Commentary By Danielle Pelkey

The North Jefferson News



This past weekend held lots of exciting events for our family.

One exciting thing was the snow that fell on Satur-day. We were so happy about it that we bundled up Raygan, took her outside and threw snowballs at each other.

Of course Raygan didn’t enjoy it as much as we did. And let me clarify that we did not throw snowballs at Raygan.

It was so out of the ordinary to have such beautiful, white snow fall. It wasn’t the four inches that we were promised, but I’ll take whatever we can get for Alabama weather.

Another exciting thing that happened was the missionary conference that was held at Lee’s Chapel Baptist Church. My dad has pastored this church for more than 15 years and they were my home church for most of that time. I still feel like I’m coming home each time I visit.

The feeling was the same this weekend as we enjoyed an international dinner before the Saturday evening service.

My cousin, Michael Andrzejewski, preached the sermons throughout the conference. Michael, his wife Nina and their five children, were called to be missionaries to Portugal. They will be leaving on Feb. 18.

Along with this calling comes the hard decision to leave your family and everything that is comfortable to you and call another country your home.

They will not be returning for another five years, at which time they will only visit for a short time and then head back to their new home to continued their work on the mission field.

I had never heard the calling of a missionary presented in such a passionate way. Michael and his family will have to choose what they would take with them and what they leave behind in order to pursue the call that God had placed on their lives.

I actually thought that I might want to go to a mission field, but after Michael’s sermon, I realized that it takes a better woman than me to answer this call.

Michael said that wasn’t the point that he wanted to make, but it really opened my eyes to the sacrifices that they must make in order to do what they were created for.

Needless to say, Saturday night after service was a hard time for me and my family. It was the last time that I will see that part of my family for another five years. There was a tearful embrace, but it was joyful at the same time. I told Nina that I was so very proud of them and what they were doing. I can’t think of a better family to spread the gospel to the Portuguese people.

It is a hard time, but a wonderful time of excitement. I’m proud to say that my family members are “going and teaching all nations” just like Jesus instructed us to do in the book of Matthew.

Please send your prayers with the Andrzejewski’s as they set out on this new adventure in their lives.