Why?! Why would you want to move there?

WHY?! is the question we are getting a lot. I have a feeling those who haven’t asked are wondering the same thing.

We can answer the why question in 3 parts:

Cultural Experience…

We live in a global community. Not only has the world shrunk through advances in communication and travel technology, but our own nation is almost as diverse as the world itself. America is a blend of so many nationalities and cultures. To really connect with your classmates, professors, co-workers, and neighbors, you need a well-rounded global understanding. What better way to understand life outside the United States than to go live somewhere else. And no, a trip to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean won’t cut it. We want to know people, see their circumstances, and understand their culture.

Learn the Language…

After each trip we have taken, the one thing we always wish is that we knew the language better. It is really difficult to learn a language authentically by sitting in a classroom or listening to CD’s, especially as an adult. All five of us have done that, and learned a little Spanish, but not enough. There is no comparison to being immersed in the language. After a year, maybe we’ll give an award to the family member who understands the most and speaks the best.

Serve globally…

This is by far the biggest draw for us. There are needs everywhere, both here in the US and abroad. We have tried to raise our children with servants’ hearts - to always be mindful of others and help whenever possible. By taking us out of the comfort of our home and community here in the busy US rat race, we will be able to focus more of our daily lives on serving others. We want to grow as a family and stretch our faith. There are going to be challenges. We expect this to be one of the most difficult, trying things we ever do. It feels like possibly the most risky and frightening and crazy thing we will ever do. But this decision has also brought us much peace, fulfillment, and encouragement. That is what we are getting from serving in the way we hear God calling us – a life full of adventure and purpose. God wants us to serve one another. Some people are led to do so across the country, some are called next door, while others feel drawn to another part of the world. After having served in Nicaragua on short-term trips several times, we have simply felt drawn back there to serve long-term.

We feel so fortunate to have the collective desire and ability to do something that is going to be such an adventure, and in many ways, so selfless. Some would say it is human nature to want to serve others. People instinctually band together and serve whenever tragedy strikes. It is something that we marvel at, and see as true human nature exposing itself. We believe that this desire has been given to us from God. It is a characteristic that should be exercised daily. He calls us to go and make disciples of all nations, to go into the world and preach the gospel. John Piper says, “to belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him.” Our mission is to go and show the love of Jesus through our actions. We may not be preachers or have degrees from a seminary, but we can live a life that is reflective of His goodness. We can love people as Jesus did.

Stay tuned for answers to the HOW questions… 

WE'RE GOING!!!

Love God, Love People, Serve the World. That’s what it’s all about. It’s Christianity, in its simplest form.

Everyone has their own place in this world, and sometimes it takes a while to find out where that is. For us - the Izzo family - we have been preparing for this next adventure for years.

Jeff and I have travelled on short term mission trips for almost 10 years. We have been to places like Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Belize, and New Orleans for Katrina relief. We find joy in serving others, especially those who have less. Whether it is painting shutters for a church or playing baseball with kids, we have found that the essence of our faith is at its purest when connecting with and serving others.

A few years ago, we decided it was time to bring the kids with us on a trip abroad. At the time, Sammy was 6, Nate was 9, and Julia was 11. Around that same time, we reconnected with some friends, Wyeth and Wendy Willard, who wanted the same thing for their family. With Wyeth’s family already having a ministry in place in Nicaragua, it seemed like our reconnection was more than just coincidence.

Shortly after that, we started planning a family mission trip to Campo Alegria in Nicaragua. It was amazing to see our kids hang out with kids from a different culture and language. A wise man told us that the language of kids is “fun.” That was certainly apparent when watching the boys, who don’t speak each other’s languages, collect rocks and build friendships. Who needs words?
We took a second trip a little over a year later, during Christmas break. We all put aside our American Christmas of shopping, decorations, and feasts to spend time with some families in Nicaragua who rarely get even a day off of work.

After the second trip people began asking: Where are you going next? Have you thought about going abroad for an extended period of time? The truth is, spending an extended period abroad has been a desire of ours since our first mission trip. It’s something that has always seemed like too much of a stretch from our established lives in the Maryland. But the more often we have served abroad, the more we’ve wanted to go for a longer period of time. After seeing how Julia, Nate, and Sam responded on their first couple of trips to Nicaragua, it seemed that the time was here to make a big decision.

And so it began. Often when we reach one goal, we look ahead to doing more, to extend ourselves. We learn and grow when we are pushed outside of our comfort zone. Sometimes, our comfort zone is further away, that’s why we have to keep extending ourselves. Over the past year and a half, we have had a lot of ups and downs. At times we were extremely confident in everything falling into place to make this move a reality, and other times it seemed like the bottom had dropped out, and it would have to wait for another time. But God seems to always have a way of testing and strengthening our faith in the way He lays plans for us.

So, for about a year now, we have been praying and planning with the Willards, and in July, we will be going to Nicaragua for the 2012 - 2013 school year. We love God and people, and we want to serve the world. Nicaragua is where we are called to be, and we are all so excited about this amazing adventure!!

Stayed tuned for more…