TEEN WITH A FOCUS
Seems almost a contradiciton in terms, by American standards, but Carly Sullivan is an 18 year old who has a direction and focus in her life. Having gone to Lithuania with her missionary parents eight years ago when she was ten, she has spent her teenage life overseas. This meant home schooling, which she says was very good, actually. It also means she has a much wider perspective of life than most American teens, especially since much of Lithuania’s ‘modernization’ has happened in the years she was there. Knowing not only that culture, but having close contact with Christians from Rumania, Holland and other European countries has helped define her life.
In addition to that benefit, the biggest benefit of being a ‘missionary kid’ or MK, is the closeness that is developed within the family, since many of the distractions of American teens (school activities, sports, visits with friends, jobs, etc.) were not an option overseas. So Mom, Dad, and brother Brian became very important.
The hardest thing about being a missionary kid, SHE SAYS, is the loneliness, the fact that you never quite fit anywhere. But she has learned to use those things to her advantage, being now quite happy to be neither completely ‘blue’ nor ‘yellow’ but a lovely shade of green (figuratively speaking!!)
Carly says she never really backslid in the traditional sense of the word, but that she did question what she believed quite thoroughly. This has actually brought her to a place where she now knows what she believes – for herself- rather than just what is preached or what her parents believe.
Nevertheless, at sixteen she felt the need to answer an altar call for salvation – because now, KNOWING the Bible, was true, KNOWING what she knew, she wanted to make a conscious choice to go FOR God.
From that point her life has moved rapidly. She had first met her husband-to-be Desmond Burghard on an invasion team in 2003. He grew up in Pastor Vaulk’s church in Zwolle, Netherlands. But their interest in each other blossomed after a 2006 boot camp in Holland.
They got engaged last spring, and after much hassle trying to get the necessary documentation for an 18 year old American to marry in Holland, are finally going to tie the knot on September 25th. Currently they are both active in ministry in the Zwolle church, Desmond as a drama team leader and together as the leaders for the youngest of the four teen groups – the 12 – 14 year olds. Their aspiration is to pastor in Holland; ministry in some other country would not be out of the question, should God lead that way.
Carly is very grateful for her friends and family here in the Cape Cod church, and wishes some of them were coming for the wedding. But such reunions there will be in the future, here- if Jesus tarries- and in heaven if He doesn’t!!
Married Sept 25!!!
