Back in early March, at the end of our time in Ghana, I wrote a blog titled “Hello and Goodbye.” I was getting ready to say goodbye to hosts and friends – people that I had formed deep relationships with.
I was two months into this wild journey, and I didn’t know what to do. I’ve now reached Month 9, and I’ve come to realize that saying goodbye doesn’t get any easier, even though I’ve been doing it for a while now. My team and I have been working with a couple churches here in Chile, and I have met some of the most funny, caring people ever (I’ve been to 10 countries outside of the US for ministry, and every time I think I’ve met the sweetest people on the planet, I am blown away by hospitality again).
Throughout our time in Antofagasta, we have been getting to know about a dozen teens/young adults. They are more than just people from the church, but have become true friends that I just want to take with me for the rest of the Race (and then life). I have laughed, cried and worshipped alongside them, and they continue to show me more of who God is.
Tonight, we had church at our second church for the month (we head back to church number one tomorrow at lunchtime). At the end, after Marilyn preached, Olivia led worship. After she finished the first song, she told everyone that she had one more planned. The song she had planned was a song that the worship leader from the church had planned on singing tonight too. It was completely the Lord that they both wanted to sing it. So we spent the next few minutes praising the King in English and Spanish.
We spent time proclaiming Hosanna and the Lord let me get the tiniest glimpse of what eternity will look like. When every tribe, tongue and nation comes together at the feet of Jesus in heaven, we will have worship even more grand than what we experienced tonight. We will be able to praise God with everything, and I’ll have friends from all over the world to do that with.
I had the honor of experiencing a tiny bit of heaven tonight. God reminded me that even though I have to say goodbye to these friends next week, I will have eternity to worship the King with them. When man sinned for the first time, that separation from God was cured by Jesus willingly giving his life, so we could give glory to God again one day. Because of that, I have the privilege of having friends all over the world. I have the honor of know that I will get to praise and worship God, literally forever with these sweet friends.
So saying goodbye next week will easily be one of my hardest goodbyes this far, but I have hope for what is coming one day.
