Three years ago I had the opportunity to go on a missions trip to Russia to visit Jean Werner, a missionary our church supports. This was shortly after my dad’s death and I was still going through the grieving process. I had also caught a nasty cold and the combination of the two had put me down in the dumps. One specific day that I was feeling really down we were going to visit a missionary couple in the area. I was in a foul mood and didn’t really want to talk to anybody, but we went on and made our way to their apartment. Jean knocked on the door and I was thinking how miserable I was, when the door opened and I heard, “Hey ya’ll, come on in and take yer shoes off!” Being from the South, I was shocked to be greeted by a deep Southern accent and welcomed into an apartment that was decorated like those of back home. The wonderful couple welcomed us into their home with true Southern hospitality and my spirits were immediately lifted. We talked about back home, had a Southern cooked meal with sweet tea, and fellowshiped. Never in my dreams could I have imagined that kind of blessing: A homesick Southern boy made to feel at home in the middle of Russia.
I look forward to suprises like this during our trip, finding home where we least expect it. Peace.
