It's Almost that Time Again

This year has been flying by! In only seven weeks I will be headed home for a break. As usual, I will have a hard time saying goodbyes. Somehow I thought this would get easier after so much “practice.” But it is still traumatic for me, and probably always will be...

My church family here in Marshall, Texas have been very kind to me. They have done everything from bring me grapefruits every week to race over here at 11pm to try to find out why the camper-trailer’s propane gas detector was being so alarming!

Mrs. Hewes (84 yrs. old) has ridden along on numerous drop-off Bible study routes. Mr. Hewes (86 yrs. old), the acting Pastor of the church, went door-to-door with me for 2-3 hours at a time, taking time out of his busy schedule which includes mowing the 3 acres of lawn at the church! Melanie Clark (50ish going on 31) has whisked me off for several adventures in the area parks. I think I would have gone insane without these escapes to nature! Her husband, Robert, has come almost once a week to take away my empty propane bottle and bring it back refilled; he also replaced the dead refrigerator and broken shower faucet... Mr. and Mrs. Farmer (in their 80’s) have supported every endeavor they were able to, despite their struggles with health issues. Mrs. Kelly made arrangements to have her invalid husband taken care of while she helped with the cooking class, and has shared seeds and plants from her garden with me. Brother Charles Smith has been very respectful, encouraging, and even called me “baby girl” during SS class (a term of endearment around here). Anne Bessey (80ish and housebound) has been my prayer partner throughout every up and down. And Josh (10 yrs. old) has gone with me many Thursdays, after school, to places neither one of us would have gone alone! I’m really going to miss him - my sidekick and new little brother...

Of course there are people in the community that I will miss too. “Blind Mary” who drove me crazy at first because she had me driving her everywhere, is now a good friend of mine. So is Alexandria. Cindy (13 yrs. old) and I are going to miss reading the Bible stories together - the first time she’s ever read them. Sue Fancher, and her small group Bible study at the senior apartments, has been so inspiring to me - I will never forget the testimonies of God’s goodness in all their years of experience. And little Alex and Adam, (my Mexican jumping beans : ) I have studied with many Thur. evenings. Little 4 yr. old Adam knows how to get my attention; he reaches up both hands and gently puts them on my cheeks and turns my head to look at him. His eyes talk more than his mouth can. I’m really going to miss them! And lots of other people, like Janet who took me on the steam boat tour and shared her life with me...

There are some things I won’t miss a bit: the trash everywhere, the poverty, the horrible stories I heard and saw of abuse and addictions... and the humidity level! But I am sure I won’t be missing these for long. No doubt my next assignment in Topeka, Kansas will have some of them as well. : }

I wanted to take this opportunity to recount my blessings and thank God for another experience with Him. This year (in San Jose, CA and Marshall, TX) I have found God to be the Greatest of all Listeners, and the Wisest of all Givers. He has filled my life with good things and guarded me from those that would have destroyed me. And even though I have rebelled, doubted, complained, and put myself in some foolish positions, He has stuck with me. I’m so thankful to have been alive and withHim this year!