Going to Ghana! (Wait...what?)
2 weeks ago I sat in this very chair, looking at my computer and talking to a man in Ghana. Did that just happen? Did we really just accept a job to teach in Ghana?
I'm sure that most people reading this know that international ministry has been a desire of our heart for a long time. Since we came back to the States in 2015 we have always longed to go back out, but we knew the timing *had* to be the Lord's. It is HARD to move a family around the globe, and that's no small consideration.
We love the Network of International Schools that we served under in Korea and planned to stay with them as the Lord led. He never led us away, so we followed their school openings closely.
This is the basic process for working with an international school (at least within the realm of NICS)...jobs are posted in early November for the following school year. We talk to the powers that be at Home Office and let them know our considerations, they also let us know who is considering us ;) If a school wants to interview us they contact us.
We fully expected to know where we would be staying or going by the end of 2016. Ha!
In November we saw many great options. Some schools asked us to consider them and we declined-- a little out of fear of the unknown and a little out of desire to go to these other schools that looked like a better fit. Throughout November, December, and January, 5 schools had peaked our interest and began talking to us. And one-by-one they declined us. (A teacher changed his mind and stayed in the position, not hiring families with only 1 working spouse, maybe next year would be better, etc.) By the end of January we thought we were staying in Indiana another year.
But I heard a voice saying, we are not through yet.
We also know that every February our Network gathers in Mississppi for a Job Fair. Each school presents a quick presentation and video of life at their school. If you are there in-person you can interview on the spot. I kept reminding Jason that this was an option for us to attend. Even if not for this year, maybe just to get to know people face-to-face for next year. So we attended online from our living room, which means we could stream the presentations while I was recovering from being sick all weekend.
At the end of all the sessions we both summed up our identical interests. The same 3 schools sounded interesting for future years...but what about this school in Ghana? We turned them down in November when they asked to talk to us but now the position is still open...should we ask some more specific questions? Should we humble ourselves to go back and consider where we so quickly dismissed earlier?
Monday, Feb 20 we finished watching the job fair streams.
Monday, Feb 27 we had our first Skype interview *very* early in the morning!
Saturday, March 4 we had our second Skype interview and accepted the position.
What just happened?!
Even as I'm writing this, I'm at a loss for words other than ... "God happened."
Way back when we started this process in the fall, we talked about what our ideal school would look like, where they would be growing, what kinds of needs they had that we could fill, and how we could fit in to their community. And from what we can discern, this school fits everything we listed.
So here we go! Off to Ghana in July 2017!
Jason will be teaching PE & be the Athletic Director again, almost identical to his last position in Korea. I have a few ministry opportunities to mull over. Isaac is SUPER excited to be attending Daddy's school, Ethan will probably start Pre-school there as well. We are saying goodbye to snow, warm jackets, and all things cold as we prepare to live near the equator.
I have so much more I want to share in future posts: what does it look like to say goodbye, will we miss America, the leaving and staying emotions, what about all the books, ways that God has moved our hearts towards obedience, and of course the ways you can join us in ministry. But this is just how we got the call to Go.
Yep!
I'm sure that most people reading this know that international ministry has been a desire of our heart for a long time. Since we came back to the States in 2015 we have always longed to go back out, but we knew the timing *had* to be the Lord's. It is HARD to move a family around the globe, and that's no small consideration.
We love the Network of International Schools that we served under in Korea and planned to stay with them as the Lord led. He never led us away, so we followed their school openings closely.
This is the basic process for working with an international school (at least within the realm of NICS)...jobs are posted in early November for the following school year. We talk to the powers that be at Home Office and let them know our considerations, they also let us know who is considering us ;) If a school wants to interview us they contact us.
We fully expected to know where we would be staying or going by the end of 2016. Ha!
In November we saw many great options. Some schools asked us to consider them and we declined-- a little out of fear of the unknown and a little out of desire to go to these other schools that looked like a better fit. Throughout November, December, and January, 5 schools had peaked our interest and began talking to us. And one-by-one they declined us. (A teacher changed his mind and stayed in the position, not hiring families with only 1 working spouse, maybe next year would be better, etc.) By the end of January we thought we were staying in Indiana another year.
But I heard a voice saying, we are not through yet.
We also know that every February our Network gathers in Mississppi for a Job Fair. Each school presents a quick presentation and video of life at their school. If you are there in-person you can interview on the spot. I kept reminding Jason that this was an option for us to attend. Even if not for this year, maybe just to get to know people face-to-face for next year. So we attended online from our living room, which means we could stream the presentations while I was recovering from being sick all weekend.
At the end of all the sessions we both summed up our identical interests. The same 3 schools sounded interesting for future years...but what about this school in Ghana? We turned them down in November when they asked to talk to us but now the position is still open...should we ask some more specific questions? Should we humble ourselves to go back and consider where we so quickly dismissed earlier?
Monday, Feb 20 we finished watching the job fair streams.
Monday, Feb 27 we had our first Skype interview *very* early in the morning!
Saturday, March 4 we had our second Skype interview and accepted the position.
What just happened?!
Even as I'm writing this, I'm at a loss for words other than ... "God happened."
Way back when we started this process in the fall, we talked about what our ideal school would look like, where they would be growing, what kinds of needs they had that we could fill, and how we could fit in to their community. And from what we can discern, this school fits everything we listed.
So here we go! Off to Ghana in July 2017!
Jason will be teaching PE & be the Athletic Director again, almost identical to his last position in Korea. I have a few ministry opportunities to mull over. Isaac is SUPER excited to be attending Daddy's school, Ethan will probably start Pre-school there as well. We are saying goodbye to snow, warm jackets, and all things cold as we prepare to live near the equator.
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