Home Alone

My dad left Friday morning; I miss him. I had no one to help me through the day Friday, but I did have friends come spend time with me and help me out. Johanna even walked with me from my apartment to the school. I made it the whole way there - though I was exhausted by the end. I'll need a while before I feel safe making that trek alone, and quite a while before I'll be ready to make it there and back again.

Speaking of there and back again, my dad and I watched the Hobbit while he was here, and I was reminded of the blog post I wrote just before Christmas when I reflected on how much I'd changed since arriving in Europe. I've changed a considerable amount since then all over again. Some things are still the same though, like enjoying Tolkien with my dad. I do, however, have to admit, that watching the films this time made me miss Luke back in America, the kid I was reading LotR with each week before I left who became my youngest financial supporter.

Luke's one of a huge team of people who sent me here to do a job. I'm living life here on mission to make God famous, and that looks completely different than I anticipated, but one important detail I've held on to particularly close the last two days is that I'm not alone in my mission. I teach at a school of amazing students (who I miss dearly and can't wait to see), and I have a wonderful group of colleagues who support me as well as a community both here in Kandern, back in Portland and Denver, and scattered across the globe that make it possible for me to thrive in my new circumstances.

I've got a lot of struggles; I won't forget that. However, amidst those struggles, I've got loving people here to help me. Even with my dad back in America, I'm never truly home alone. I'm praising God for the people here to support me with the adjustments and daily tasks, and I'm grateful for everyone else praying me through the more complicated details of insurance claims and neurological healing.