There is a part of me that wants to open this letter by using a very old fashioned word … BELOVED … To my BELOVED friends and family – It sounds so odd, but it is so much closer to the truth of who you are than any other greeting I can think of. You are beloved and I need to tell you why.
You see, We (Alex, me, Josh and Joey) … we have the rare honor and privilege of being missionaries in Mozambique. Part of this privilege is dependence. It flies in the face of everything that we, as Americas, prize. I will admit, at times it can be pretty nerve wracking. As Americans one of our most prized values is our independence. We are well known for it. We take pride in it. We nurture it in ourselves and in our children. But, God is teaching me the joy and privilege of being dependent.
As missionaries we depend on our friends and families for so much. We depend on you for our livelihood. We depend on you for our food, our clothes, our transportation, our everything! It is humbling and it is overwhelming, but more than anything it is transforming. It has changed how I look and feel about each and every one of you. It has transformed me!
It never fails to amaze me how you always seem to go above and beyond what we ever hoped for or expected. You overwhelm us with your love and generosity! I AM OVERWHELMED !!! I am overwhelmed by the gift and the blessing of having each of you in my life. I wish I had a better way of expressing what depending on you has done for me. All I can continue to say is that it has transformed me. Your love has forever changed me, changed who I am and how I look at the world and I am eternally grateful for each and every one of you.
Thank you to each of you for your prayers, your encouragement, your support, for how you continually give so sacrificially. We are blessed to have the honor of knowing and loving you.
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