Saying Good-Bye to Mandy

Mt 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Today is a momentous day in our family’s history. Our oldest daughter left today to teach high school English in Indonesia. It is a 2 year commitment. She says she’ll come home next summer. That seems like a long time.

I’ve not cried after leaving the airport. I’m not sure when it will hit me that she’s gone. I’m going to avoid looking at her computer desk and bedroom for several days. But several pieces of mail came for her today. I opened them slowly. This was not something we had remembered to discuss. We knew to talk about passwords, transfer of car keys, phone numbers, car insurance. I’m not forwarding hardly anything as I’ve been told it takes forever for mail to arrive. That makes her seem very far away, which she is.

She’s called once to say she’s already had delays in departures leaving our local airport and then in Chicago.
Her trip halfway across the world will take 2-3 days. That’s a long time to be traveling alone in a strange country. I worry about her being tired and carrying a new laptop, a passport, some cash for meals. Somebody could steal them easily when she dozes in between flights.

I know she can take care of herself, but that’s if everyone else behaves themselves. Still, I can't worry or I’ll be too upset to do anything else.

She's always been a child of God -- when we took her to church weekly all during her growing up years and now as a beautiful young woman. She has chosen to stay close to God and honor Him in her life. She believes it's His will for her to go to Indonesia. We support her in that decision.

Still, it is difficult.

We will miss you greatly, Mandy. We pray for you constantly. Love you, Mom