The only thing you can spend money on that will make you richer.

When I was a child I had the privilege of traveling with my parents.  I’ll never forget our first big trip to Asia when I was in 7^th Grade. My mom’s sister was a missionary teacher in Japan in the late 1950’s after the war, and died unexpectantly from a malignant mole the same year I was born.  My mom wanted to go and see where her sister has served, plus my cousin Dawn was living/serving  in Japan at the time, so off we went. This blue-eyed, blond-haired, 12-year-old was quite a novel sight in 1976 traveling from Asian country to Asian country.

It was on that trip that I caught a bug.  The travel bug.

My parents had no idea the size of the gift they gave me on that trip – it was the gift of seeing the world, learning about new religions, new cultures, new sights, new sounds and they introduced me to the flavors of the world. 

On the wall of the Project Canaan Academy preschool there is a Dr. Seuss quote that says, “OH the places you will go”.  I can’t even begin to imagine the places that our 167 children will go as they learn and see new things, hear new sounds, taste new flavors through their home, education and life on Project Canaan.

Ian and I are on a whirlwind trip that had us land in the US on our 26^th wedding anniversary (October 5^th).  Just after we landed I received a message that a beautiful 5-week-old baby girl had safely arrived home to Project Canaan. Her mother is 20-years-old, already has two children and one was born paralyzed.  She had no money for food, medical care or clothing and begged Social Welfare for help.   The baby, whom we call “Happiness” is home.  Oh the places she will go.

The hotel room that we slept in last night had an interesting pillow on a chair in the room. It read, “Travel is the only thing you can spend money on that will make you richer.”  I completely agree.

As I sit on an airplane flying to Toronto and on to Ottawa to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with Spencer, Chloe and Ian’s family, my mind wanders back to the day that my Aunt Margie heard the call to move to Japan.  It was her obedience (and death) that prompted my mom to want to go to Japan.  That introduced me to a world I would never have otherwise known about and a love for people, diversity and desire for understanding.

If you have been hearing a still small voice telling you to “go”, just do it.  Your life will change and you just might change generations to come.

Live from Atlanta … enjoying happiness from travel and celebrating baby Happiness.

Janine

PS - Travel does not come without many frustrations. This morning we stood for 30 minutes while a TSA agent very slowly and methodically pulled out each and everyone one of 50+ rolls of camera film from a travelers zip lock bags and SLOWLY wiped each one completely and then checked the swab for residue.  The line backed up, people were baffled, but there he was just "doin' his job". With the last one he took off his gloves and walked out of the security area and went on his break (I guess). Another agent resumed with the next traveler.