The picture above was taken 21
years ago at the Pittsburgh airport as Dinita’s and my family said good-bye to
us as we headed to Thailand. The little 15 month girl between me and my dad is
Rachel. Things have changed quite a bit at airports since 1992 so we’ll not be
walking to the gate … but we will be dropping Rachel off at the Cleveland
airport as she leaves for Jakarta, Indonesia and I’m just now getting the flood
of emotions and pain that my mom and dad must have gone through that August
morning so long ago.
I can’t imagine a more
bitter-sweet moment. (Although the day that I walk her up the isle will likely
top this one!)
There is incredible joy and
thanksgiving to God for the abundance of His grace in her life. How many young
people have great dreams in their early years but the dream so often fades or
gets sidetracked? We have watched as God continued to foster in Rachel’s heart
and mind a vision and dream of teaching children of many different cultures. In
about 8th grade when most kids are studying the Toys-R-Us catalogue in
November, Rachel had a catalogue from Global Adventures posting all the
different short term missions trips. She didn’t want Christmas gifts ... she
wanted money to go on a missions trip. She ended up going to Costa Rica for two
weeks. Since then she has become a seasoned world traveler and sometimes she
seems more at home in foreign cultures than she does in Fairlawn. She easily
engages people of different cultures and has a way of building bridges with
them with just her smile and laugh. Those at IWU who were her mentors and
instructors talk in glowing terms of how she was able to so naturally embrace education
principles for a broad variety of cultural backgrounds. Those who worked with
her during her student teaching in Sheng Yong, China told her after a couple
of weeks that it was like she had always been a part of the school. She just
fit in perfectly.
During a visit with Rachel’s
principal adviser for education I thanked him for all he and IWU did to help
her grow into such a godly woman. His response was that they are able to do
only so much, it really is a matter of what students bring with them to school, and
then he added, “She brought a lot with her.”
I remember the first time that
Rachel played an offertory at church. I got up and almost couldn’t go on I was
so incredibly proud. I feel that way to the 10th power today. And I
have only the Lord to thank and praise for the way he has blessed her and us
through the years. It’s his grace and goodness that has brought this joy and
pride into our lives!
But then, there is tomorrow
morning.(July 17)
I can very easily recall the
emotions that I had the day that we put her on the plane to go to Costa Rica
for two weeks. I can’t imagine what I’ll be feeling like, 24 hours from now.
Thankfully, now there is email, Facebook,
instant messaging, Facetime and Skype. The world has gotten smaller with the
technology. But these past few weeks of having her at home and traveling
through Thailand together are going to be cherished memories. Her warmth and
joy will be missed. I might even come to the point of missing those early
morning fog horn nose blowing sessions. She is fun! And her leaving will mean a
“fun” deficit of sorts.
This morning I was in 2
Corinthians 2:14-15a: But thank God! He has made us his
captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now
he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance
rising up to God.(NLT)
I’m going to miss that “Christ-like”
fragrance that Rachel has brought to our lives, family and our church. But He
has led her as His captive to Indonesia where she will spread the knowledge of
Christ like sweet perfume.
I love you Rachel and my prayer is
that His grace would continue to flow through you and touch lives for His glory
just as he has used you to bless us for these past 22 years.
Grace, Peace, Joy and His Unfathomable
Love to you!
Dad
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| Vacationing in Cha-Am, Thailand in June |
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