary home country - Spain. How we Accidentally Became World Travelers . And my brother and I started paths to become more than travelers, paths to become married men abroad. Neither of us knew the path when we took our first steps, but for both of us it has been a marvelous adventure.
I met my wife on my last exploration trip to Spain. I rented a room from her family and had strong feelings for her by the time I returned home. We spent a year apart falling in love with phone calls and video calls. Our relationship spanned hours and hours of Jeni tutoring in Spain while I worked 12 hour mental health hospital shifts. I used to call her on my 7 am 12 minute drive to work and many other more relaxing times.
My brother traveled to Thailand with two motivations that he sensed as one combined direction. Explore possible church work in the country and continue dating a girl he had met in Pennsylvania. They started the ministry year together in Chiang Mai but the relationship soon ended. Ryan knew it was not the type of relationship he needed.
When I finally saw my brother again, 12 months after his launch to Thailand, we went swimming in the sprawling Atlantic Ocean. He told me of his love interest in a young woman who worked with him in Thailand. He wanted to date her, but he was not sure about her character. Did she really want to follow the God who is so important to my brother and I?
As soon as Ryan got back to Thailand, he started to realize that his friend both was and wanted to follow God. His heart became hopeful. Over months and months they got to know each other and decided that they will get married.
I bought my tickets for Thailand this week. My parents and my sister and I are preparing to unite there to celebrate my beloved Ryan. It seems our unintentional travels will never stop. But God’s hands have been guiding them all along, calling us to obedience and filling our lives with blessings.
