Leaning Into the Change
By Chris Williams , Latin America / Caribbean Regional Director
My wife Heather and I , along with our three children ( a 10 year old and 8-yearold twins at the time ), arrived in Medellín , Colombia , without ever stepping foot in the country . As we traveled the twisting road from the international airport , down the Andes Mountains , and into the city of Medellín , both Heather and I questioned our decision . Heather later confessed her thoughts on that one-hour ride : “ I felt like I was being swallowed into the belly of a beast and felt so small .”
The following days , weeks , and months were a whirlwind of activities , with new sights , smells , experiences , and relationships . We had said goodbye to many things and people to answer a call that God laid before us … an experience countless predecessors have also known . But this time it was our experience , not merely stories of others . The time seemed to fly as we became more involved in ministry , made friends , and began a normal , albeit different , life . Slowly , Colombia became home , and its people became friends and even family !
Fast forward almost seven years later , and we are entering another transition , but in reverse ! On July 1 , I will begin a new ministry assignment as the executive director of Global Ministries at the One Mission Society ( OMS ) World Headquarters . Heather will serve as the director of OMS Short-Term Mission Trips . We find ourselves thinking in those familiar patterns , questioning our decisions , and being swallowed by a beast ( overwhelming emotions ). Nevertheless , we have learned so much from this walk with Christ , and we know that he will sustain us through these changes . The whirlwind of activities , new relationships , responsibilities , challenges , and a plethora of things to learn will become our reality for a period .
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