dear steve,
looks like i’ll be able to take a couple hours off to see you off at dulles international airport. around 5 p.m. your virgin america flight will take off, and thus you’ll get a headstart to the launch of your world race. it’s been a little over two years, but i can still remember the weekend i went west to begin my journey. my jetblue flight to long beach, ca left early saturday morning; my good friend and advocate, sarah, and odpc’s missions pastor, dan, sent me off at dulles.before i flew out of lax a day later than the rest of my squad with sarah (diederich) barnett and braedon tabor, i got to spend my last moments in the u.s. eating great food and being with friends. even as i boarded that cathay pacific flight to the philippines with a layover in hong kong, the reality of this crazy adventure hadn’t set in. so when you said last night during the prayer meeting how you were feeling somewhat stoic, i wasn’t at all surprised.
your world race will be different than mine – i declare it will be much better (whatever that looks like). yet it’s amusing how i recognize and am familiar with what you’ve been feeling lately as you’re getting closer and closer to launch.
i’ve almost cried as i’m typing this, and i hope i don’t cry at the airport ’cause it’s not a flattering look on me. i haven’t known you all that long – not nearly as close to you as the friends who’ll be taking you to dulles and seeing you off – so it seems kinda weird, doesn’t it? God’s such an interesting author, isn’t he? you wanted to travel after graduating, your friends told you about me, someone at church who went on this whirlwind global missions trip, and voila, you’ve joined this movement to extend the borders of His kingdom.you said it best when you said that all the ministry and blessings you bring are simply a byproduct of your obedience, of this journey with God. i’ve been back for a year and i still don’t fully know how my race will serve as a foundation – i just know that it is the beginning and not the end all. that’s why i’ve been so excited for you, because these 11 months are the beginning of the rest of your life.
and somehow along the way, little old me got to play a part in setting you in motion. even getting peppered with all those questions about what to bring and insurance options over google chat was a privilege. i’m honored and blessed. and my eyes are watering again…
anyway. last minute advice – i know you walk in favor and all that, but please please please get you some malaria meds. please. dunno if i’ll see you at your awakening seeing as how i already got to go to this one and it’d be nice if my colleagues got a chance to go to the next one (if someone from our dep’t is sent, that is) — but you pray on that and maybe…
oh, mail me some tim-tams when you’re in australia.
hope you remember the words and prayers you received last night; they was some good ones, these are some i can recall off the top of my head:
- world race = father-son road-trip/bonding time.
- “it’s a small world after all”
- soulja boy = bringing joy
steve, continue saying that resounding yes to our heavenly father. dive in, go all out, right from the get-go. i declare favor as you serve as a logistics person on the squad. and that your stomach remain iron-clad.
thank you for introducing me to kabob palace and the spoken word awesomeness and the pr textbook.
very proud of you and pulling for you. keep bringing it. and will stop rambling now. and i apologize in advance if i don’t dissolve into a snotty mess.
your world race 누나 (noona),
sara.
p.s. thanks to your friend sam kang, from whom i swiped the photo of you and some of your bffs off of facebook.
