The good-byes continue

Sunday were my goodbyes at church. Vineyard Arusha is the church for many ex-pats and NGO's and their volunteers and staff, so a part of every week's announcements is, "Is anyone new here today at Vineyard?" Sadly, another part is ,"Is this anyone's last Sunday with us at Vineyard?" This past Sunday, I had to raise my hand. The person doing the announcements said, "Oh, how sad." Many hugs and goodbyes after that. Tuesday night was goodbyes at Home Group, my weekly Bble Study group. Those people are really like family. We meet in someone's house, usually my TZ friend Janeth's, eat together, pray together, laugh a lot together, even cry together. I had gifts to give them, and they had a gift for me, we took pictures, they prayed for me, more hugs. Janeth asked me afterwards if we could get together Wednesday because she had a gift for me, but she hadn't bought it, yet. So, yesterday, I said goodbye to the teachers at Joshua Primary School, which was hard. I didn't technically say goodbye to my preschoolers because there's a group of teenagers here this week from NZ, and they are busy with them, so I left them alone more than usual. I met Janeth for ice cream (mango sorbet!) and more goodbyes, then went to Imara and said goodbye there. That was really hard. I hadn't told my friend Miriam I was leaving, and even though she's leaving Imara, it was a shock to her that I'm leaving TZ altogether! So, a few tears there. My friend Jenny called this morning to say goodbye, and Carly will come out to Joshua in a little while. Last night was dinner with Josh and Renee and Sarah and Don, I've been saying goodbye to people on base as I see them, and Sarah and I will go see the base workers at lunch (and take crates of soda for our present to them) and say goodbye there. We also have to say goodbye to our house girl today, and that will be sad, too. I read just the other day that in Heaven we won't ever have to say goodbye. So glad!