Where oh Where Wednesday: Travels in the US

As mentioned a little while back, Scott seems to have born with wanderlust in his veins. Since living in Europe we have been blessed to visit with brothers and sisters, churches in many European cities and countries. But the wanderlust began much earlier for Scott.

He was born in San Antonia, Texas and lived there about a year, just long enough to gain a brother in the same city. From Texas, the family moved to Mississippi and the to the area of Buffalo, New York before ending up at Fort Meade, Maryland. This was all before Scott was 6 years old and the family left for Europe. 

When Scott returned to the US, he was 5 years older and the family settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado. So when someone asks Scott where he is from, it is not always an easy answer. He claims Texas (his birthplace) and Colorado (where he mostly went to school). But before even hitting his graduation Scott had had a chance to visit even more States in the US. 

When his dad retired form the Air Force, the whole family took a trip across America to New York and visited the cousins there. Along the way we drove through Kansas, Missouris, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. This trip was done in one shot, Scott’s mom and dad sharing the driving until they arrived at their destination. 

Scott and Shirley met at York College in little York, Nebraska. While attending there, Scott traveled with a singing group from the college, hitting Christian summer camps in most of the Midwest, including Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. They also traveled to Wisconsin, Illinois and even Tennessee. 

After Scott and Shirley married, they made their own road trips, mostly driving from Abilene, Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado and Omaha, Nebraska. But during one summer as they were planning their missions future, they drove up to Calgary, Alberta (Canada), passing through Wyoming and Montana again. It was around this time that they also flew out to California to interview with what was to become their supporting congregation in Long Beach, California. 

While Scott gained his wanderlust from literally traveling all around the world, Shirley always had a desire to travel. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and only left twice before she went to York College. She visited Oklahoma with family when she was 8 years old and went to a youth rally in Kansas later. When she attended York, she became a Master’s Apprentice and went to Minnesota to serve the church there before traveling to the Netherlands where she and Scott got together. 

After moving to Belgium, they traveled together in the US every 3 years or so, hitting most of the States that have already been mentioned here. In 2010 they traveled with their eldest son, Stephan for the last time and took a road trip, adding Arizona, Alabama, Georgia and Florida to their destinations. 

We do not know how the many changes in our lives will be used by a gracious and mighty God who has the big picture in mind. Joseph (in Genesis) would never have called his journeys ‘road trips’, but God was still shaping and forming him. We are so thankful for the many ways that God has shaped us both to serve Him wherever we find ourselves.