On why
The most obvious question we get asked about our move from New Zealand back to Samoa is "Why?"
There are a multitude of reasons why we had wanted to move back, and our usual response would be to reply with one of them, for example:
"We are very homesick"
"We want our children to have the same childhood experiences we had"
"We want our children to know more of their culture as Samoans"
"We want to be with our family back home"
"We want out of the rat race"
However those reasons by themselves, and even the combination of them, although all true,
do not form the complete picture.
To understand the real reason, we must start at the beginning.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who left her home and family in Samoa to study at the University of Canterbury. There she met a boy who had also left his home and family in Samoa to study at the same university. It was likely they fell in love, although neither of them would have probably described it that way, having somewhat of an aversion to romance and such carry-on.
The boy completed his studies and returned home, to await the same of the girl. However, two unexpected events took place that would change the course of their lives. Firstly, the girl's family migrated to New Zealand. Their expectation was that she would remain there with them as they re-established their family home. Secondly, the girl accepted a friend's invitation to a charismatic church service one lazy Sunday evening. There she encountered the presence of God like never before, and became a born-again Christian.
Upon the completion of the girl's studies, she started preparing to move back to Samoa as originally planned. But one fateful Sunday evening, she received the following message from God:
"You must not return to Samoa at this time, but you must stay here. One day you shall return for a specific purpose."
This was a blow to the girl and her plans, but to the boy's horror, she obeyed this command with a heavy heart. He joined her in New Zealand to find out the reason behind the dramatic change of heart, and in doing so he also discovered the presence of God in a greater measure than ever. Together they walked with God.
The longing to return to Samoa never left them, and over time they considered planning the return. However, as their relationship grew with God, their desire to do the things that made sense was being replaced with the desire to do the things that God wanted them to do. So they embarked on a period of seeking God and looking for signs of His will for them. In October 2018, they felt a peace in their spirits that it was time.
The mad rush to relocate a family of young children in two months was no mean feat. The logical thing would have been to perhaps wait a year, or even half a year. But they believed that the God who is the Alpha and the Omega probably knew a bit better than they did, and He could probably provide for them a bit better than they could.
So they moved. Much to the visible confusion on some of the faces they have since come across. Why leave a land of mild temperatures, well stocked supermarkets, great public facilities for children, highly paid employment, and dairy products for Africa? Why give up your nice house in your nice suburb, the excellent schools and early childhood care with highly trained staff, the amazing food and most importantly the coffee?
The answer probably doesn't help to clear the confusion, but the answer is:
Because God told us to.
Because we believe the "one day" that He told me over 13 years ago has arrived, when I would return home.
We don't know quite what the "specific purpose" is at the moment, but that is something we are continuing to seek Him on, and trusting that He will reveal it in His time.
Because we only have one life, and to not live it in the fullness of what God has planned is just a waste.
Because knowing the will of God is not enough, but to do the will of God releases His supernatural power, not just for us but for others.
And there you have it. The nearly unabridged account of the reason we have returned to Samoa.
There are a multitude of reasons why we had wanted to move back, and our usual response would be to reply with one of them, for example:
"We are very homesick"
"We want our children to have the same childhood experiences we had"
"We want our children to know more of their culture as Samoans"
"We want to be with our family back home"
"We want out of the rat race"
However those reasons by themselves, and even the combination of them, although all true,
do not form the complete picture.
To understand the real reason, we must start at the beginning.
Once upon a time, there was a girl who left her home and family in Samoa to study at the University of Canterbury. There she met a boy who had also left his home and family in Samoa to study at the same university. It was likely they fell in love, although neither of them would have probably described it that way, having somewhat of an aversion to romance and such carry-on.
The boy completed his studies and returned home, to await the same of the girl. However, two unexpected events took place that would change the course of their lives. Firstly, the girl's family migrated to New Zealand. Their expectation was that she would remain there with them as they re-established their family home. Secondly, the girl accepted a friend's invitation to a charismatic church service one lazy Sunday evening. There she encountered the presence of God like never before, and became a born-again Christian.
Upon the completion of the girl's studies, she started preparing to move back to Samoa as originally planned. But one fateful Sunday evening, she received the following message from God:
"You must not return to Samoa at this time, but you must stay here. One day you shall return for a specific purpose."
This was a blow to the girl and her plans, but to the boy's horror, she obeyed this command with a heavy heart. He joined her in New Zealand to find out the reason behind the dramatic change of heart, and in doing so he also discovered the presence of God in a greater measure than ever. Together they walked with God.
The longing to return to Samoa never left them, and over time they considered planning the return. However, as their relationship grew with God, their desire to do the things that made sense was being replaced with the desire to do the things that God wanted them to do. So they embarked on a period of seeking God and looking for signs of His will for them. In October 2018, they felt a peace in their spirits that it was time.
The mad rush to relocate a family of young children in two months was no mean feat. The logical thing would have been to perhaps wait a year, or even half a year. But they believed that the God who is the Alpha and the Omega probably knew a bit better than they did, and He could probably provide for them a bit better than they could.
So they moved. Much to the visible confusion on some of the faces they have since come across. Why leave a land of mild temperatures, well stocked supermarkets, great public facilities for children, highly paid employment, and dairy products for Africa? Why give up your nice house in your nice suburb, the excellent schools and early childhood care with highly trained staff, the amazing food and most importantly the coffee?
The answer probably doesn't help to clear the confusion, but the answer is:
Because God told us to.
Because we believe the "one day" that He told me over 13 years ago has arrived, when I would return home.
We don't know quite what the "specific purpose" is at the moment, but that is something we are continuing to seek Him on, and trusting that He will reveal it in His time.
Because we only have one life, and to not live it in the fullness of what God has planned is just a waste.
Because knowing the will of God is not enough, but to do the will of God releases His supernatural power, not just for us but for others.
And there you have it. The nearly unabridged account of the reason we have returned to Samoa.
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