Gift from God or Test of my Pride?

So, I have an opportunity to go to Europe this summer.

Some friends of ours, Bruce & Darla from USD, are starting the International Performing Arts Institute (IPAI) in Munich, Hamburg, & Keifersvelden, Germany, and will do intensive training with singers in the areas of opera and musical theatre in order to jump-start their performance careers. Matt & I just happened to have some time to kill in Vermillion the other night after Larry's funeral, since Mom & Jim had the kids with them in Sioux City, so I gave Bruce & Darla a call (I haven't seen them since last summer) and boldly invited ourselves over. It was such a God-thing that I called that evening, because Bruce had just been out doing auditions and had talked to one of my students, (one he's particularly interested in for IPAI), so he wanted to talk to me about him...

...and also offer me the opportunity to go along and be one of their accompanists.

While there, I would also get the opportunity to take some of the classes in dance or acting, and have voice lessons with some of their fine staff that they're bringing in from all over the world.

It would mean going to Germany and Belgium for 3 1/2 weeks.

Now, I know what you're thinking. Yoo hoo, you have a husband and family.... remember them?

This makes Matt quietly jealous. If the situation were reversed, it would make me insanely jealous. I don't think I can use his trip to the Trek factory in Wisconsin last year as justification to say we'd be even... We're trying to work something out so that he can come for part of the trip.

To add more spice to the stew,

Bruce & Darla are amazing artists, but also radical Christians who believe that life is mission. They spent about 6 years in this area of Belgium previously, and while there, helped get this cross-denominational youth church up and running. One of the things they would love to do while there running this institute, is help this youth worship team get better at what they do- and they see Matt & me as a component of that. This is the type of mission work we could really get on board with!

So we're trying to figure out a few things...

* What do we do with the kids? It's almost a full month, and that's a long time for them. Even if Matt only comes for a week of the 3 weeks (which is all the vacation time he has left), he still works 40 hours a week, so we'd have to figure out some kind of child-care solution.

* How will we afford this? I don't know how much it's going to cost, but considering our tax situation, we have nothing to give right now (of course, we know that if this is a gift from God, he will provide financially for us).

* Can this be considered a mission trip? If life is mission, and there would be many opportunities to help build the local church, why not? I mean it's an unusual mission trip, but seems fitting for an unusual person, such as myself.

* How do you lead people in worship if you are not fluent in their language? I don't think 3 weeks is going to make me conversation-ready!

Those are the biggies right now, and of course, the ultimate question: Is this something that God wants me to do or that I just selfishly want for me?

So, after Europe, then what?

I mean, it's not like I'm going to audition for a national touring company or anything. But this could be a good opportunity to boost a performance career here in South Dakota. Bruce & Darla seem to be really good people to know. They are the kind of folks that make things happen. It would be nice after all these years to finally be able to say, "I'm a professional singer." Even if it is small potatoes here in Sioux Falls.

So these are the things bumping around in my head today.

Please check out their website and send me your thoughts. (www.internationalperformingartsinstitute.com) I can't do links in my blog posts from my home computer anymore (complicated), but check it out anyway.