It was Saturday, August 11th when we drove home to Nebraska last year. Back at last after nearly 8 months of traveling as a family – serving and exploring and making new friends across Asia, Africa and Europe. When we pulled into the driveway of our old familiar home on Eden Circle, it was a hearty mix of emotions. Safe and comfortable to be back at our home base, yet totally unsure of what was next to come. I realized I had this unspoken expectancy that somewhere along the course of our travels we would just know. That our next move as a family would be obviously clear through a friend or opportunity that opened up right in front of us along the way. But instead, we came home with full hearts and a blank slate, eagerly ready to pursue full-time ministry together, not knowing where to start or which door to knock on.
Then along came a friend, who knocked on our door first, and invited us to be a part of something great. Something purposeful and life-changing and beautifully in line with our skills and giftings. & on Sunday, August 11th, after a year of being home, we are hitting the road and setting out on our next big adventure.
Since being involved with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) over a decade ago, Scott and I have known we want to be involved working with overseas ministry. It was actually a non-negotiable for me early on when we were dating. I knew God had put it on my heart to live and work abroad, but if Scott didn’t have that same passion or desire, it just wouldn’t work. But after his six months of DTS (discipleship training school + serving in China & Thailand), he was hooked and we were all in. & married a week later.
It has been a nearly ten year journey of learning what full-time ministry looks like for our family. Of choosing to stay in Lincoln for business opportunities and family instead of joining staff with YWAM. Of starting our own family and becoming a stay-at-home mom and slowly saying yes to short-term mission trips as opportunities arose. Of going back to school and getting a degree in ministry, to later learn we’re just not cut out to be pastors. Of waiting – and waiting – trusting that God made us this way on purpose, even when there are days it felt like we just didn’t fit.
It feels so good to finally say we’ve found a place where we fit. A place where Scott can use his skills in construction and leadership – where I can pursue my passion for communication and storytelling – and ultimately where we can work together to love people around the world and share about the transforming power of Jesus. This incredibly special place is called Mission of Hope, who exist to bring life transformation to every man, woman and child in Haiti.
This year, our family will be moving overseas to serve with Mission of Hope (MOH) in Haiti and their team of leaders who have been at work in this country for over 20 years. MOH works hand in hand with trusted Haitian partners and community leaders, and together are building housing communities for earthquake victims, running medical clinics and bringing mobile medical teams to remote villages, as well as providing meals, education, and vocational training to thousands of Haitians every single day. We will also be working with MOH in new pioneer ministries that have developed in the past 12 months in the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Scott and I will be working together with Mission of Hope, serving in two very different roles. Scott has accepted the position of Project Manager, and will be working in the field on many different large scale building and maintenance projects. From housing developments to sports complex construction and campus maintenance, Scott will work alongside both Haitian and American leadership to assess and drive various projects in terms of timeline, scope, quality control and budget. He will also be working to train and invest in more Haitian leaders to be equipped and capable in taking over this role. It has been really special to see how all of Scott’s unexpected career paths in the last decade as an arborist, handyman, and expert of home exteriors have prepared him well for this new and important role in ministry.
Due to my lack of expertise in all things construction, I will not be working alongside Scott and the Project Management Office, but instead have found my home within the Communications and Marketing team as their Storytelling Coordinator. My primary role will be to communicate stories of God at work using writing, photography and videography. & I have to admit, I think it might be my dream job.
I have spent the last eight years building my resumé as a professional stay-at-home mom, yet still continually trying to seek out how God has wired me and what my specific strengths are that I bring to the table. 20-year-old me wanted to do all the things, in all the places, all the time (maybe that’s the Enneagram 7 in me) – but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to seek out more specifically what I’m best at, what I’m most passionate about, and what I want to do better to improve in. Again and again, I come back to telling meaningful stories. To get a chance to be in all the different spaces – the medical teams and construction projects and evangelical ministries – not as an expert in any of those fields, but to capture a glimpse of how God is using those things to redeem broken circumstances and filling lives with hope. This feels like an opportunity to really grow and be challenged in this creative spectrum. To not just talk about telling stories, but actually use my strengths to share some of the incredible ways God is at work around the world. I’m nervous – and excited – and truthfully can’t think of anything I would rather do.
So we’re packing our bags and heading south! Our first stop along the road will be in Austin, Texas before continuing on abroad. Mission of Hope has their stateside office based out of Austin, so our family will be relocating to the Lone Star State for about three months of intensive training, beginning next month. During this time Scott and I will likely both have opportunities to travel with the leaders from our Project Management and Communications team to Haiti and the Dominican Republic for shorter check-in trips. Then, after finishing with training, will be moving overseas to work as missionary staff for a full year (official move date to Haiti TBA – stay tuned).
Because we are both accepting roles as full-time missionaries with Mission of Hope, one of our responsibilities is to support-raise our salaries. This means that our paychecks come through Mission of Hope from donors who are partnering with us in this ministry, like many churches and non-profit organizations worldwide. The reason behind this is so that Mission of Hope can use the funds that are raised specifically towards projects they are supporting, like nutritious meals and education and healthcare for Haitians, and that through support-raising we are inviting more people into transformational work God is doing in and through this ministry.
If you are interested in partnering with us in this ministry, the link to donate is here. We are honestly so humbled to be in this position. Trusting God with our finances is a huge leap of faith, and something we’ve never done to this degree before. We feel called and equipped for the work ahead of us, and know that God is leading us here. But we are also 100% aware that we can’t do this on our own, which takes a tremendous amount of trust – and faith – and you. If you’d like to know more about what it means to be a ministry partner with us, we would love to talk more with you. Let us make you dinner, buy you coffee, or just chat on the phone and dialogue how we can make a positive impact on this world, together.
There are so many Q&As about our upcoming adventure I wish I could fit into one short & concise post. I know I’ve left out so many details, but my prayer is this just starts the conversation. If you have any questions, please ask! We’d love to share more about Haiti and Mission of Hope and what our roles will be. We can also talk more about homeschooling while we travel, renting out our home once again, and our plans for after this year of living overseas.
We’re also inviting you to a going away party on Saturday, August 10th at the henn house! Please swing by anytime between 12-8pm to see us, give hugs, and let us fill your bellies (Scott will be manning the grill all day & anything you can donate for a meal will go directly towards our work overseas). We would love to come see each and every one of you Lincolnites we love so dearly, but in realizing we only have three short weeks left in Nebraska – and a whole house to pack up – are inviting you to come see us instead! It would mean so much if you stopped by, and would help us stay connected during the time we’re away (just call or text if you need directions 🙂 ).
Thank you for being invested in our lives, our story, and what big adventure we’re up to next. The journey has definitely been full of some unexpected twists and turns, but we’re so grateful they’ve led us here, standing in the place we’re at today.
the henn adventures 