chapter 1. a new adventure

Saturday, December 18, 2021: the last time I was going to see Wesley for over a month. We were really familiar with “see you laters” at this point in our relationship, but being familiar with it didn’t make it any easier. I was leaving South Carolina the next morning back to Pennsylvania for a long Christmas break, and Wesley was heading out of the country to go to Ecuador for a few weeks.

He picked me up early that morning. He drove up in his family’s old red van–with the well-loved seats and the broken AC–and we drove to the top of the parking garage in the downtown of one of the little cities that we lived near. It was drizzling and the fog was thick; horrible weather, really, to see the sun wake up that morning, but nonetheless we still backed into a parking spot, opened the trunk of the van, grabbed a big blanket that he had brought, and settled in to “watch the sunrise”.

We started talking about what the next month apart would look like; things we were looking forward to, plans we had, tasks we wanted to get done, presents we were excited to give to siblings, and Ecuador of course. I began asking as many questions as I could about Ecuador, even though I already knew the answers to pretty much all of them. I just wanted to hear Wesley talk. The answer to many of my questions was “I don’t really know, Rye.” This trip was very unlike a “usual mission trip”; Wesley and his team of 3 other boys just knew there was a need to be met there, that they had the ability to meet it, and that they were going to be obedient in going. They were taking their cameras, some clothes, and a bag or two and heading out to capture the story of a ministry in the hills of Ecuador that worked to rescue and give new life to girls in the sex trafficking industry. Wesley got to talking after a certain question I had asked him, and he began to really share with me his heart for what he and his little team were about to do.

I see now, looking back on it, that the LORD was then in the first stages of forming this huge passion and mission in the heart of the boy that I loved most. How good of God to take some of Wesley’s biggest enjoyments and talents–storytelling and videography--and give Wesley a chance to use it for His glory.

Not only was God forming this passion and vision in Wesley, but through Wesley’s words that foggy morning up on the parking garage, God was building up the same passion and desire in my own heart, honestly without me even realizing it then.

Fast forward lots and lots and lots of months. Today is July 6, 2023. Wesley and I are married now. We haven’t had to say as many “see you laters” as we used to, thank God, but we still remember the depth and growth that comes from them. In just a few weeks, Wesley is again leaving the country. He’s heading out to South East Asia, except this time, I’m going with him. There is a need, and by God’s grace, we’re going to meet it. Our mission is to use video and other forms of storytelling to capture and share stories of what God is doing in the lives of our brothers and sisters around the world. We yearn to connect the Church in prayer, understanding, encouragement, and as truly one Family by sharing stories of what is happening and how God is working in and through the body of Christ. We’re beyond excited to tell these Kingdom stories, and so so grateful and ecstatic at those who want to listen. Wanna join in the journey?