The Boyds Volunteer
Kadan, Czechia became ground zero for God to expand our family beyond our normal boundaries.So when a young Polish church planter, tears-filled eyes, explaining the condition of his nation, dared to ask Randy, “What are you going to do about it?” Randy’s heart responded, “God, I volunteer. If You can use me and my family, I will volunteer us.” Some people get clear calls, some, like us, are volunteers.
Our family was ‘baptized’ into a life of volunteering in Kadan. The leader that we worked with 25 years ago showed Josiah this January the letters my kids sent him after our first time there in 1998. He kept those all these years. We obtained some advice from friends and instructions from the Holy Spirit. 1. Go in low because you are not the answer. God is. 2. Kids are participating team members.
Kids are Equal Volunteers
We all trained in sharing testimonies with translation. Kids were expected to make friends through play, participate in prayer and be on mission. At ages 3, 7, and 10 they changed the world and God changed their hearts. Hannah became the secret weapon of handing invitations to people. They didn’t trust any strangers, but loved Hannah. Our kids were dosed with gratitude. They prayed for people, saw legs grow out, backs straightened, and lame walked. Bethany loved the prophetic. When God uses you to touch others, it’s the best adrenaline rush. We helped them navigate seeing people high on drugs, inappropriate relationships, etc. Josiah thoughtfully spoke, “People act these ways, because they don’t respect themselves. They don’t know God’s love.”
There is no way I could dream this life. Yet, there’s a weightiness in this adventure. We must risk all and trust all. That’s a process. We’re learning when to repent and when to stand. We’ve watched our kids’ hearts tear many times. In 27 months we lived in 6 different places. My heart still breaks as they encounter hurt, emotionally and physically. Loneliness is always lurking. They’ve endured a broken back, an eye cornea that burst, skin turning gray while struggling for breath, and more. Some have healed, others not yet.
Will You Volunteer?
In us, our kids, and their spouses grow an insatiable hunger to fully live and not be lulled into a normal existence. But each of us; you, me, every child of God, has an opportunity to volunteer. Right where we are! We volunteer! If we’re getting a haircut, we volunteer, “Use me God. Let my ears listen to Your whispers.” The life of a volunteer is an ongoing process, a step by step walk. To stop taking steps would confine us to a normal existence. So, we take the next step. Keep stepping!
