"Good" good byes

How do you say a "good" goodbye to people that you know you won’t see again until you meet in heaven?  What are the words for that?  I feel like I don’t have enough words or hugs or tears for these good byes. 

Most of us promise each other that we will see each other – they will make the trip to visit Alabama – I will make the trip to Chicago and Michigan or meet someone in Atlanta or Orlando.  These are promises I have to make – because I want them to be true – I just can’t say “good-bye.”  I don’t want to say good-bye.

At the beginning of Acts, the apostles are “gazing” into the sky as Jesus ascends to Heaven.  Angels appear and ask, “Why do you stand looking to heaven?”  And then say, “This Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go to heaven.”

(Mount of Olives, where Christ ascended)

When Christ ascended from the Earth, he promised to return, and He left part of Himself for all of us to have – His holy spirit.  I am having a really hard time saying goodbye to people, and I can’t even imagine saying goodbye to my savior.  What a wonderful time it must have been to walk and talk with Jesus on the Earth.  But just as He promises that we will spend eternity with him, we also will get to share that eternity with other Christians.

(Church of the Ascension)

Most people in our lives, we see and when we part ways we visit, but the goodbyes here are so different, so final – and I am left wondering – WILL I see them in heaven? People walk in and out of our lives everyday – do we talk about eternity? Are we sure of our friends and family – even our acquaintances’ salvation?

I feel like I am “gazing” into the sky, waiting for my Ghanaian “family” that have been taken to the airport, to come right back and go on with our lives here.  As they are leaving, I am praying for the time when we will meet in heaven.

(Mrs. Liz Huskey Layea and myself)

Today – I had the pleasure of attending a Ghanaian-American wedding! One of the teachers at AIS got married today.  Yesterday, they had the wedding at the court and in his village.  Today, they had a “blessing” at church and a reception afterwards.  It was so interesting to meet his family and friends and see a Ghanaian wedding in action!

(Their blessing at church)

(These are at the reception - the "MC" for the afternoon was calling people up to pop balloons on arches, and each balloon that they popped was money they gave to the newly wed couple - interesting tradition!)

(posing mid-dance with one of my students!)

There were many “good-byes” near the end of the wedding.  Most of us are leaving today or tomorrow.  It was a good time for most of us to spend some more time together before parting ways.

Tomorrow, I am traveling to Northern Ghana to (hopefully) see elephants and other exciting wild life!  The elephants usually come out during the dry season for water - but we are in the beginning of the rainy season - so please pray for our safe travel, for rest, and for elephants!!!