Hellos and Goodbyes

Hellos and goodbyes are a constant in life for all, but I do have to say for a missionary there are many seasons where they seem never ending. Last Friday Nov. 5th I took a road trip with some of my teammates to Juba where we picked up my mother and grandmother. None of us had been to Juba by road and the stories we heard from others of police checks and few helpful people were not encouraging. However, God opened the way and the trip could not have gone better. I was excited to walk into the Juba airport and watch my mom and grandma come through customs with no problems or hassles. It is funny to think that their introduction to Sudan was Juba, a developing city in s. Sudan, full of people, traffic, NGOs, and expensive lodging that is not what you pay for. But although the amount of money that pours into this place is astounding, we were thankful for a great Mexican meal on the Nile, ice cream, a chance to walk into a small supermarket, and wonderfully smooth paved roads.

Once we arrived back in Mundri, it was time for the goodbyes to begin. Hello mom and grandma, goodbye Mundri. As hard as it was to say hello and goodbye in the same week, I am thankful that my mom and grandma were there to move around with me as I sat with friends, shared words of appreciation, prayed with them, and said goodbye. Through that time my mom and grandma were able to see how the Lord has truly blessed me through my relationships in Mundri.