Jason Bosh: Why We Go

This weekend I went backpacking with my son in the wilds of the Olympic Peninsula. One of our self-determined "assignments" was to spend an hour in silence just noticing the nature around us with our journals in hand. As I basked in the evergreen forest and the therapy of the river sounds, I was thinking about our holy-smokes-its-almost-here Kenya trip and reminding myself why we are going. It's not because of the natural wonders-- clearly we have plenty of that right around here. It's not because of the comfortable accommodations or great food or high entertainment value.

No, there are other reasons that hold longer-term value. We are going because God gave my wife a heart for Africa when she studied there 20 years ago and to not go would be to deny her an important piece of herself. We are going because of the people. We met particular people (the Mburugus) who have a particular calling that is tied to a particular place (Meru). Emily and I saw the powerful nature of their calling in 2005 when we went with them to Meru, and we have wanted to support them ever since. Across many years and many miles we've built relationships with the Meru guardians. Em has been to Kenya several times, and we even hosted them in our home when they visited us in Tacoma several years ago. Facebook keeps us up to date even continents apart, but it's no substitute for sharing a song from the heart or a cup of tea. In short, we are going to further our relationships with people we care about and to show them that we stand with them in the important work they are doing for the kids of Meru.

It's also true that we are going as a family to experience how another culture works and to open our eyes and hearts to a different way of life-- a way that has both pros and cons when compared to our Tacoma world. We'll get a chance to show that way of life to our kids and give them a new and powerful reference point for growing up here in Washington.

There are other reasons, of course, but these are the top ones for me, and I'm excited/nervous that it's only a few weeks away. We appreciate your prayers as we make our final preparations!