joy in keeping connections

A missionary friend from years ago is in Canada settling his son into university. Our daughters met up with the rest of his family in Kampala last week. Their friends are connected with the counselling program I am in, and they know counselling/therapy programs out in Kenya and Uganda. God is keeping up with us and our growth, and we with that of others. We came home to Canada after five years on the field, they have been out there for thirteen. We were on our own, they are with a big international mission organization. There are more differences and similarities. But we have stayed connected, in a disjointed way, but the fundamental heart tie and worldview connection remains the same. When we met in Uganda we knew we shared a similar view of mission; now that we are back it is great to know that our view of the world remains the same, despite our return. For missionaries it is so important to keep all these connections, and even more so for our children. We also talked today with our daughters in Uganda via cellphone. They are looking forward to being anonymous in Canada again. They are enjoying connecting with their childhood home, friends, and neighbourhood. But they realize they have moved on and so they are integrating the parts of their lives and the people in the parts. We are glad to launch them, and miss them so. They are glad to branch out, but miss us so much also. Connections are so much what life is all about. I am so grateful that we can do it so easily, by email and phone. What a different world for missionaries, and all of us, today. And yet the fundamental issues and concerns remain the same: maintaining our connectedness and our sense of identity in the midst of all that happens for us. I take joy today that I and my children and my friends can continue to do that today.