A Letter Home…

Dearest parents, siblings, roommates, pastors, friends, classmates, supporters, and others back home:

What a privilege and honor it has been to serve here at Heart of Christ this summer! We’ve seen, smelled, heard, and ate things beyond our wildest imaginations- and suddenly, two months are up and soon we’ll be headed home! We sure are excited for hot showers, pizza, and our own beds, not to mention embracing each one of you again at the airport, church service, or wherever else we see you SO SOON!

That being said, as we head your way, we’d like to share a few things with you to make the transition a little easier (for both us and you).

So, please:

Have Grace With Us: Chances are, the “smallest” things could really fluster us, such as everyone knowing English, paying with USD, or choosing what to eat.  There’s also a chance that we’ll struggle with some bigger things, like no longer seeing our family from the past two months, bitterness regarding re-entering a culture of excess, and/or grieving over hard things we’ve been exposed to this summer.

Listen and Look: Even if you’ve heard the story 28 times or browsed pictures for hours already, please just continue as if it were the first; we need to process. To you it may just be stories or videos, but for us, it’s a piece of what fueled our growth.

Speaking of growth…

Respect Our New Boundaries: Many of us have been set free from unhealthy behaviors, experienced inner healing, and decided to make some positive changes in our lives. Please respect us in that. If we need more time alone with Jesus than we used to, let us have it. If we don’t go out or engage in other activities like we used to, don’t pressure us.  If we give you feedback, receive it, if we stay off our phones, honor it, and if we do anything other than what was “normal’ before, give us permission to freely embrace our new walks.

Tell Us About You: No, not just where you worked or who dated who, but the real stuff.  How is your heart? What have you grown in this summer? Where are you struggling? Chances are, we’ll probably get sick of giving the same three minute response to the ever-popular question, “So, how was Honduras?” We actually want to listen, too. Help us be being vulnerable and going deeper than surface level in conversation.

Learn From Us: We’ve been stretched in many ways this summer and there’s a possibility that you may be able to glean something from what we share. Maybe one of our stories or new boundaries will challenge you to experience an increase of freedom or fruit in your lives, so be tender-hearted to receive that exhortation.

And just to be real…

Be Generous: Many of us drained our savings accounts to be here and/or don’t have jobs lined up just yet for when we come home.  American prices may very well freak us out a bit, as we’ve embraced a very simple life these past few months. Offer to buy us a cup of coffee or lunch; it will mean more than you’ll ever know!  (and also offers a great opportunity to hear our stories!)

Overall:

You may never actually understand what we’ve experienced this summer- and that’s okay.

We want to speak life and advocate on behalf of all we have seen this summer, but re-entry may cause us to ride the struggle bus for a while, so please; hop on with us!

We love you all so much! We’ve been praying for you together this summer. Thank you for supporting us; your prayers, donations, and encouragement has been a vital part of the Lord’s sustenance for us in this season. May you be blessed hundredfold for all you have done and given!

See ya SOON!

Sincerely,

A leader who has been there before.