My sister (seen here on Skype on my computer) has been a huge help in preparing electronically for my move.I arrived in Arizona today for a couple of days to meet with my pastor and be prayed over by my church before leaving for Haiti. My host so kindly said, “Welcome home – well, I don’t know if you consider this home, but we think of it as your home.” Buenos Aires feels like home. Lots of cities in the US feel like home. But today, unsure if I’m returning to Argentina, that’s where my heart turns.
I was listening to “I Can Only Imagine” when I started writing this note (and started crying). That song, seen in a Hebrews 11:16 light, is sort of about homecoming. Now “Be Thou My Vision” is on as I unpack, so many of my things reminding me of my friends in different places. But the prayer of this song is that God would give us true vision. It reminds me of church last Sunday, when we sang (in Spanish, of course), “Precious Jesus, my redeemer, beloved Lord, you are everything to me, I will worship you every day of my life.” I was crying then, too, since I was declaring those truths with my words. Declaring that God is faithful, and worthy of being followed, even though that means leaving people that I really love, yet again. Leaving a city and a country where I feel at home, where I have loved ones, where I know how to get around and where to get what I need, and am able (most of the time, anyway!) to get potable water out of the sink.
Nicole and Tim, my fabulous hosts in Arizona! Here they are on "make your own pizza" night, yum!
On the positive side, over the past few years I have realized that my heart is capable of more love than I ever thought possible. Six dear friends came to see me off at the airport. I miss them already.
My three buddies in Arizona. I was honored to get to borrow the Superman cape during my stay!
