Family

The Congo Pilgrims (and a couple of interested spouses) had their last meeting before beginning the voyage to Mbandaka next month.  We were blessed to have Sandra Gourdet, Executive Director for Africa in Global Ministries, share thoughts and a meal with us, along with Rick Spleth, Regional Minister for Indiana.  They both reminded us that we take this journey, not for ourselves, but for the larger church we all love.

Sandra made a profound statement that will stay with all of us:  "You are going home."  We will find a family welcome in Congo, for we are truly all one family.  Disciples of Christ, wherever they are, share such a strong belief that all are welcome at the table, and we will be with our family whenever we worship with each other.  Unity has been our polar star since the very beginning of the Disciples movement - and that causes us to extend our family across geographic boundaries and artificial lines dividing people, and especially Christians.

How good it is to know that we are truly going home - home to brothers and sisters who will welcome us as family.  We will eat together, worship together, pray together, sing together, laugh together, cry together, and we will never be alone.  "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?"  Well, actually, we will not be in a strange land.  We will be home.