Seeing Friends

Megan & friends in Maine

The doorbell rings. Another group of cherished friends is here with another set of kids for our kids to meet.  As soon as they’ve gotten their shoes and jackets off our daughter is grabbing a hand and saying “Come on!  Let’s play!”  Our kids make making-friends look easy. They seem to expect that any child their age will be their friend, and more often than not they’re right and within a few moments they have a new friend.

We adults know that it isn’t usually that easy.  Friendship can be hard.  It can take a long time to make friends and even longer to really become close friends.  Then God calls you to Africa (okay, I guess that doesn’t apply to everyone, but it happened to us). Now we go years between seeing these friends.

All of us & friends in NH

In the past week or two we’ve been seeing lots of old friends and family.  In fact, just about every day we’ve gotten to see someone different.  Some live in the same town, some came from far away. Some we haven’t seen in years, others we see every time we are in the Boston area-- but that still is over a year ago. In that time some have gotten married, gotten pregnant, and/or had children-- children for our kids to play with!

We’re glad that our kids make friends easily, but it is with a touch of sadness that we’ve had to say goodbye each day this week to a set of friends. Will our kids realize how special friends are when they seem to come and go so often? Will they appreciate the years that we have known these people? the miles they have traveled to see us? the time they have taken to reconnect with us?

The kids w/ cousins from NC

Thankfully for our kids, life is still simple. Friends are the kids that play with them and while we’ve talked and caught up- they’ve played and made friends. We’ve all been blessed.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have many wonderful friends that have gone out of their way to make time in their busy days to see us and spend time with us. We’ve continued to have a lot of chances to share about the islands and the excited things that God is doing there.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
It is our final week in the States. Pray for us. Pray that we would get everything done without feeling stressed. Pray that packing would go well without being too stressful. We leave for Africa this coming Friday, Feb 8th. Megan’s back has been hurting her. Pray that it would improve. Continue to pray for our transition to the islands and for the friends we will be making there.