It is not often that you know you have experienced a historic event. Today, I witnessed a truly momentous occasion. Will you read about it in today’s USA Today, or see it on CNN or Fox News? Hardly. The world took no note of what happened. But I did, and all Free Will Baptists should.
Today, I witnessed the departure of career missionaries to Japan—Josh, Alicia, and Ruby Crowe. Why was I there, you ask? My daughter Caroline was flying to Sapporo with the Crowes to begin her eight weeks of missionary internship. My husband and I, of course, were there to see her off, as well as the Crowes.
The scene was typical. We arrived three hours early at Raleigh-Durham airport for the overseas flight. After checking the eight large suitcases, all that remained was the wait for flight time and the walk through security.
In our post 9/11 world, saying goodbye in an airport is almost anti-climatic. No longer are you allowed through security to sit with your loved ones right up to the moment of departure. You are not even allowed to see the plane in which they will depart. You find yourself instead standing in the middle of the large terminal, straining to catch a last glimpse as they pass through the metal detectors and the various scans. Your last snapshot view is the wave of the arm or the top of the head as they move toward their gate.
On this particular morning, 3:00 A.M. on May 25th, Memorial Day 2009, Josh, Alicia, six-month-old Ruby, Alicia’s parents—Al and Carol Hart—and our family found ourselves in the terminal awaiting the time of departure. We sat in a secluded corner of Terminal 2, all sleepy-eyed and a bit groggy from lack of sleep. The conversation was centered on Ruby, who, being held by her grandmother, was enjoying her love and the playful banter with a new toy. During one quiet lull in the conversation, Josh said succinctly yet profoundly, “Today is the culmination of ten years’ effort. I have been working for ten years to get to this day.” We all sat silent for a moment as we absorbed the immensity of his statement. Ten years—what a long time! Undergrad, graduate school, marriage, fatherhood, raising support—I guess it would take ten years. But you know, on the way home from the airport, I mulled his statement again, and it “hit” me. Ten years is but a blink of an eye to God. His timing is perfect, and if it took ten years to prepare for the mission field, then so be it.
After Alicia finished feeding Ruby, as if on cue, Josh stood up and said that it was time to go through security. Although unspoken, one could sense that he was trying to choreograph this long goodbye in a way that would be the least painful for all. He was calm, collected, and confident, checking one last time to be sure all visas, passports, and boarding passes were ready to present. After forming a small circle, we prayed. Alicia’s father prayed for the travelers; then Josh prayed for us who would be staying behind. With the final amen, we walked slowly toward security.
Obviously, we had said our intimate goodbyes before this point, but the final goodbye is the most stressful--a grandfather’s one last kiss for Ruby while taking in the sweet smell of a beautiful baby girl, the final family group shot picture, the lingering hugs, the thank-you’s, the tears that begin, not quite swelling to overflow, and then the final “I love you.”
The image that will stay with me forever is not this final embrace. I will remember a moment in time far more profound and moving. I have played it over in my head many times since. The scene: Alicia, with her sweet baby asleep in her arms, walks slowly toward security, and then about thirty feet away, turns back one last time to look into the faces of her mom and dad—the immense pain, the overflowing love, and the strong determination to do God’s will in Japan combined in that one expression. Oh, how it hurt to see such a mingling of emotions, but yet how glorious. What a testimony to the grace of God!
Over the years, I have been privileged to meet many of our international missionaries. Some have been on the field for over fifty years. I never truly understood until today what emotional sacrifice is inherent in their leaving family, friends, home churches, and familiar cultures to go and spread the gospel in a foreign country. Alicia’s look has been repeated thousands of times before by those who have accepted the call of God to minister abroad. I was never so aware of this fact until today.
You are probably thinking, “Well, what about your daughter? Did you not watch her last goodbye look?” Oh, yes, I did. My heart was hurting to think that she would be gone for eight weeks and would be flying on such a long flight to Japan. Yes, I was teary-eyed and my heart was breaking. To quote my daughter, “Mom, you worry too much!” But, how could I even begin to compare my heartache with that of the mother and father standing next to me watching their daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law leave for a four-year term in Japan? No comparison.
Josh and Alicia are uniquely equipped to do the work in Japan—graduate degrees, previous internships, E-Team leaders, and Alicia’s stint as an English teacher in Japan. They are young, physically attractive, and connect well with all age groups. They serve as approachable role models for the thousands of children, pre-teens, and teenagers who know them affectionately as “Mr. Josh and Miss Alicia.” How many of these young people will accept the call to go into full-time Christian service because of the influence of this young couple? My own daughter has certainly profited from their example. Only eternity knows.
Their commitment to spreading the gospel was echoed a week earlier in their commissioning service held at Sherwood Forest FWB Church in New Bern, NC. I was privileged to be a part of that service and to hear Rev. David Potete from Chicago and Rev. James Forlines director of FWB International Missions. In his sermon, David Potete praised Josh for looking well after the needs of his family. He told how that the Crowes had been scheduled to be at his church in Chicago a few weeks earlier. Josh called David and said that the trip north would put too much strain on his family and that it would not be in their best interest to go. Ultimately, the Crowes did a live video conference with the church instead of traveling the great distance to be there in person. Mr. Potete praised Josh for setting those priorities and for being the father and husband he should be.
You may be thinking, “What is so historic about the events of today? People leave family members and fly to foreign countries every day. What’s the deal?” History makers are those who are willing to sacrifice all for a cause bigger than themselves. Josh, Alicia, and Ruby are history makers because God is going to use them to reach souls for His kingdom that otherwise would not be reached. The cause is much bigger than they. The cause is of eternal importance. I will one day be in Heaven and meet the souls of those won because of Josh and Alicia and the many other missionaries who have left all to serve God. You can’t get any more history-making than that.
