What Am I Sacrificing?

Eleven years ago I was working as a custodian at the University of Iowa. It was a good job, especially for someone without a college degree. Many of the  people I worked with were good people - family people, even some married couples who worked together.  But, I am old fashioned, and wanted more. I wanted a job where I had more responsibility, and I wanted to make enough that my wife wouldn't have to work if she didn't want to

In 2003 I took a job with the City of Wellman.  The main reason was to get more experience in other fields, and to find a career and be able to support my family.  I found, as soon as I started, that I liked the water and wastewater industries.  I worked hard and started pursuing professional licenses.  I got a new job with the City of North Liberty, and then with the City of Atlantic.

Through hard work, and many blessings and opportunities, I progressed rapidly.  In ten years I went from someone who had never even heard of wastewater as a career (I grew up in the country with a septic tank) to running a grade 3 plant with five employees.  I am on a state sub-committee of a national organization (IAWEA) that helps operators get training and work with state and federal government in writing rules for wastewater issues.

In less than a year I will be eligible to take the grade 4 wastewater exam. This is the highest license you can get in most of the country.  Only 7% of operators in the state  of Iowa are grade 4s.   With the higher age of grade 4 operators, and most of them getting ready to retire, the job market is going to open up for people who have supervisor experience and a grade 4 license. That means I could be running a major wastewater facility in just a few short years, and working my way up through IAWEA.  I have come to the place where I am established as a professional in my field.

More than that, I am making really good money doing something I enjoy, and my wife does not have to work outside the home. I am completely supporting my family - something I once thought would be impossible.

I am giving that all up, though, because I am called to get God's word to the people of Guatemala.  I am going, at the minimum, to have to put my career on hold for 2 years.  I have already told the subcommittee I am on that I will be resigning next spring.   I am going to be losing out on getting more managerial experience, which may be handy if I were to pursue another job in this career.  I have only been at this job for two years,  which also doesn't look great on a resume when you apply for a job.

The hardest for me is that Andrea will no longer be home with the girls. She is going to be teaching at a Christian school in Guatemala. And, even though she is excited about the opportunity to serve, I think her first choice would be to get to continue staying home.

I have also been able to support myself my whole adult life. Now we are going to have to  rely on friends and family to support us - something that is very uncomfortable for me.  I know mentally that it is not begging,or a free handout. We will be working harder than we ever have before.  But, it is still difficult to keep in my mind that these are people who are supporting us because they want to, and they share our vision.


So, what am I sacrificing to follow God's call on my life?

• a great job (doing something I love)
• being able to fully support my wife and children
• a career path that puts me on the fast track to making more money
• getting respect from peers
• setting up a great retirement 
• living in the United States (which, even with all its problems, is still the best place in the world
• being a long way from everybody I love and care about except my wife and kids

With all these negatives why I am I still going to follow through and move to Guatemala?  Because I went and saw. I got called. I know I could never be happy here knowing I am not doing what I am supposed to be doing for Jesus.  To me I do not really have a choice. Why? Here's why:

Mark 8:34-38 NKJV
[34] When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. [35] For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. [36] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? [37] Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? [38] For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

- Mark


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