The Lasting Kind

“[Jesus] replied, ‘My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.’”
(Luke 8:21)

Hi team,

This post is nothing less than a big thank you to each and every one of you, and is already long-overdue. I know that all of us were pretty thrilled to stay in the grace-and-truth quadrant toward each other (if not always for ourselves), so I don’t have much to add to that. What I frequently remember is that, after confessing our first night how numb and not present I was and feeling like I couldn’t pour back into anyone, so many of you were so kind in taking the time to draw me out over our trip. I am pretty embarrassed to share some of these things, but as per my last email to you, I feel my embarrassment was worth bringing glory to God through sharing the need for prayer and, as a result, through your prayers’ answer.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Dear sisters, I especially want to thank you for getting deeper—some of you very deep—into my wounds and helping me clean them out and make sense of them. I appreciate your gentle empathy and kind compassion and sound advice. Thank you for "spurring me on toward love and good deeds", for "encouraging me" and "not giving up" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

Dear brothers, I really appreciate you being good brothers, and showing that you men can comfort and lend an ear to us women without it being A Thing. I might be speaking only for myself, but I often wonder how women supposed are to practice good relationships with men (and vice versa) when our Christian communities are so segregated by gender? In any case, I do appreciate the practice.

Separately, there is one particular instance of thanks owed for which I know I am speaking for quite a few of the ladies, that we noticed the first few days moving donations in the sea container:

Once the consolidated boxes got too heavy to lift, you really stepped it up and helped out. It may seem small to you, but the women were really grateful that you did the part of the work you could do—lifting—without complaint; and moreover, let us do the part of the work we could do—directing—without questioning us or trying to take over. You could easily have pushed us all into the performance quadrant, but instead it was a really beautiful example of the functioning Body, with you using the strengths God created you—as men—to have. We really appreciated it and want to say thank you!

Finally (welcome to my slightly disjointed conclusion), I’m very happy for the awesome experience of community we made as a team and am especially glad we have kept in touch and can visit each other. It could have been one of those things where you meet once, add each other on Facebook, and then never talk again—but I don’t think this was. I’m so grateful for our special experience together and that our new friendships are turning out so far to be the lasting kind. And I look forward to more adventures with you!

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

In His love,

Kelsey