Mollie recently returned home from her mission in Romania.

During our last month on mission, at just about every friend we visited, Hermine and I were saying goodbye. It was an intense experience to say goodbye and leave the people that I was close to, but I was also struck by the many friendships that were revealed through this painful experience of leaving. 

The day we left our house in Deva, Elisabeta was singing a goodbye song to me with lyrics like: “We made nice memories together! You were a good friend to me and I love you! And now you’re leaving and we’re sad and you’re gonna cry the whole way home.” Then, she grabbed my sisters of community in her arms and sang: “And Jesus will remain here with me in Magda and Anna. We’ll stay together and cry over you, and it’ll be good.”

Elisabeta made me realize that I am leaving, but the mission goes on. These friends will continue to live the mission with the community in Deva and to experience the mercy of Christ through the friendships that they share. I imagine the face of each friend and the joy they express as they walk through the door of our mission home or welcome the community into their own homes. It makes me rejoice to know that this experience of theirs doesn’t end with my leaving, because it’s not my own presence that they truly long for, but the Presence of The One who sent me.