As we head back to the mission field, again the difficult process of saying goodbye begins. Goodbye to our wonderful Sunday school class, to our friends, and to our extended family. There will be babies born, funerals, weddings, and other highlight events in life that we will miss out on, but mostly being with our children. This is a new part of our journey, when we go without those dear children and it is hard to imagine serving so far away from them. Home used to be where I was, but now it is shattered and spread in different directions, like a precious plate painted by my Aunt Marge, broken and lying about on the floor.
Hannah and Allan visited for a weekend, and Luke headed off to Florida for an adventure of his own. Lydia and I checked out the the Fig Tree Cafe with a beautiful and tasty S'more latte and cookie! I will miss playing scrabble and hanging out with her. Back to college.
Thanksgiving was truly a blessing, both in the dear people and the yummy food! When your own family is far away or in heaven, it is so very nice to have a family to adopt us as their own. Here are Ken and Moliene Lindsey and their children with their respective and growing families. A truly wonderful bunch of people!
Singing Christmas carols was so lovely, as there will not be a piano or keyboard in Saint Lucia for Christmas. So strange. Can I have Christmas without a piano? Does the weary world rejoice about the Savior born in the manger 2000 years ago? Questions, questions...
Saying goodbye to our lovely borrowed home in Jonesboro, furnished by Goodwill and garage sales, and two rockers from my grandmother. Can you tell I like art? Maybe one day we will be able to pull all our belongings, spread from here to Bosnia, in one place and finally have a home of our own. But on to the mission field!
Off we go to Saint Lucia in the lower Caribbean. We are learning more about the island, the people, and the pioneer YWAM base with whom we will be serving. The statistics are similar to Jonesboro, with 70% of newborns born to single mothers. We will be working with a detention center, the homeless, the elderly, the children, and the family with whom we will be living. Guy, Marilyn, and Asaph, their 7 year old son, will be our new family. More about all that later, when we know more ourselves!
It is a bit painful to be exiting stage left just when all the Christmas decorations are going up and the music is beginning to play. Please remember us all in your prayers, and give to our ministry, if you are able. We must all worship and serve God as a body. We will be your hands and feet, extended to the world.
May God bless and keep you, prosper you so that you can bless those less fortunate than yourselves. Live simply, so that others can simply live.
We love you all, Jenny and Merle
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