Blessings

Over the years we have met a lot of fantastic people here.  Some of them are nationals here, some of them we randomly met while here, and some of them came here specifically to help us.  As it is the exodus time of year, I have had the joy of reflecting on many of these wonderful relationships and what they have meant to us.  Specifically last night I was reflecting on the people who have come here intentionally to serve.  There are too many of those special people for me to write about them all.  Each one has touched our family and our work here in a way unique to them.  Next week our sweet Carrie gets married.  We are all wishing we could be there.  She was only here for a year but her smile and joy were a ray of sunshine to us all.  

                                               
        (Carrie's bridal shower before she left)

Just a few weeks ago we had the opportunity to honor a few of these amazing people in a special way.  In order to live here we all have to give up things that we love; food, comfort, relationships, possessions, and even experiencing milestones in the way we ordinarily would.  It just so happened that in May, three of our friends were giving up one of those special milestones.  All of them were missing college or graduate school graduation ceremonies in order to serve here.  They knew before they came that this would be the case and when they weighed it in the balance they chose to set aside their own desires and follow Him and His timing in their lives.  We were humbled by their sacrifice and decided to throw them a surprise graduation ceremony as best we could here.  We borrowed cap & gowns, decorated with balloons and streamers, and made fake diplomas.  They were all graduating from different institutions but we wrote in advance and had someone from their school (advisor, university president, prize teacher) and someone from their home (friend, parent, ect…) write them a letter of congratulations that could be read at the ceremony.  We played Pomp & Circumstance and had them march the aisle of our living room for a short and possibly silly ceremony.  But we did it to honor them and help them mark this milestone.  We recognize the sacrifices they have made to be here and are thankful for their service. 


      (Our 3 graduates: Paul, Katie, and Regan)



Of all the people who have passed through our lives here, few have been as precious to us as Maria. She is about to move on to her next big adventure and she will be missed like crazy.  We met Maria our very first week in China and have been serving alongside her ever since.  That makes her our oldest friend in China and 5 years is a record long friendship in this place.  From the time we met Maria we have been impressed by her commitment to serve Him with all of her heart.  She has been faithful when others have not, pressed on when others walked away, and continued smiling throughout it all.  No matter what we have asked of her over the years, she has responded with a servant’s heart.  Building relationships with students, helping to lead English corners, playing guitar for services, hosting visitors, sharing truth with those in our community, babysitting, studying Chinese, investing in lives, and even moving with us to a different city to help us start a new work.  The list of the ways she has served in these 5 years could go on and on.  But, even more than all that, she has been our friend and encourager.  There has never been a time when she has not been around making us laugh, encouraging us, supporting us, and listening to us.  She has been a rock in my children’s lives, a steady friend to us as a family, and to me a most precious sister.  We will miss her dearly but we are so excited that God is honoring her faithfulness and providing her with the desires of her heart.  She has waited long and patiently for Ryan to come along.  And in the meantime she has focused on others and consistently given her all in service to Him instead of fretting over a future she couldn’t see yet.  We are thrilled for her as she turns the page and enters this new chapter in life.  We are confident that she will continue to bless others as she has blessed us. But words can't express how we will miss her.

                                                
     (Our sweet Maria at her bridal shower)

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 14, 2014 at 8:34 AM

    So very very true! Thank you for sharing what we are all feeling!

    ReplyDelete

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