This Week with TeamDockrey

That’s right, my goal is to do a WEEKLY update here — wish me luck. Ha!

We want you, our supporters and friends (or the 3 people who might actually ever read this) to be a part of what we do here. You already are. We absolutely love empowering God’s global mission as we pour into and invest in missionary kids. And when you pray for us, encourage us, financially support us - YOU are empowering the Gospel message to go out as well, right along with us. As best we can, we want to help show you our day-to-day and let you see the ins and outs of what its like “on the inside.”

Currently, we are really missing “home.” What is home? For the kids we serve here, home can mean many different things - their passport country, the country where their parents serve, Black Forest Academy, their dorm, their grandparents house, etc…

For most of us, home is family.

TeamDockrey has had the benefit of some pretty incredible families. We each grew up with wonderful immediate families and large extended families, with fun holidays and celebrations. We also grew up with pretty great church families that helped form who we are today. And then, after we were married, God stitched into our lives some deep and meaningful relationships in each place that we served - they all became our family.

I’ve been missing our family lately - all of them. Sure, I see snapshots of their lives and imagine what our lives would look like had we been able to stay. Sometimes, I feel it deep in my chest and start to question and maybe even regret the decision to make this move to the other side of the globe. We miss being with Lances family as they walk the day-to-day grief of abruptly losing his sister last month.

But God is so faithful to provide what we need. He gives us the people we need in our lives. And in these moments when we begin to flounder and doubt, His mercy prevails and He gives us the confidence in who He is and the things He’s called us to.

Sure, I hate feeling like I’m missing out on the life I could be living with my “family” back home, but what a privilege it is to be that family here, for these missionary kids whose parents have made the ultimate sacrifice to serve Him in the dark places of the world. It is an honor to lay down my life for the good of the Gospel message, to use the gifts and talents God has so graciously given us to love on and connect with students and literally be their family in this place.

We get to hike to cool castles with a dorm full of boys. We get to use sports as a connection point as we coach a team of high school students. We get to plan a real life Among Us mystery night for the 9th grade class and watch them grow and interact. We get to lead meaningful discussion with some 10th graders every Friday during Chapel. We get to dress up as Mr and Mrs Potato Head for Fall Party. We get to play disc golf in the rain and speak German with some guys who don’t know Jesus. We get to make endless amounts of popcorn and sweet tea for high school small group time each week. This is how you become family.

Please continue to pray for our hearts when they become selfish. And please remember to pray for the students at Black Forest Academy - may God hold them close and lavish them with His mercy in the times that they begin to flounder or doubt.

God DOES know what we need and when and how we need it. We need “family” around us to walk this life, and sometimes we’re called to BE that “family” for those around us. I’m so glad He’s given us the right amount of faith to trust Him in all of it.