A man named Bill…

When Bill (a total stranger) walked into our world, I had the immediate sensation that I had known him my entire life. He was kind, friendly and wore a genuine smile that warmed my soul.

We were 2000 miles from home on our first RV adventure. We barely made it out of Michigan, driving through one of the many blizzards this winter brought to our doorstep. Scott and I are not really known for taking small steps, so it came as no surprise to our friends and family that we didn’t start road tripping with a small rig and a short-term, local jaunt….. Instead, we dove headfirst into a 35′ Class A Motorhome and took a 4,000 mile maiden voyage that lasted 30 days 😜😜

It was on this trip that Bill entered our life and changed it forever.

Bill was one of many kind folks that rushed to our aid as we entered our first RV park on the Gulf of Mexico. Apparently the lack of knowledge about our new Motorhome, and the RV world in general, was noticeable, and several people made sure that we got set up properly. Doesn’t the generosity of strangers restore your faith in mankind in a remarkable way??!!

As we worked, Bill began sharing a few excerpts from his life. He had done extensive traveling, lived abroad and raised some amazing children along the way. A person just couldn’t help but to like this man. We sure did.

Days passed. We played on the beach, ate great seafood and fell in love with RV living.

And then it happened.

We were spending a rainy afternoon in a local coffee shop when Scott silently slid his phone over to my side of the table. On his screen was an email informing him that he had been selected for a position in Pago Pago, American Samoa! Scott had submitted his application months ago.  As exciting as the prospect of a remote location had been, nothing can quite prepare you for the moment that it becomes a reality. The shock. The excitement. The fear.

We had 3 days to accept or decline.

Three days to decide whether to leave our family, our life, our homeland and the clock was already ticking.

We wrestled with fear as conversation filled the hours. We battled with the logistics of making such a huge move. We struggled to comprehend the consequences that would follow from being so far away from family.

Wrestling. Battling. Struggling. It seemed an endless loop of words and feelings that never got us closer to a decision, but left us exhausted. 3 days and counting…

Day 1

The following day I woke up in the grip of fear. Before I left for the bathhouse, Scott asked how I was feeling about American Samoa. As I stepped out the door, I looked back and said “I am going to talk to Bill.”

Sure enough, who did I meet on the path but the man himself. Ready with a smile and a “Good morning!” Bill had no idea what I was about to lay on him!

I told him about the job offer, our timeframe and unloaded our concerns, fears and doubts. I spelled out how heartbreaking it would be to live so far away from our children. I spoke clearly about how scary it could be. After my tale of woe was properly unleashed, I stood expecting an understanding consolation and words of agreement and shared concern. Instead…..Bill’s face lit up with an intense joy!

He told me how thrilled he was that we had been offered such an opportunity! How excited he was for us. What a blessing it would be for our children to watch their parents embark on such a journey.

Wait a minute, Bill….maybe you misunderstood? Let’s get back to the fear, the doubt & the concerns…. 🤔🤔

I quickly reiterated said list of concerns, and for emphasis added “What if this is a mistake…a terrible, horrible mistake?”

Bill look deeply into my eyes. He spoke words I will carry with me forever.

“Kim, when you are in the Lord, there is no place on Earth that you can go where He doesn’t have gifts for you. If He is presenting you with this opportunity, you can trust that He has good things waiting for you on that island.”

Suddenly I was reminded of the scripture detailing how we are knit together in the womb and known by God there. I pictured the Lord hiding treasure and experiences all over this globe waiting for me in case I were to travel there.

I stood in silence on the path. How did I never see things this way? For an entire day I was unable to see anything but the negativity. I was swallowed up by fear and paralyzed by the consequences of an event that hadn’t even happened yet. Exactly WHERE was my faith? And perhaps more importantly WHO was I trusting?

I walked away with a different perspective and from that moment on everything seemed a bit different. Still scary, but different.

Day 2

After my encounter with Bill, Scott and I adjusted our conversation to include a few “possible positives” about accepting the job. The list of drawbacks was so very easy to compile, but we did manage to add a few items in the “pro” column.

That said, there was one nagging problem that we always came back to. When it all shakes down, are we willing to get on that plane and fly to the middle of the South Pacific and live on an island? “How in the world are we going to have the guts to do this?”

Enter Bill, round two.

I was walking back from doing a quick load of laundry, when Bill stopped me eager to hear if we had made a decision about Pago Pago. I told him that we were still talking out the details and sweating out the deadline. Of course, the conversation didn’t stop there.

Bill had a little story to share…

Continued next post…