oh, the places you'll go

This post is meant to share where in the world we're thinking of going as missionaries, but first I want to share this amazing idea I heard recently on the Today Show.

So you know the Dr. Seuss book, Oh, the Places You'll Go? Apparently it's a popular high school graduation present, but there's a dad who got a copy of it when his daughter was in kindergarten, and had her teachers and coaches sign it every year for 13 years. How awesome is that?! So I knew that I wanted to do that for Ellie and Hazel. Nick thinks it would be awesome even if it was just in a journal or something, but the Elementary teacher that I am, really LOVES the idea of putting it in a Dr. Seuss book! Now, considering we're probably going to spend most of our children's childhood in another country, that book will look much different. My dream is that other missionaries that we live with, nationals that we spend time with, and other people that will have a huge influence on our girls' lives will be in that book. Not just their teachers throughout school. What an amazing thing that will be!

Anyways, we met with the world missions pastor at Second Pres recently, and since we have no real direction on where we'll go as missionaries, he gave us some practical advice. We know that we are committed to going to an unreached people group, which means there are no churches, no access to the gospel. This also most likely means that it will be a Muslim people group. So here are some places that have been in the conversation so far...

• Libya has been mentioned. Because of everything that has happened in Libya with the civil war last year, it seems like it could be a great time to get into the country. Apparently the people are very open to outsiders right now. However, there is currently no mission effort in Libya yet, so we would be the first. And to be honest, it scares us to go to a place where no one has been before us, but we're still open to it.
• Bihar, India is also on the list. We know another couple that is going there later this year to work with some other couples that are already there. So potentially, we could go join this group for a couple years, learn the language and culture, learn from the other missionaries. And then build a team of our own to specifically work with Muslims. We really like how that sounds, except for the months of 120 degree heat...We both hate the heat! Plus, we were also asked by WO people this week specifically if we were still interested in India...so they might have some ideas that we don't yet know about! :)
• And SE Asia...We had a couple conversations with a couple who lives there, working with Tibetan Buddhists.They have expressed some interest in at least getting to know us better. And they'll be in Memphis next month, so it would be interesting to get to hear more about what they're doing.