Leaving For A Year

Today as I was walking my son to the bus I was reflecting on how a couple in my church was taking themselves and their three kids to Ecuador for a year. They are both doing missions related work and feel that God is definitely leading them to do this. As we walked I asked Riker, "What would you do if I told you that Mommy and I thought we felt God was asking us to go to another country for a year?" He thought about this for a moment and then said "Cool!"

As we talked a little more, Riker realized that this would mean him having to give up his friends for a year. Then he wasn't so sure. I remember reading a short story in Outside Magazine a few years ago about a guy who decided that he wanted to live overseas for a year so his kids could get a cross cultural experience. His own parents had did it while he was young. So he and his family did some research and found a nice little coastal village somewhere in Spain and moved there. The kids learned Spanish and went to the local school. For a year they basically just learned to fit in and explored the countryside. Since the man was an author, he continued to work without a hiccup in their monthly cashflow. It all seemed so idyllic.

On and off since then I've daydreamed about leaving for a year. Either on missions or just for a cross cultural adventure. Occasionally Jobina and I talk about it but I think it's mostly my dream. Still, I think it would be very cool if God would open up all the doors to have this kind of experience. What about you? Have you done something like this or dream of it? Or perhaps that is the last thing you would do? I'm just curious if other people have these kind of thoughts.