Hey team,
man, I miss you guys a lot. Everything happened so fast on Thursday. I wanted to send you guys this message to say goodbye and give you something like a road blessing. You guys were like a family to me in the last 4 months. That is why it is so hard to not be around you anymore
Jeff: I believe in you. Whenever I gave you feedback I believed that you could do it. It always came from a place of respect and because I think that you are a great man. I am sorry I won't be able to see you leading the team. I was really looking forward to following you.
Thank you for always getting what I meant to say in difficult situations and for understanding how I was doing. That meant so much.
I will always remember our trips together. Like in Ecuador when we brought Cassy home after going up the hill with the cable car and drove around in busses afterwards. Or when we got train tickets and the guitars in Bucharest, when we got bustickets in Bolivia and talked about marriage and in Peru when we rode through Trujillo with combis (I forgot what we were doing). Those we great, manly times.
And sorry I can't go to La Paz with you anymore.
Alyssa: Be the woman who let out the braveheart war cry again. You have so much to offer. Get deep and intimate with God and straight forward and close with others. I will forward The Art of Listening Prayer by Seth Barnes to you.
Thank you for knowing what I think is funny and for laughing I me. That spoke to me a lot. Thank you for checking in with me when you noticed that there was something going on.
I will always remember our English classes in Ecuador. Thanks for making me that great Noah-beard. That was so much fun. "Whoooo, whooooo, whooooo!"
Cassie: It was great to see you being yourself at our last team dinner. Don't ever withhold yourself from people because they need and deserve to see you. You are shining God.
Thank you for understanding me and for knowing how much running in Romania meant to me. You were like a big sister to me.
I will always remember our unscheduled conversations, for example in Bolivia on our day off or in Peru that one time during dinner. Thank you for being there.
Mindy: Your love is your greatest gift. You love well and so much. Thanks for never stopping to love me in the last months. That was so Christ-like. You always offer to share experiences and food with everybody.
Thank you for always pursuing me and for thinking of me when you got something. Thanks for asking how I feel about things.
I will always remember our thinker discussions. Thank you also for wanting to get to know me so much.
Jolene: Your biggest gift is your peacefulness. I could see that last night and in Bolivia when you were waiting for dinner and sitting on the table (after you had been so sick). God's love in you shines brightest when you are not doing anything but as a place of peace to others. You have so much more to offer than your skills.
Thank you just for being you. Thank you for leading us in such an awesome way. It had been a big blessing to me.
I will always remember our one-on-one in Romania. That was a really good conversation. Also our ride to Training Camp in the bus with Cassie and Daniel when we talked about The O.C. (I know that you're not like the people in there ;)). And that you always noticed when I was about to make up something.
Meredith: Thank you for being vulnerable. Your tears are of so much value to God. More than anything. Jesus worked and ministered from a place of compassion and vulnerability. Look for the shortest verse in the bible. Keep on being so open and vulnerable and you will create a space of deep intimacy for others where love can happen.
Thank you for caring for me and for listening to my music with me. Thanks for your happiness and deepness in faith. And thanks for your great German accent. 😉
I will always remember laughing with you. I am so glad you joined our team. I will remember worship that you lead. And if you ever wonder what happens on days off just ask me on Facebook. =)
Steve: I will miss you, buddy. You're a good man, Steven Buffington. Have confidence in that, tell yourself every day. As much as you know and believe that you belong to God I want you to believe that you are a good and strong man of God who builds up, encourages and speaks life. That's who god created you to be, that's who you are in the core of your being.
Thank you for letting me stay at your place before Training Camp. Thanks for getting me Burger King in Lima and for cooking for me. Thanks for all the conversations we had and for opening up to me so much. That meant a lot to me.
So many things I will remember. Traveling with you through the Andes, finishing up other people's food with you, working with you and so much more. But mostly, I will just remember you as a person. Looking forward to seeing you again. 😉
To the whole team: The Lord has big plans for you guys. I talked to some other people during debrief. They told me that they didn't have scheduled one-on-ones either but every day they made a point to get together with one person, to share where they're at and to pray for each other. From there intimacy with the team as a whole just happened. Maybe it is something that will help you guys, too. =)
I will miss you guys. I felt loved and cared for by every single one of you. Thank you for the past 4 months that I was able to spend with you. As I am finishing up this message, I am on a train to our ministry side in Ukraine. it still seems unreal to me that I won't be with you guys anymore. You were like a family to me.
Jan
