If there are words to describe how special our time in May was with our sweet Jen, I sure don't have them. There are certain people that come into your life and you know that no matter how many years or miles separate you, their friendship will always be a present force in your life. Jen is one of those people for me. We met during those blessed awkward Jr High years and of all my childhood friendships, she is the one that stuck the closest, even though she is the one who has been farthest away. While I've always stayed closer to home, this girl and her adventurous spirit have traveled all over the Country... and the World. After high school she ventured off to St Louis for college, had a few stints of studying abroad, moved to a few different states for jobs, and eventually settled in Texas where she stayed for several years. Then, she felt God calling her to a new adventure that most of would never even dream of. This past summer she packed up and moved halfway across the world to an undisclosed location to tell people who have never heard the Good News that there is a God waiting for them with open arms. (It's not exactly a culture that is welcoming to someone with that type of news to share, so security is tight tight tight on the details of her location) Before she left the US, she took the time to fly up to Perrysburg and spend a few treasured days with our family. The thing about Jen is that she didn't come to be entertained or catered to. She came just to be with us and live life with us. No special treatment, no big plans... just being a part of our family for a few days. Avery and Norah are aware of who Jen is through pictures, gifts she sends them in the mail often, and the fact that her name is spoken frequently around our house. But for them to get to spend some time with her, one of my favorite people, made my heart absolutely swell. She jumped right in to their little world feet first and spent days doting on them and pouring into them. And when she left, I cried. I cried because I was so thankful to get to spend that time with her and because I'm so darn proud of her for doing something that is unfathomable to most of us. Her time away is a two year commitment and Avery mentions often that she can't wait until she turns 6 years old because that means she'll get to see Jen again. How I hope that is true! But knowing this girl and her heart, I wouldn't be surprised if 2 years turns into 4 and 4 years turns into forever. She goes where God leads her and that is one of the best things about her!
Love
Bible time. Jen can preach to the 4 year old crowd like nobody I know. We do Bible time each night before bed in our house and Jen took it to a whole new level. I definitely learned a thing or two!
Like I said, she jumped right into living life with us as if she'd always been here
Saying goodbye
There's not much else I can say other than we love her, we're praying for her, and we think of her all the time as she's washing her clothes by hand and getting used to a donkey that pokes his head through her window each day. We continue on with life here as usual, but her witness is impacting much more than just the people she is living amongst so far away... the Pilands are better for knowing her.
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