Dear Friends and Family,
I am writing to ask you to intercede for us regarding a big decision we need to make very soon. Lance has been offered a job in Guam, a teeny tiny island in the North Pacific.
We’ve dreamed of living in Europe for over 16 years now, but it never seemed to be the right time. Then about a year ago, we began to think that maybe the time was now. We prayed and prayed about pursuing a job in Europe, not wanting to pursue something only to turn it down if offered. We quickly learned that 2 jobs would be opening in Europe, for which Lance could apply. Months went by with none opening. Then, out of the blue in October, we learned about a job in Guam. It sounded too good to be true, with some pretty nice perks. Plus, the commitment was only 2 years instead of 3. While we really wanted Europe, we thought this would allow us to travel and see Asia, and maybe Europe too, and set aside money for college. Also, there will undoubtedly be lots of folks applying for jobs in Europe, making competition pretty stiff. We also thought that the Europe job would be opening at roughly the same time, so he could apply for both and then see what happens. It never occurred to me when he applied for Guam that he might have to accept that position before ever trying for Europe. So Lance applied for the job in Guam, got the job, and then learned that the perks weren't quite as good as we thought. It would cost almost $2000/person to fly home, and to fly anywhere from Guam (to travel—Japan, Korea, Fiji) would cost minimum $3000 in airfare for our family. Getting around Europe is cheap and easy.
Our main goals for going overseas were 1) to be able to see the world with our kids (or at least Europe) and 2) to show our kids that the world is much bigger than Chesapeake, VA, by living in a foreign culture (that there are all kinds of people in the world and that this world is on God’s heart). We were excited about sharing Europe with friends and family who would come to visit, but who’s going to spend $2000/person on a 15-hour flight to Guam? Plus our French friends (of whom we’ve grown very fond) will be returning to France to live this summer and we had been making plans of visiting them and their parents in different parts of France and vice versa.
I feel like going to Guam is the death of our dreams. Not only would it be very expensive to travel from there, but they speak English on the island, and while there is a native culture, it would not be like living in a foreign country, but more like living in Hawaii. In Europe, you change cultures and languages every time you cross a border and sometimes even within the same country. With my mom being in her 70s and me being an only child, we feel that we have a very small window of opportunity to do this overseas thing and that to spend 2 years in Guam would mean we’re trading that for Europe—the Europe commitment is 3 years, but most people stay 5 years or even more. Plus, we aren’t sure we want Luke spending his high school years abroad.
I feel like going to Guam is the death of our dreams. Not only would it be very expensive to travel from there, but they speak English on the island, and while there is a native culture, it would not be like living in a foreign country, but more like living in Hawaii. In Europe, you change cultures and languages every time you cross a border and sometimes even within the same country. With my mom being in her 70s and me being an only child, we feel that we have a very small window of opportunity to do this overseas thing and that to spend 2 years in Guam would mean we’re trading that for Europe—the Europe commitment is 3 years, but most people stay 5 years or even more. Plus, we aren’t sure we want Luke spending his high school years abroad.
According to the people who have lived there, Guam is fabulous. It has a year-round temp of 80-85 degrees with sunshine every day, some of the best snorkeling in the world (Luke could get certified to scuba dive), great scenery and hiking, incredible nighttime skies, a small community of people that you get to know very quickly, and wonderful churches. And we’d probably get a dog if we went there (the kids are desperate for a dog), whereas in Europe we’d be traveling so often to make it difficult to care for a pet. Everyone we have talked to that’s lived there has absolutely loved it and would go back “in a heartbeat.” In fact, the guy who would be Lance’s boss is currently working in Guam for the 3rd time! Plus you have coconuts, mangoes, pineapples, etc. growing in your yard. However, the food there isn’t the freshest (ie salad greens and non-native fresh fruits and veggies) as everything must be shipped in. I dreamed of daily shopping for meat, veggies, and fruits at the open-air markets and eating fabulous food in Europe and maybe even taking a cooking class while there. Also, the local schools in Guam are not the greatest, so there is a large homeschooling community; although the DoD schools are much better, even some military and government folks choose to homeschool for the first time once they get there. Also, driving in Guam would be less crazy than trying to drive around in Europe, where there are some pretty wild drivers.
Since the job offer for Guam came in, one position in Europe has opened up, one we didn’t know about. Instead of one job opening, there will actually be two. Plus, he thinks that fewer people will be applying than he originally thought, so his chances of getting it would be better. There will be a third job opening up there too, a level lower than his, which he could apply for but would mean a slight decrease in pay.
The job in Guam would be exciting and intense for Lance. I’m sure the jobs in Europe would also be great for him, too. They would involve some travel for him to Spain, Africa, etc., which would be really cool. Plus we wouldn’t be far from my beloved France, where I spent a semester and could use my language skills, and Lance’s beloved Turkey, where he spent a summer.
My biggest concerns are that he would reject the job in Guam and then not get one of the jobs in Europe, meaning we don’t get to go anywhere. I hate to give up paradise, hoping for travel, and get nothing. I also hate to go to Guam grieving over the loss and death of my dreams. When he applied for the job in Guam, we prayed that God would open the door wide for us to go or close it shut. We prayed that God’s will would be manifested in the decision that was made—if we should go, he’d get the job, if not that he wouldn’t get it. But we feel like we need more confirmation now that we’ve learned the job doesn’t provide all we thought it would. I need to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that this is God’s best for us, so that when I do feel sad about not going to Europe, I’ll be able to have peace and rest knowing that Europe was not God’s will and that Guam definitely is.
Would you pray with us over the next week or so regarding this decision? We would be so grateful.
Thank you so much!
Andrea
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