The Call to Missions
Originally posted on October 17, 2013
For over a year now, our family has been captivated by the idea of missions. It seems to be a theme we can’t escape. It all began a couple of years ago when a missionary from Africa visited our church. The following summer, as we prepared our children’s ministry curriculum, we decided to raise money for that missionary. My son, Landon, had been full of curiosity, amazed by the work missionaries do, and especially drawn to Africa. He started watching videos and reading books about Africa—its culture, people, wildlife, and the needs of the communities there.
Landon was so inspired that he decided he wanted to raise money for the missionaries himself. His plan? To color pictures and sell them. We launched the idea to family and friends, and in just a few months, Landon raised about $300 through his artwork.
As that first year came to a close, I should have seen the next step coming. Landon began telling me he wanted to go to Africa to help people learn about God. I thought it was sweet and told him maybe one day, when he was older, he could do just that. While I was proud of his heart, I didn’t put much more thought into it at the time.
Then one day, I came home and Landon shared something profound: "I know I’m a missionary because I tell people about Jesus, but I also know God wants me to go far away as a missionary." He began sharing his dream of becoming a missionary with people at church, and I realized this was something deeper than just a childhood ambition. It became clear to me that God was placing a real calling on his life. That’s when I started thinking seriously about how I could help prepare him for this calling.
Soon after, I had a dream—an extraordinary one, unlike anything I had ever experienced. It was so vivid and unmistakably from God. In the dream, I was told, “If God is calling Landon to be a missionary, who are you to hold him back because you think he’s too young?” In this dream, I saw Landon and me together in Africa. I also saw people ridiculing us for taking such a young child on this journey. But I knew without a doubt that God was telling me it was time.
From that day forward, I’ve committed myself to studying, making connections, and, most importantly, spending time in prayer. Through this process, I’ve come to understand that God isn’t just calling Landon; He’s calling our whole family. While I don’t have all the answers yet, and we’re not packing up to move to Africa tomorrow, I know we’re on this journey together, taking small steps of faith as God leads us.
We may not have the full picture yet, but we’re following Him one step at a time.
