troche Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: medium;”>Alex and Maggie have been attending Sojourn Academy for the last four months. It’s a fitting name for the school. The word “sojourn” means a temporary stay and the majority of the kids are just passing through while their parents are in language school.
I remember as a child we moved twice. The first time was when I was in fourth grade and we switched school districts. The second, in middle school, was just to another neighborhood within the same school district. Although they were small moves, I remember feeling sad that I didn’t have friends I had known from kindergarten through graduation as many of my friends did. I told myself that when I had kids we would buy a “forever” house and never move. Well, God sure is laughing at me now, huh?
To date, Alex has been in seven different school systems and his longest consecutive time in one school has been two years. Maggie has been in six. They are professional sojourners.
There are pros and cons to such a life. They like going to new places and returning to ones they’d left behind, but fickle as the young mind is, they are sometimes forgotten and it’s heartbreaking when they return to find a friend has become a different person or no longer takes interest in them. While I’m not sure I could have survived such a life as a child, they are brave and determined to take each new place as a challenge to leave an imprint.
Today they were recognized along with several other students who are leaving Sojourn to go on to their countries of ministry. We chuckled that they have now been through at least five commissioning services, but really it’s a blessing. Each time they have been commissioned it has sent them on to a new chapter of their journey, whether it was itineration, Costa Rica or Colombia. It’s pretty great that they end and begin each place with a covering of prayer. Please keep them in your prayers as we begin to pack for another move. Packing isn’t the hard part, it’s the saying goodbye and brand new hellos that are the most difficult. We appreciate your prayers!
~Tona
As sad as you will be to leave Costa Rica, I’m sure you’re equally as excited to get to Medellin! Best wishes as you continue on your journey.