Filandia was the sweetest month one we could have wished for. The people, the bright colored buildings, the team bonding, the ministry, the children, and our hosts. All of it. Every moment. Perfect.
We were so blessed.
We spent the mornings teaching English, bible lessons, and playing games in the farm schools surrounding Filandia. The kids were so accepting and showed us some much love. They greeted us at the gate when we arrived and chased the Jeep down the road when we left.
We spent the afternoons helping our hosts with an after school program at their foundation, Fundación Pioneros. We helped with homework, played games, soccer, and gave a lot of hugs. Sunday mornings we taught children’s church at the foundation with stories, snacks, and lots of coloring.
Filandia felt like our home and today we said goodbye.
We taught our last children’s church and said goodbye to our kiddos. We hugged all the kids one last time and walked away with tear filled eyes.
We went to our favorite coffee shop and said goodbye to our favorite barista.
And finally we said goodbye so our sweet, amazing hosts. Eyson and Karson brought us in and made us family. We shared meals, laughter, tears, and deep conversations with them. They brought so much joy and love into our lives.
As we hugged them goodbye in the coffee shop I came to the realization that loving people as radically as Jesus did has the promise of painful goodbyes and that is beautiful.
The power of these goodbyes left me and most of team team standing in a coffee shop with aching hearts and tears streaming down our faces.
We received so much love this month and I am taking that with me but I realized that I gave pieces of my heart away too. Pieces to the kids, the people, the city and our hosts.
I am so thankful for the gift of love. I am so thankful for radical way we get to share Jesus by sitting with a kid, playing soccer, or in a deep conversation.
Today I am thankful for Filandia, sweet relations, a beautiful month and people that we loved so much that hurt to say goodbye.
