Who knew?

“Goodbye Danica, missionary-to-be”

“Bye.”

That short, matter-of-fact farewell happened nine years ago in Portland.  I said goodbye to my youth pastor, who was also one of my best friend’s dad and had been my senior pastor for a short time.  He was moving his family east to Pennsylvania, and I was leaving Oregon for Bible School in Waukesha, WI, that same summer.  When I said goodbye to him and my friend and the whole family, I felt thankful for the impact they had made in my life, but didn’t know when or if I would see them again before heaven.  And I haven’t seen any of them since.

Today Jevon and I are packing the van so we can go east and spend three weeks with them!  Not only has Pastor Kelly set up meetings for Jevon to speak in 3 Pennsylvania churches about tribal church planting in Brazil, but he has also invited us to stay with his family the whole time and help out his church with Vacation Bible School for their kids one week.  We will be spending a few minutes each day with the kids talking about God’s purposes for His Word, and His Greatness, Power, Authority, Providence, and Love, to change lives in every tribe, language, people, and nation around the globe.  We get to share with them the part we get to play and what they can do, also, to be a part of God’s mission in the world.

We also get to do game time with the kids, in between teaching times and snacks.

Who knew?  After 9 years, now we get to partner together with the Kelly family for the gospel of Jesus.  Please pray that kids there in Pennsylvania and people groups in Brazil who have never heard God’s message will be impacted by the time we spend with old friends.  Pray that God’s purposes in bringing us back together will be accomplished.