Reflections (by Amanda)

Note from Thom: A few months ago I wrote about how we ended up in Mali as missionaries with the Christian & Missionary Alliance. Two weeks ago I reflected on the fact that it had been exactly two years from the time I visited Burkina Faso and fell in love with Africa. Now, Amanda offers her perspective, two year after-the-fact, on the path the Lord led us on to serve as missionaries in Bamako, Mali.

Two years ago this month I would never have imagined where I am today. Thom was just getting back from a short-term missions trip to Burkina Faso and I had just finished a couple weeks of prayer with one of my closest friends. Through this time of discovery I felt God had helped me let go of many things both physical and emotional. I knew deep in my heart God was calling us, Thom and me, into the ministry. I hadn’t talked to Thom much while he was gone, just two brief conversations and I did not know where his leadings were, but I decided I would have a contingency plan. That is, when I began figuring out how soon we could be debt free I would have us use the money I had been saving for a car and pay off the rest of our school loans and then we could be ready to go where God was leading. I thought this through so that when Thom came home and said, “What do you think about missions?” I would be ready to go where Thom felt God’s leading, because I knew God was working in his heart too.

When Thom arrived home two days later he asked, “What do you think about missions?” The Lord had already prepared my answer: I told Thom that in about two years we could go, but I wanted to be certain that who we went with was what God wanted. I told him I wanted the neon sign, the big, open door, the huge road, the way that could not be mistaken. None of this searching and begging for an organization to use us! I wanted clarity so I could look back and say this is how we knew. After this Thom began to look at possibilities to see what ministry opportunities were available.

That is were it all began and it has been a rollercoaster ride ever since. Through a connection Thom had made at speaking engagement we met a wonderful lady named Nancy Pierce who forwarded our name to C&MA national office. Then it came: the neon sign, the path that could not be mistaken. The office asked if they could interview us by phone and they did. Then the office asked us to apply - no begging from us; we didn’t have to search for the opportunity. God gave it to us. So here I am two years later sitting in Africa learning my third language and writing this story! I said two years and as it happened we would be ready to leave in six months! When God moves, He doesn’t mess around. During these two incredible years much has happened, but in each step God has given assurance and encouragement. I am looking for the great things God is going to continue to work out in our lives and cannot express the astonishment I feel each time I remember how He chose us.