Chuck thumped the suitcase down, then pulled the door shut with both hands. He jerked it a second and third time until the latch finally snapped into place. “Never did fix this,” he muttered to himself. He hefted the suitcase to the cab and stuffed it into the open trunk. He stopped a moment for a last look around, then Betty slid over and patted the seat. He sat and watched their apartment door disappear as the taxi merged with the traffic.
“So, what happens now?” he wondered aloud.
“To us or them?” Betty said.
“We know where we’re going,” he said. “But I wonder about them. Did we really make any difference here, or did we just spend ten years spinning our wheels?”
“You heard what they said Sunday night. The church seems to think our work was worth it,” she said.
“Yeah…I suppose.” Familiar shops scrolled by his window for the last time. Tomorrow, they’d be back in their home country, moving on to their next life chapter. But what about the lives they were leaving behind?
Betty tapped on her laptop checking the morning’s email. She felt some of her husband’s concern about fruitfulness, but the ride to the airport was long enough to justify working which also kept her mind focused elsewhere. She stopped suddenly and turned to face Chuck. “You remember Rachel, right?” she said.
“The lady delivered from witchcraft? Of course, I do,” he said.
“Listen to this.” She read from an email.
“How much my heart is filled with gratitude and love when I think about the years of service you spent with us. You were not only our spiritual guide, but like a kind parent, you placed us in the arms of your love and faith. Every word you said and every step you took was a testimony of deep faith and endless love for God and His children. The service you did with love and humility in God’s house was like a light that lit our way in the darkness for all of us. With a big heart and generous hands, you planted the seed of Christ’s love in many hearts and we will always be indebted to this pure love.
“Now that you are entering a new chapter of life, know that your place in my heart will never change. My prayer is that God will grant you peace and happiness, the same peace that you have given to others for years. You deserve the best, because you dedicated your whole being to serve God and His creation.
“I love you with all my heart and wish you all the best in this new phase of your life. May you always rest in the arms of God’s endless love and know that my love and prayers will always be with you. With love, respect and endless gratitude, Rachel.”
We changed the names to protect lives at risk, but this story is true. And that’s not uncommon for the Paraclete associates serving in the difficult corners of our planet.