Megan Havelaar, Part 2

[00:00:04] Welcome to Women Worth Knowing, the radio program and podcast hosted by Cheryl Brodersen and Robin Jones Gunn. There are so many Christian women with fascinating stories, whether missionaries, musicians, reformers, authors or wives and mothers, their examples are inspirational to us all. Is that true?

[00:00:24] And we're going to find out about Megan today in Part 2. Cheryl? Part 2. I'm Cheryl Havelaar in studio. And as I said, in Part 1, I have the privilege of working with Megan and I had the privilege

[00:00:38] of being the Sunday school teacher to her youngest son, which is another story. And that might take us into Part 3. We'll see how we do today because I don't want to miss one iota.

[00:00:50] She was telling us some details before the program and I was like, oh, you have to share that. You have to share that. So we have Megan born in Colorado, Denver. And because of the influence of a really great godly youth pastor and his wife and their

[00:01:09] steadfastness in Jesus and their passion for Jesus, Megan received a passion for Jesus herself and a desire to go on the mission field, which led her to a missions conference where she applied to go to Bible college in Hungary. And she thought she'd be there one year.

[00:01:30] And so far, she's been there five years. Now, I have to go back a little bit. How many from Hungary, how many missions trips do you think you went on while you were there? Oh, so many.

[00:01:43] We had to do one a semester and then we also had weekend outreaches we were required to do within different cities in Hungary. My first outreach trip, my very first semester I went to Ukraine. And that was also life changing.

[00:01:57] I mean, that was the first time I ever like prayed with someone to get saved. And that was like, it's just all these things like God was like so good and faithful. And I know like it was nothing of me. It was him, you know?

[00:02:14] And so, but just experiencing that and really truly seeing someone's life like go from darkness to light and, you know, despair to joy, like experiencing that was like, yeah, nothing like it.

[00:02:28] And I think too, when you go out on your, you meet the people who have left everything to serve in the mission field. And I think at the time that you went probably the Marquis were there.

[00:02:43] And George and Pam are this, George and Pam Marquis, you can barely say their name without awe. Yeah. Because they left literally everything. They had a thriving church. Pam was almost a doctor, could have been, she's brilliant. They had how many children?

[00:03:01] I think it's seven or eight biological children. And they left, I mean, when George Marquis called Brian and said, Brian, I feel led to Siberia. Brian's like, no, you've got to be kidding. No, you've got a thriving church. You've got these kids, you know, it's too much.

[00:03:17] They packed up everything and they went in obedience to the Lord. And each of their children has become a legend of their own. I mean, right now, two of the Marquis boys are still serving in the Ukraine and they're coordinating all the relief.

[00:03:35] They're brave, they're wonderful, but you meet, like you said, in part one, you met this couple who just stayed steadfast, even though their church was not exploding or growing like the other ones in Hungary. But they stayed and they become like, you're an example of perseverance. Totally.

[00:03:55] And those were, it's like looking back, it's like I needed those examples. Absolutely. I needed those people who would like, whatever happens, Lord, I'm going to be here. I'm going to serve, you know, serve you, follow you, love you, love your people no matter what happens.

[00:04:13] And so, yeah, I was really thankful for a lot of those examples. So during that five years at Bible College in Vitek, though, you saw a lot of changes, because especially in staff, because it was a place where people might serve on staff

[00:04:26] and then they would go out to the mission field. Totally. All the time. Yep. Even as interns, like Sean and I, that's when I met my husband, Sean, we were interns at the same time.

[00:04:35] And so many of them went out to be missionaries or pastors or just in ministry. Yeah, as well. Yeah. When we get to Ethiopia, this is where I met Argo, who was the Ethiopian student who was

[00:04:51] a refugee in Hungary, got saved from, yeah, different missionaries from Calvary Budapest. Anyway, they sponsored him to come to the Bible College. And so that's where we met. So Sean and I, my husband, we always say this, God has led us relationally.

[00:05:09] Everywhere we've gone, it's always been very relational. And it's like, man, when you look back to Bible College in these times and you see, wow, I met that person and that person and that person and how all of our stories are woven together.

[00:05:21] And you become such that family in God and Christ. Yeah, it's amazing. We have people we know and love all over the world. And it's just amazing. Which is so ironic, because when you first went to Bible College, you said, I'm not making any friends.

[00:05:39] And God's like, really? That's partly how I, that's part of how I work is through friends and relationships. So I mean, it's very dangerous to say, Lord, I've got an objective and this is how I'm going to serve you. And God's like, hmm.

[00:05:52] Well, it's also clear how we have this perception of in order to serve God, I have to be so straightforward and serious. And comrade. Comrade. Because the work has to get done and the time is drawing short.

[00:06:06] And yet always just the way of Jesus is one by one, that relationship. I know it's funny. It's like, it's not even like I had that perception of anybody, but it's just that was just in me, I think, to think that.

[00:06:20] Because I think we have sometimes these stringent ideas about what God wants from our life and how he's going to accomplish it. And he says, what if I want to accomplish it by love? What if I want to accomplish it by blessing?

[00:06:31] And we're like, oh, do you work that way? He's like, read your Bible. Yes, I do. So now you're at Bible College. Now I want to know what year were you at when you actually met Sean? We interned at the same time.

[00:06:44] So I did two years of Bible College. Well, a year of Bible College, a year of missions training program. And then I started my internship and Sean had come over for the A Vision for Life summer youth program.

[00:06:54] So in the summers, we had this A Vision for Life youth discipleship program for high schoolers and college age kids just to come in the summer and kind of get a little taste of missions in Bible College.

[00:07:05] And, you know, they say it takes six weeks to form a habit or to break a habit. So just to encourage people to come and come out and do that. And so Sean was part of the first summer. He came from here. He's from here.

[00:07:17] He's originally from Orange County. And so through the church, through Calvary Coast Mesa, he heard about this discipleship program. And so he went out that summer. And then after the summer, the pastors asked him to come back and intern the next year.

[00:07:30] How old is he at this point? He was 20. He had graduated college. He was 22 at the time. 23. Yep. So now when you first met him, when you first came on campus, any sparks? Oh no. No. We like we I had I did not know him at all.

[00:07:47] I had known everybody else. And I think that was a hard thing for him to coming into this group who we had all known each other. And he was the new guy who didn't go to Bible College.

[00:07:57] So we were just like, just getting to know who he was, you know. But on our internship team was our friends Tim and Grace, who we ended up serving with too in Las Vegas was Argo, our Ethiopian friend who we served with.

[00:08:10] Prince from Nigeria was also part of our internship. Like we just had a really great group of interns. Yeah. And so nothing, nothing there. We just, yeah, did our jobs. How did that change? Well, we got to know each other and become good friends.

[00:08:27] And so we kind of, yeah, I think always, yeah, just had a really great friendship with each other and we just always had that foundation. And yeah, like for me, I wasn't I wasn't there to necessarily find a husband or, you know, anything like that.

[00:08:46] I was very clear, like God is going to use me on the mission. No relations. Yes. But, you know, with Sean, yeah, we just got to be really close. So I stayed. He actually went back to the States after his internship program and he felt called

[00:09:01] to go to Africa. He thought maybe he'd go to Nigeria and join our friend Prince, but the visa didn't work out. So Phil asked him to come back to Hungary and like, just wait out the visa thing here, figure out where you're going to go.

[00:09:14] So he came back and we'd stayed in touch this whole time. And so while he was there, Argo was there and he was like, Sean was like, OK, well, I think I'll just go.

[00:09:24] I think I'm going to go to Ethiopia and I think I'm going to go serve with Argo and Rachel. Rachel is Argo's wife. They met at the Bible College. She's from Indiana. We were roommates. We were roommates together.

[00:09:35] I remember Rachel coming in and just having this feeling, this calling to go to Ethiopia. And she's like, I know there's a trip to Ethiopia and I think there's an Ethiopian person here. And I was like, yes, there is. And so I introduced her to Argo.

[00:09:50] Anyway, they got married nine months later, went to Ethiopia right after that. And Sean and Argo were really close. Sean was in Argo and Rachel's wedding and yeah, they were really close during our internship time. So yeah, anyway, just all these relationships and relational things.

[00:10:06] So Sean came, thought he was going to go to Ethiopia. And then, yeah, we just kind of happened real quick. So the end of my five years of the Bible time at the Bible College, I knew I was planning

[00:10:20] on going back to the States and actually going to serve with my youth pastor and his wife. They were planning a church in the mountains and they were like, come, come, come serve with us. And I was like, yes, like definitely.

[00:10:32] So they were going to the mountains and planning a church. And so that was, again, my plan was to end my time of my two years on staff. And that was my plan. Sean's plan was, okay, I'm moving with Argo and Rachel to Ethiopia. This was his plan.

[00:10:49] And yeah, God just kind of, it was time, you know, like looking back, there were things that like this wasn't the right time. And I think for Sean and I, if we'd gotten together any sooner or, you know, it just wasn't the right time.

[00:11:03] I know what that's like. And you know, actually, I was going to say this is really important. We have young women who listen, we know because we hear from them. But it's so important for those young women that are listening to know that the ways that

[00:11:13] God works, it's always relational, but He prepares hearts and His timing is just right at just the right time. So that it's not dependent on the feelings or do we have all the same interests and things that are always being fed to us through the culture.

[00:11:33] But with the way we have seen God work in couples for generations has just been that calling and that drawing until one day you just sort of look at each other and say, I just I can't imagine another day of my life without doing life right beside you.

[00:11:50] And it feels like you're already established. And the friendship, the friendship factor, becoming friends. I think about the scripture in Song of Solomon, do not awaken love before it's time. And I think there's a time when God awakens the love at the right time. So I love that.

[00:12:07] So now you and Shawn, you're serving together. And off to Ethiopia, which is in Africa. So Shawn was right about that. Did you think Shawn was like just a great guy? I mean, you had admiration for him? Yeah, definitely.

[00:12:20] I think when you have lived and served with someone like that, like at the Bible college, you are doing everything together. You know, everything. So you get to see the true color of people very quickly.

[00:12:34] And I think there sometimes people got together real quick and then they broke up real fast. It's not like, oh, I'll call you and see in a few days or, you know, we were just this very concentrated time. So you got to know each other really well.

[00:12:47] And I think, yeah, there was just always a steadiness about him. And I just felt very like cared by him. And yeah, just our friendship was so key. How did it win and how did it go to the next level? Okay, so love these stories.

[00:13:05] We were in Austria actually at the, we had a staff retreat. Yeah, we would take staff retreats there every year. It was the end of the spring semester. So like May, May-ish time in August, I was going to go to Colorado.

[00:13:20] In July, Sean was going to go to Ethiopia. That was, you know, so this was kind of our last time together as a staff. Some of us were moving on and stuff like that. So we were in Austria and just having a beautiful time with each other.

[00:13:34] And one of the pastors for our session was encouraged all of us to go grab our Bibles and our journals and go spend time with God. You're in this beautiful place, like go, like just go be by yourself, spend time with the Lord.

[00:13:48] And so we all did that. And for Sean, that's when he felt like, yeah, like the Lord really impressed me upon his heart during that time. And he kind of explains it like the Lord just kind of showed him this picture show of me

[00:14:02] and just me being used as an instrument of grace in his life. And so, yeah, it just all came coming. I think that awakening, you know, and I had no idea like this was not even on my radar

[00:14:15] at the time, you know, so I, this happens and he's like, well, how do I talk to her about this? And, you know, didn't really know the timing. And so we get back to Hungary and, you know, from the Bible, from the retreat and he was

[00:14:30] like, I need to talk to you. And I was like, okay. And I was like, not sure why, but it was very important. And so I remember we sat outside of the Bible college in Hungary and there's like lightning going on in front of us.

[00:14:44] And he's like, I need you to pray about us. And I was like, what? Did I hurt your feelings? Like I had no idea what he was talking about. And then he just explained to me just kind of what happened in Austria and all of that.

[00:14:59] And I was like, wow, kind of shocked, you know, because we were kind of both headed in these different directions, but he was a good friend, you know? And so I was like, okay, yeah, I will. I'll pray about it. You know, it's like go either way.

[00:15:14] I don't know at this point, but yeah. So he left and he actually went on a trip to see his family in Holland and I stayed in Hungary and just kind of like talk to people and prayed about it and was, you know, yeah,

[00:15:28] really you need to seek the Lord on this. But after I'd say about, I don't know, 10 days, two weeks, I was just in my quiet time and I was going through Ezekiel and I remember the chapters about the rebuilding of the

[00:15:43] temple and just while I was reading that, I just kind of got this picture in my mind of Sean and I kind of built like a temple and his spirit was dwelling in between us, you know? So I just felt like, okay, Lord, like.

[00:15:55] In Ezekiel of all places. I know. And this would become very significant probably in part three. And that's why you got all teared up. Oh, I am so dying. Yes. Already I'm just dying. So I'll tell you one of the reasons I'm dying.

[00:16:13] Sean shared a couple weeks ago and I saw Megan on the edge of her seat and I saw him look to her for affirmation and her just smiling and you could see the love between them. And it was so beautiful.

[00:16:26] I mean, I wanted just to like keep going back and forth like, oh, there's Sean. It was just so sweet. This is like, it's very, it's so beautiful what the Lord does. Now I've got Megan crying. Sorry about that. I know. Now I've got Robin tearing up.

[00:16:41] But it's the way that the Lord knits hearts together. That's true. That's what it is. So that friendship is so important as the foundational. So when did you realize you were actually in love? Or this was love?

[00:16:54] Well, I just felt like, okay, Lord, like this is from you clearly, you know? So I went and I talked to Sean about it and I was like, okay, I think this is it.

[00:17:04] And I know it was like for marriage, you know, it's not like we needed to get to know each other. No, I knew this was for marriage. Yeah, you already knew each other. Yes.

[00:17:13] And so this happened on a Wednesday that I talked to him and was like, okay, let's take the step forward, you know? And I feel like when that happened, it was like, yes, like I feel like I did see him in a different light.

[00:17:26] Like I do love you like that. And the next day we went out and ran some errands for the Bible college and just doing everyday things. And I feel like Sean remembers me just kind of like looking at him in the store and I

[00:17:39] just was like, I love you. Like yeah, like this is like, wow. And so that happened. And then that was a Thursday. We did that and said, I love you. And yeah, Friday he had to go pick up one of the pastors in Hungary at the airport.

[00:17:58] And unbeknownst to me, he went, Argo went with him, our Ethiopian friend, and he bought a ring. Wow. And then on Saturday was supposed to be kind of our first date.

[00:18:08] And so we went to the bigger city where a lot of us often go to watch movies, have food, you know, that kind of a thing. And there was a special Italian restaurant that we would go to. And that's kind of like where he wanted to propose.

[00:18:22] So we get there and he's like, oh, kind of putting me off the scent. Like, maybe we could look at some rings while we're here. And I was like, OK, yeah, you know. But we get to the Italian restaurant and it's closed.

[00:18:34] But it's in this like little courtyard area. It was so for me, it was perfect because nobody was around. It wasn't this grand big gesture. And he was kind of felt kind of deflated. But we just like he's like, can we just sit down? And I said, yeah.

[00:18:51] And so we sat down and yeah. And that's kind of when he proposed to me. Did he go on a knee? Yeah, he did. And he I was really shocked when he pulled out the ring.

[00:19:03] You know, I was like, oh, my gosh, when did you have time to get this? But so he you know, he goes through his little spiel and asks me to marry him. And I just was like kind of frozen.

[00:19:14] And he was like, but if you're not ready and I was like, no, no, I'm ready. So that was my guess. Yeah, I think I just was shocked at the timing. But it was perfect. Yeah, it was perfect.

[00:19:26] So how long after that did you get married and where did you get? Yeah. So Sean ended up going to Ethiopia for the month of July. Wow. He went for the month of July. And then I went back to the States.

[00:19:39] But, you know, not not to go serve with my youth pastor and his wife. But we got married in December. So this was June, beginning of June. And then he went to Ethiopia.

[00:19:49] We kind of both moved back to the States in August and we moved back to Colorado where I'm from. And that's where we. That's great, because it gives your mom a chance to. Yes. All of our families.

[00:19:59] Yes. Yeah, because it's crazy because you've known each other for five years. But your mother hasn't known Sean. Right. Yeah. And Sean's family hasn't known you. I didn't even hear about him. Little by little in the letters. Oh, he's really cute. I think I like him.

[00:20:12] No, just hi. I'm home. And I got to ring up. And you know, there's this guy I've known for a few years. Yep. So we moved back to Colorado and just kind of got jobs and were like,

[00:20:25] OK, I think this is where we're going to be for a time. It wasn't going to be. Yeah. How long were you in Colorado? We were in we were there for a little over a year. So just kind of being established as a couple.

[00:20:39] Yeah. Yeah. We got went to the got back, planned a wedding, got married, had our jobs. Yeah. Which I think was really good for us. Just like real life and having to pay rent first year, especially.

[00:20:54] I mean, what is it in the Old Testament that says your first year of Deuteronomy don't even go into service or fighting for your your priesthood or the ministry ministry or your first year set aside? So then you have that time with each other.

[00:21:11] And that's what we wanted was time with each other. You know, so I was really thankful that we could just live our lives, you know. But I knew I think we both knew inside of us that this wasn't permanent.

[00:21:25] Yeah. You know, we really both had a feeling that like, yeah, there was going to be something later. And we had a desire just as we were back in the States to just kind of seeing just where things were headed and how like the youth were doing.

[00:21:41] It was just kind of like, wow, kind of eye opening having been gone for so long. It is coming back. It is like, oh, but we still want to see people walk in all that God has for them.

[00:21:50] That's another affirming pattern of how God worked in your life. Rome. But that's not it. Or we'll even start in Denver. Yeah, I'm here. But no, there's more. The circuitous. Yes, because every place has purpose. Again, we want to get straight to the objective and God saying,

[00:22:04] no, I have a purpose in each of these places. So now you and Sean are in Colorado. And so you're getting this little bit of turning. This is not it. So what happens next? Yeah. So we yeah, Sean kind of took it.

[00:22:21] He was working two jobs, kind of took a step of faith to quit one job because yeah, we just were like really missing time with each other. And we're like, man, like, why are we having to like work so hard?

[00:22:31] And anyway, so then, yeah, we kind of got a call from Phil and he was like, hey, they had a couple of pastors and families that were moving on from the Bible college to go and serve in other places. New Zealand and England.

[00:22:43] And he was like, hey, would you guys pray about coming back out here? And we were like, wow. Like, didn't think it was an option. Like kind of both of us thought that door had closed. Didn't see this coming. Didn't see Sean proposing.

[00:22:56] Didn't see staying at the Bible college for five years. Yes, we do. I love that. But it's so good. It was. Yeah, it was for us again, having that desire of like, wow,

[00:23:05] we want to see people walk and all that walk and all that God has for them. The Bible college is the perfect place. Can I say this to that? Too often we expect the Lord to tell us the whole, you know,

[00:23:17] like tell like when I do GPS, right? I like to look at where each street that I'm going to turn on before I even consult the map. I like to look at the instructions, then go to the map. And it doesn't work that way spiritually.

[00:23:31] God does not often does not tell us where we're going or what we'll do, probably because we will. Because it's a walk of faith. Yes, we'll get ahead of them. It's yes. And so that all we have to do is stay close to him, follow him.

[00:23:47] And listen. So you're having turnings. You're thinking about going back to the Bible college. Yep. Phil asks us to go back. And we were like, you know, took a little bit of time to pray about it.

[00:23:58] And we felt like, yeah, I think this is where we're supposed to go. And we were like genuinely excited about it. And, you know, yeah, we just were like, OK, yeah, I think this is where we want to go. What was the role that he was seeing?

[00:24:11] He was going to be a pastor and a teacher. So, yeah, so he would get ordained and be one of the teaching pastors. And then when we got there, it was really cool because then he got to oversee the A Vision for Life program.

[00:24:26] So the program that, you know, he was involved with that really got got hold of his heart. Yes. With we got to oversee that and run that for a couple of years while we were there. So that was really special. Yeah. And we had our kids out there.

[00:24:40] And yes. So I mean, that is something too, because you had your you had your son Judah and then you had your daughter Sonia. I mean, how many people have children on the mission field? Yeah. So again, I told you, I warned you

[00:24:56] that we might need three parts, because if you think it's been exciting and good, wait for part three, because I know just a little bit of it. And I'm so excited. So join us next week. Part three. Thank you for listening to Women Worth Knowing with Cheryl Broderson

[00:25:13] and Robin Jones Gunn. For more information on Cheryl, visit Cheryl Broderson dot com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook. For more information on Robin, visit Robin Gunn dot com or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

[00:25:26] Join us each week for a lively conversation as we explore the lives of well-known and not so well-known historical and contemporary Christian women. If you think there is a woman worth knowing, we'd love to hear from you. Email us at WWK at CCCM dot com.

[00:25:44] We hope you've enjoyed today's episode. Make sure you rate us on your podcast app, subscribe and share it with a friend. Thank you again for listening to Women Worth Knowing with Cheryl Broderson and Robin Jones Gunn. Women Worth Knowing is a production of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.