“… as in waffles?”

The Goen family (L to R): Kyle, Amy, Jordan (15), Peyton (13) and Evan (11).

Kyle and Amy Goen of LifePoint Church in Smyrna, Tenn., have been following God’s call to move their family to Brussels, Belgium, since the summer of 2007. They and four other families from their church hope to relocate to the Western European country some time this year.

The Upstream Collective got to catch up with Amy and ask her perspective on how God has brought her family to this point, and what it’s been like to follow Him in this journey. For her husband’s perspective and background on the calling of LifePoint to the country, see A church’s call to Belgium.

The Upstream Collective (UC): How did you and your family personally become involved in reaching the lost in Brussels, Belgium? Walk us through this process.

Amy Goen (AG): Missions has been a part of our family for many years. We started locally while our children were small, visiting nursing homes and going on family mission trips to different states. We were intentional in getting our children around people who were mission-minded so they could catch the vision for God’s call to the lost. As our children grew older (6/7th grade), we went on international trips with them to Brazil and Mexico. These short-term trips were pivotal in instilling a love for people and missions in our kids (and me). This is why I believe our call to Belgium has not been a huge shock for any of us. We’ve been stepping toward this for a long time.

I must say when Kyle came home and said God was laying the country of Belgium on his heart, I was a little surprised. “Belgium … as in waffles?” was my first response. I wasn’t surprised God was calling us to possibly move somewhere, but Belgium had never entered my thoughts.

Within a matter of week or so, I was sitting at work with a friend talking about what was going on in our respective churches. My friend mentioned a family from her church had shared their testimony about becoming missionaries to Belgium in the Sunday service. I really could not believe my ears! I got their names and immediately called Kyle. We ended up meeting this incredible family and getting to spend some time with them just before they left for Belgium. We still weren’t sure exactly what God was doing, but we committed to walk through these doors he was opening.

Kyle and I, along with our pastor and three men from our church, went to Brussels, Belgium, the following spring. After spending a week walking the city and talking with our new friends who had moved there previously, Kyle and I knew God was calling us to Belgium. He confirmed His calling through the circumstantial events, much prayer and our journaling through Scripture.

UC: What challenges/barriers have you faced as you and your family follow God’s call to potentially move to another country?

AG: One challenge has been telling our extended families about our calling. We’ve never lived near them before. However, telling them about moving to another country has been very emotional. There were some tearful conversations as we expressed God’s call on our lives to Belgium. Kyle’s mom and my parents are all strong believers, so they understand what it means to obey God when He calls, but I can’t say they are thrilled about it yet. This has been a very emotional challenge to let loved ones know about our move.

UC: What terrifies you the most about this process? What is most exciting about all of this?

AG: I think what scares me the most right now is anticipating all the changes that will happen to our daily lifestyle. We will be living in Brussels, a city of about 1.2 million people. This is vastly different than my middle Tennessee suburb, to say the least!

I think about how this will affect my children. Will we homeschool? Will we put them in French-speaking national schools? These are questions we are praying through. Though I am confident God will direct when it’s time to make those calls, I have to say that right now it’s pretty scary to think about how this process will affect my children.

What is exciting, though, is to see their reactions to God’s call. Kyle and I prayed our three children would sense their own personal calls to Belgium, and God has answered that request. Through the whole process of selling our home, moving into an apartment and learning a new language, they have been incredibly positive and motivated to obey God’s calling on our family. This has been another confirmation that we are doing the right thing.

UC: What is the next step in your family’s involvement in Brussels?

AG: Currently, we are all involved in weekly French lessons. Learning a new language has been challenging! My sons went to Belgium with Kyle over spring break, and my daughter went in the fall. We are meeting weekly with the other families from our church who are going to Belgium to study, pray and share community with one another.

UC: How might you encourage other wives/families who hesitate to follow God’s call to serve Him internationally?

AG: Be open and honest about your fears with your spouse and God. Remember how God has been faithful in the past with your family. Journal your prayers and ask the Holy Spirit to change your heart.

There are definitely days when I get scared about what we’ve committed to. It’s then that I turn back to my journal entries of the time I spent in Belgium. I remember the plan that God has for his people there. I think about the people I met there and the faces I saw on the streets. I recommit to God’s plan for our family to join his work there.

I would also encourage wives that this is a call on your entire family. Draw strength from your spouse and children. Connecting with other women on the mission field is huge, also.
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Amy and the other women on LifePoint’s Belgium Team can be reached via e-mail: Amy Goen, Angie Ebensberger, Cassi Wolski, Cynthi Law and Elizabeth Christensen.