Paul and I have been blown away by the support and encouragement we have received since we decided to move four months ago. People congratulate us, they envy us, they can’t imagine doing it themselves, they are excited for our adventures, they pray God’s movement for us; they all do a lot of things centering around us.
I want to illuminate to our readers there are many more characters in the adventure than just Paul and I.
For example, there are mothers. Two specifically I wish to introduce you to.
Meet Martina and Sue.
My mother, Martina, has at least had some dreaded warning of this impending move. I think I was five the first time I looked up at her and said, “I want to live in Germany.” I tried to convince her to send me to live with my grandmother in grade school, jr. high and high school She would tell me she wasn’t going to send me to country where I didn’t speak the language. So I learned the language. She said I would have to get my citizenship cleared up, so I got a passport. She nearly started crying when I handed it to her.
“I didn’t think they would give it to you.”
Every now and again, I hear her mutter something about her punishment for moving 5,000 miles away from her mother. When Paul and I were praying through our decision she resolved not to give us any advice, “If I have a problem with what you decide, I’ll take it up with God.”
There have been highs and lows. After the decision was made and shared in our community she was bombarded with, “What are you going to do without Jessi?” I started warning people, “Just don’t ask her.” It has become apparent I have ruined a number of bands for my mother like Evanescence, O.A.R, and Paramore as she cannot listen to them without crying.
For the most part though, she has been stout in her resolve to give this adventure up to God and to support Paul and I through it. This was most evident as we were once again patching and painting the building which was once home to our art studio. It was a nightmare of de ja vu as we prepped it for new tenents and walked away, but she was brave.
Sue, on the other hand, has found herself caught in a bait and switch. I’ll never forget the first time Paul told me, at age 15, that after meeting me his mother had directed him to “hold onto her.” I was on track to be a lawyer when I grew up and deemed a good girl with lots of brains, lots of determination, and lots of potential for producing grandkids and a stable homelife.
Sometimes I wonder if she would take those words back.
It turns out I am artist who hasn’t grown up, takes risks, is determined to travel as much as possible and after eight years, hasn’t produced a grandchild yet. Oh, and my idea of a good homelife means being wherever God calls us, including out of country.
Would you marry your baby boy off to a girl like me?
It was the first family get together after we made our announcement that Sue accosted me. She grabbed my sweater by the collar and in the terrifying way only a small egyptian woman can, told me, “Jessica, this is what Paul has promised me. You are going to go, and have an adventure for two years. And then! In two years you are going to come back, settle here and make babies. SO go, for two years and come BACK!”
Paul, of course, was safely out of his mothers reach.
Since then, Sue has been supportative. She and my father in law have been amazingly hospitable, letting us stay with them to save on rent and utilties. She looks forward to coming and visiting us once we’re settled in our own place. Every now and again Paul teases me his mom will put a hit out on me if we don’t have kids in a few years, but I know, deep down she loves me. She hates that we’re moving, but she loves me.
So what’s the point? Just to give you a glimpse into what others are sacrificing for us to be obiedient to what God has called us to do. Paul and I get to go on an adventure, but we couldn’t do it without the support of those who are letting go.
Jess Boctor 
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