Top Rockers for Jesus

There are some things about this place that simply cannot be adequately explained. The sound of different voices praying aloud in thirty different languages, the joy of knowing people who "get it," the comraderie of shot days...these are not possible to totally explain to you. However, I think the following story will give you at least an inkling of why we love this place and these people so much.

About three weeks ago, Hannah and her friends formed a Christian rock band--the Top Rockers for Jesus. Now, if you're like me, you probably formed a thousand such bands in your pre-adolescent life, and not much became of them. However, Hannah's group seemed so determined, meeting every afternoon after school, writing their own music, practicing a lot, etc., that we were kind of glad for her to be involved, even if the "concert" never came to fruition.

Monday night at 7 was the scheduled concert, and we didn't really expect anyone but parents to be there, because it was the first day of our security training for the first group (ours starts Thursday), and people had been in class all day. Literally--8-5--all day. I had sat in class all day and wanted nothing more than a shower and my bed. But it was my kid's event, so I figured I had to show.

When we arrived, the quad was packed. I don't mean a few people, I mean dozens and dozens of people. Even some volunteers from a prayer-walking team showed up. I could not have been more touched. These wonderful people, who had either sat in class all day or been doing security training all day, showed up to see these four girls perform their concert. And frankly, they were pretty good. They had written some of their own music, they had practiced their choreography, and they did about a twenty minute concert. At the end, the girls prayed for each other and for the assembled group. It was, all-in-all, a pretty amazing evening.

That's what I love about this place and these people. My children belong to everyone here. Their children belong to me. My children have gained an entirely new family here. Will it make up for the beloved family we are leaving behind? No, not really. We still cry some because we miss Mimi and Poppy or Gigi and Raleigh, but it helps to know that Aunt Teri and Uncle Ed live just up the orange line from us in Moscow. It helps to know that Uncle Larry and Aunt Melissa and their kids are going to be in our region, so we will see them from time to time. These are things that make the leaving a little easier.

Well, I had better run. We are taking one more sweep at our suitcases tonight, attempting to get rid of some weight. Then we are going on the dreaded walk to the road. Then the typhoid pill and baths. Does that sound fun? I know...you're a little jealous that you aren't leading a life where you get to take four doses of a live typhoid virus. But, not everybody is called to this kind of excitement.

Please pray for us for the next three days specifically. We are in security training. Not much I can say, except that it's emotionally exhausting, but very good, very important training for us. The world, my friends, is a dangerous place. I'm glad to be part of an organization that recognizes the danger and teaches us how to handle it. But pray for us.

I love you. Thank you for reading this. And watch your papers--who knows when the Top Rockers for Jesus might be coming to your town?
Blessings!
His,
Kellye