Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard of 19 Kids and Counting are headed overseas for an undisclosed amount of time to do mission work.
According to Us Weekly, the Dillards, who welcomed son Israel in April, revealed their intentions to head overseas in a statement via their blog but did not disclose their destination.
“Since we first began our relationship, it has always been our goal that Jesus Christ might be glorified as we serve others through family ministry, by whatever means that might be,” the Jill and Derick Dillard wrote. “We have a deep love and care for all of the world and a real passion for those in the nations, as many have even seen in the early stages of our relationship, and our hope is that all peoples of the world would come to repentance and put their hope in the Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Jill (Duggar) Dillard and husband Derick announce they are going on a mission http://t.co/I3A8ttaJsT pic.twitter.com/voJGguGdDw
— People magazine (@people) June 27, 2015
“God has put a desire in our hearts to serve Him internationally for longer than the typical short-term mission trip, but we didn’t know yet how God would fulfill that desire in us. We were prepared for the possibility of it being years before our family would be able to make a move of that magnitude,” Jill Duggar and husband Derick concluded. “It’s something we’ve prayed about together in an effort to seek God’s plan for our lives in His service.”
The couple who were married last year said they were presented with the opportunity several months ago. Dillard, 26, said he felt like he had a “huge dilemma as the provider and the protector” of his family and stepped down from his position at Wal-Mart to start this new endeavor.
.@jillmdillard is moving her branch of the @duggarfam many miles overseas (and counting!) http://t.co/qvhJnP6uUx pic.twitter.com/vGNKqBHmjm
— CELEBUZZ (@CELEBUZZ) June 27, 2015
“We don’t expect this new adventure to always be easy, but God never promised that following Him wouldn’t have its challenges. We are confident in knowing that there is no better place to be than in the center of God’s will for our lives,” Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard wrote. “We look forward to this adventure and the joy of serving Him in this new way. We wanted to share this with you and ask for your prayers as our family makes this transition.”
Duggar family's Jill and Derick Dillard moving overseas for missionary work: http://t.co/6stNd1u5wo pic.twitter.com/0CpyZH43IK
— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) June 27, 2015
Perhaps this will bring some calm to their lives after all the brouhaha surrounding the news that brother Josh Duggar molested several siblings, including 24-year-old Jill Duggar. The show was pulled from TLC amid the scandal.
