Mission Accomplished.....well, almost.

(The above pictures are of our family's reaction right after hearing our assignment)


I remember the first conversation I ever had with my husband in the fall of 1998. We were sitting at a football game at Liberty University, and I was listening intently as he told me of his childhood in South Africa. His eyes flashed and sparkled as he talked of a land so strange and foreign to me, but so known and familiar to himself. His love for this place and the earnestness and passion with which he talked about the topography, weather, and people were beautiful to watch. To fall in love with Richard Harrell was to fall in love with his Africa.

And fall in love I did, but I never knew that as much as Richard loves Africa, he loves missions. We had been married for nine years before I ever knew that he first committed his life to becoming a missionary when he was only 8-years-old. February 21, 1988 Richard came forward at a missions conference to publicly say, "Lord, send me. I will go." Even through all the years of training to be a missionary pilot he never told me that he had made this commitment. I believe, fully it was because he wanted the Lord to complete a work in me, unbiased by his own personal call.

Yesterday, July 19, 2011 over 23-years after that shy little boy stepped forward publicly, Richard accomplished his commitment. Today, he officially became a pilot/mechanic missionary with MAF. In the completion of this full circle moment Richard and I were also assigned to Africa. We do not know which country in Africa we will serve, but it does not matter.


Now we begin the ministry partnership portion of our journey to life among the African people. Please pray with us as we continue to navigate this difficult and winding path my husband set out on so long ago.

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philipians 1:6

Peace in the Mountains

When I left my home in North Carolina a week and a half ago I was overcome by the emotion of turning the page on a hugely important chapter in my life. That chapter tells the story of the births of two of my sons, the stretching and strengthening of my marriage, the birth of beautiful friendships, and many more of life's events over the past six years.

On departure day as our family was about to pull out, I found myself having a very difficult time leaving my home. I kept walking around it under the guise of last minute checks, but my husband saw my delay for what it was. He gently came up to me and nudged me to the door. "It's time now, Megan, this is it, let go." With that understanding and kindness came the tears, but I was bolstered by the strength of my husband. We walked hand in hand out of a comfortable life straight into a life of discomfort and uncertainty.

Since that day I have been on the receiving end of more GRACE, and PEACE than I had ever thought imaginable. The car ride itself went amazingly well. Along the long drive we were able to bask in the amazing beauty of God's workmanship in nature. God was in the magnificence of the mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming. When the boys needed a break; the perfect park appeared, or the most interesting place would pop up on a sign along the road. Both Richard and I whispered many times along the long road west, "thank you for that Lord."

Here at MAF the GRACE continues to wash over my family. My human fears, doubts, and worldly expectations creep in reminding me of how much I need to rely on my relationship with Jesus. But I am slowly learning to finally let go, and just as soon as I do HE is right there with the calming peace.

We are currently waiting to be told where in the world our family will live and serve, and I am the least fearful I have ever been in my life. I could be assigned to a place where the color of my skin and my belief in Jesus Christ are grounds to be shot on the spot, but I am not afraid. It is CRAZY! It makes no sense, but it is true.

Today I fully expected to walk into the Candidacy Committee meeting making demands on what I wanted out of our geographical assignment. Instead, I found myself saying, "I want to be where God wants our family more than anything else." The most amazing part is that I actually meant it.


I am not a perfect person. I have flaws too great to count. I am stubborn, impatient, proud, and much more. I have made horrible mistakes in my past. I have been chewed up and spat out by what this world has to offer, but God still cares enough about me to continue making me into somebody more like His Son. My journey to MAF has taken me 12 years. Twelve years of wrestling with God, my husband, but mostly myself. Today I am here. I am here not because of any singular act of my own other than surrender.

I will have to continually fight the urge to hold on to a finite life, but I am currently in awe of the peace that accompanies letting go.

Isaiah 55:12

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."