The American Dream?

I often weigh the pros and cons of having lived in the mission field with our kids.  I wonder did we do the right thing taking them away from opportunities of America? Did we hurt our children? Everyone seems to have special kids that have special talents and I think, did we deprive our children of finding their special talent? Then I am reminded the only thing that matters in life is serving God and how we are living for God.  We took our children away from opportunities that all children should be exposed to, like sports, music lessons, youth group, the 'normal' things in life so that we could serve the people of Guinea Bissau.  While we didn't give them the typical opportunities of typical children, they were taught to play without anything.  They didn't have toy planes, but instead learned to make helicopters out of mango leaves and a stick. Our children didn't have bow and arrows, rather learned to make bow and arrows out of sticks. They learned that trash thrown on the ground can be used for something else, most likely a toy. They never had a toy wagon, but used broken buckets with rope and drug it around the yard as a wagon. They learned that running with a stick and a tire provides endless fun.  They learned to ride a bike built for an adult when they were just a kid.  They learned an entire language, and were quite fluent at it making people we encountered outside of our village think they were all born there. They learned to interact with all sorts of people from totally different backgrounds and ages.

 Our children aren't the best athletes, gifted musically, mathematicians, or had every opportunity America allows for them, but they have seen what it means to love unconditionally.  They have seen what it means to serve God even when the serving gets tough.  They have lived out loving their enemy, praying for those who persecuted them, feed the hungry, bandage the wounded, caring for the widows, and serving those who can never repay them. While we haven't given them the American dream, we have given our children the Christian dream.  When I get down because I am comparing my children to a typical American child, I need to remember that the only comparison necessary to make is to Christ.  Have I served Christ unashamedly and with complete obedience? Would I be willing to give it all up again?