How did you decide to move to Cambodia?

We get asked that question a lot! Our journey here has been amazing. In fact, it could be the topic of a great book But for now, heres the short version:

Joe always wanted run a boys home, I always wanted to work overseas — maybe join the Peace Corps. Shortly after we were married we had our two sons, Caleb and Logan. Both our boys were born prematurely and had special needs. "So much for digging wells in Africa," I thought. As the years passed Joe and I talked about someday working in another country after our kids were grown.

In the meantime Joe ran his own construction business and managed a few projects for Habitat for Humanity. We both took a lay counseling course. We had a few guys in their early twenties live with us. We cared for our boys. We loved being a family. I spent several years writing a book about how pain and disappointment can lead us to a new and beautiful life.

Then one afternoon some friends had us over for dinner. They told us they were planning to work overseas. They described two options they were considering, one was in China, the other in Cambodia. The more they told us about Cambodia the more excited we become for them. "Wow, if it were a different time in our life we would want to go too!" we said.

That night after we got home we talked with my brother and his wife about Cambodia (they were living with us for a short time). "You should at least think about it," they encouraged. "Think about what?" I wondered. "It's not like we can just pick up and move to the other side of the world."

But I did think about it. The next day on my morning walk I talked to God: "I don't really know what to say, Im not exactly even sure where Cambodia is, but is there something we can do to help the people there?"

And then the most amazing thing happened. It was like God walked me through my life up to that point showing me how everything was leading to this next season. I came home, found my brother eating breakfast cereal and announced, "The random pieces of my life have come together and my life finally makes sense!"

"Wow, that must have been some walk," he said between bites, "Can you take me on that walk sometime?"

Soon Joe was also convinced that God was leading us to Cambodia. In the next few months things fell into place and we were offered a house parent position in the Asian Hope boys home located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

We are the first to admit that there is a lot of education and experience we don't have. But here is what is so amazing: the Asian Hope boys need to develop job skills and work ethic — for the last ten years Joe ran his own construction business and managed a few projects for Habitat of Humanity, both involved training young people. The Asian Hope kids need mentoring and Joe and I took a lay counseling course and even had several guys live with us for a few years. The Asian Hope boys need a family and we are passionate about family. Long before we knew it, God was preparing us for this exciting season!

So take heart, in the midst of normal, boring and even disappointing life, you are being equipped for something wonderful. Sure, it happens differently for all of us, but someday the random pieces of your life will come together. In that amazing moment you will discover that, even as messed up as things can feel, your life actually does make sense. Don't give up on your journey, it's taking you someplace good!

The Hansen family camping in Rocky Mountain National Park.