One of the hardest things for me in my new life and ministry is dealing with all the hello’s and good-bye’s. The hello’s are great. The good-bye’s are hard.
Picking up my mom and sister at the airport= wonderful, exciting, beautiful, priceless
Taking them back to the airport= tearful, sad, a feeling of loss
Running the Youth Alpha course at a local high school= connection, bonding, joy, relationship
End of the Alpha course=sadness, loss, wondering if I would see most of the students again
Conducting a Rooted in Jesus Junior training=connection, excitement, new friendships
End of the training=sadness, loss
My happiest hello’s are when I see family members again—either on this side of the world or in the States. I’m so grateful for the two weeks that my mom and sister got to spend with me in Cape Town. I loved every minute of our time together, showing them around and giving them a taste of my world, especially since it was my sister’s first trip here.
I love meeting people through the trainings and programmes with which I am involved. It’s amazing how a sense of community can form within three days or six weeks, but these projects are always short-term; and we have to move on. And so we do, waiting for the next hello.
Adventures in Living 
Yip. I hear you Nicole. It’s going to be the same for me when we meet you in Jhb soon and then have to say “totsiens” when you go back to CT. Lets hang in there!!!
Hello to you from the States, Nicole. I’m glad you got to see your mom and sister.
The good byes make the hellos so much sweeter. Take care.
Aww..I liked this blog. During my trip there, I had the opportunity to truly get back in tune with who I am and what life is all about. It started before I left, with the people I had the privilege to serve through counseling. Being there and temporally being part of our life/community/family made me realize even more, life is made up of so many moments. Some of those moments are very temporary..others seem to last almost a lifetime but despite the duration of these moments at the end of the day..they all come and go. The happiness eventually fades as does the deep sadness we sometimes experience. Each moment is meant just for us, therefore, it’s important to experience them all to their fullness so when they are over, we can said we lived them and we lived them well. I loved being there with you and enjoyed every moment I experienced. Each moment was unforgettable..priceless..life changing. I thank God daily for each moment He gives me.
Miss you Big Sis and can’t wait to share more moments with you!