We have officially wrapped up our eighth month on the race! What?! Absolutely mind boggling. Where has the time gone? It’s like life, as each month has passes, they seem to go faster and faster.
We have now said goodbye to eight amazing countries and within those eight countries are beautiful souls. One would think that saying goodbye to people and places might become easy, since that is somewhat apart of our norm. I wish it were so. As each country has passed, I think the goodbyes have been getting harder and harder.
This month Cristin spent everyday at the girls rehabilitation house and I spent my days at the boys rehabilitation house. These boys and girls range from ages 14-21. They have probably experienced more in the fourteenth-twenty one years of life than we will in the entirety of ours. Spending eight hours a day, five days a week at these houses, bonds begin to form extremely quick.
For the most part that has been true for each and every month. With each passing ministry, a piece of our heart remains in each country we’ve been blessed enough to serve in.
This isn’t something we’re discouraged by, but this is something that we are so uplifted by. To me, this is such a beautiful picture of what it means to be where your feet are. And as I reflect on the past eight months I’m so thankful that the Lord has blessed me with a visible representation of this. As I was journaling the other morning I looked down and saw the stack of bracelets piled on my wrist. I began to reflect on how I accumulated this beautiful hodgepodge. Each country we’re in, I seem to pick up and leave a bracelet with someone I have formed a meaningful relationship with. I’ve received and given numerous bracelets, but it’s not about the bracelets…it’s the symbolism behind them. Each bracelet represents a relationship that has been fostered by Christ’s love and ends in a unique friendship founded on laughter, truth, and joy.
Although we are saddened that we only have three months left on the race, we are so excited to finish strong and be where our feet are.
