This one is personal...

In most of my posts I've tried to speak for the team & just keep everyone updated regarding what we've been up to. This one is personal...

I have made a very special connection with a little girl in the village over the last few years of coming here. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure I've thought of this little girl every day since I met her on December 29th of 2010. She holds my heart in the palm of her tiny little hand... I fell in love with Sandia the moment I laid eyes on her, but it took her a while to warm up to me. Yesterday as we got off of the bus in Kalavai I felt an unspeakable amount of joy as she ran across the yard & literally lept into my arms.

I know that it is time for us to leave this village. There are other places that we have been called to go. And I'm confident that these people are capable of having better lives and they don't need us anymore. Truth is, they never really did. They needed to know about Christ's love & that they matter enough that they no longer need to be referred to as "the people of darkness". They know that now... I get that... but it sure doesn't make goodbye any easier.

I am so thankful that God has allowed me to be a part of this story. To some people its just a tiny insignificant village half a world away. But for me, this has been the place where I allowed God into the deepest parts of my heart and was able to allow God to use me to transform lives. I have formed my deepest friendships right here in this tiny village, and not just with the villagers but I have also gotten to know some really amazing people from church & formed feiendships that I will cherrish for the rest of my life. All of that while being in the middle of SIGNIFICANT change for the Kingdom of Christ. There was 1 Christ follower in this village of about 150 people. Now there are around 60. And I would have to say that those who haven't given their lives to Christ at least know that their lives matter.

And to me, when I look into the eyes of this little girl that I love so much, every bit of what I feel about this place is embodied in those coal black eyes & sparkling white smile. I see Sandia & I see joy. I see love. But most of all I see hope...

jenarcher