I read this poem on facebook a few days ago. It pulled at my heart strings not because of the story between mom and daughter, which was beautiful. It pulled at my heart strings because so many times I have to say goodbye in these countries that I am visiting and I know that goodbye is forever. I heard over and over before I left for this journey that saying goodbyes would be hard but as I am finishing up month 7 and beginning month 8 I never thought it would be this hard. Each child that I fall madly in love with, each adult that I have shared my heart with and heard their heart in return, each house that I make myself right at home in and feel just like part of the family.I am writing this for you. I have tweaked the story to more of a world race story rather than a mama and her daughter.
Standing near the over stuffed bus, jeepney, or tuk tuk and waving one last goodbye to the host family that took our team of 7 crazy Americans in for the month I think to myself:
I love you and I wish you enough.
I can think back over the last month I spent in that country and think about how hot the weather was or how much rice I ate and I can honestly say our time together has been more than enough. Their love and hospitality has shown me all the love I could ever need. We then load up and leave leave behind that family for the last time ever.
I stare out of the window and watch as the ministry I just served in for the last month gets smaller and smaller. My emotions are torn between wanting to cry and so excited for what the next country will bring.
I sit there and think about how hard it truly is to say goodbye for the last time to a place I just poured my complete heart into.
This journey is 11 months and I am called to go where ever He leads me. I may come back to these places but when I sit down and think about it I know that I am saying goodbye forever. My heart will still be in those places with those people and I will continue on taking every step He has for me.
So, I can say to myself I wish you enough.
When I say I wish you enough, I am wanting them to have a life full of just good enough to sustain them.
“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all you possess.
I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final goodbye.
Most of all I wish you enough fulfillment from Jesus that nothing else matters.”
I then put on my iPod and close my eyes because I know that I just closed one chapter and I am getting ready to begin another one.
Goodbyes never get easier but with each goodbye I get a new hello and a new piece of my heart being dropped off in a country. A new chapter to start writing and a new place to love like Jesus loves.
So, as I read through that poem over facebook I cried because I understood in a whole different way.
