My husband and I formerly served as missionaries in Central America with the International Mission Board (SBC). We had a call from God for overseas missions and we sold our house and most of our belongings and moved our family to Costa Rica. After one year, the Lord clearly told us to return to the U.S. It was very difficult for us and we resisted this for months. Only after much fasting, tears, and prayer did we surrender to the Lord to stay in the U.S. People ask if it was difficult to leave our lives in America. The answer is not really, but it was heartbreaking to leave the mission field. I could not understand why God would place such a strong call to missions in our hearts and then tell us to live in the U.S.
Since then, I have come to understand that He desires for us to spread His vision for the lost souls of the world and to lead others to go. God has given us the privilege of leading hundreds of teams to share the gospel around the world.
Although we have done VBS, medical clinics, drama, youth ministry, hut-to-hut evangelism and English teaching, as well as conducted eye clinics in 3rd world countries, we have found that bringing the gospel through pregnancy center ministries is one of the most effective ways to reach a community for Christ. We currently have over 60 centers established outside the U.S., staffed by trained national volunteers. We visit them with teams regularly to conduct training and various ministries to spread the Good News. We strive to be all things to all people in order to spread the gospel, as Paul said.
Decisions about where to go are made through much prayer. Whenever I meet and talk to people, I am looking to see if God will open a place for us to go or will use this person on a future team. God has brought people into my life and opened doors of ministry to places I would never have dreamed of going, including closed communist and Muslim countries. We believe that as we sacrifice our time, money, and personal conveniences to minister the gospel to those who have never heard, we are blessed beyond measure.