“Goodbye.”

I am soooooooo sick of that word.

We are back in Moldova finally, but during our last two months in the US, I must have said “Goodbye, see you in 2011” approximately 1,329 times (but who’s counting). We had a farewell dinner with the church and goodbye lunches with family and friends. With all the Last Suppers, I wasn’t sure if we were heading toward crucifixion or to Moldova!

I was so glad to get back to Moldova just so I could quit saying goodbye. It was draining to hug people one last time, knowing that some we would not see again. Some people will have changed tremendously, and when we return, we will have missed huge chapters of their lives, from weddings to babies; graduations to funerals.

Our grueling farewell tour was emotionally exhausting. It also gave me some insights on how people handle goodbyes.

Some people simply ignore you, skipping the farewells and simply fading away.
Some people smile and slap you on the back, acting as if four years is nothing.
Others cry buckets of tears, jumpstarting the gushing tear pumps of my four girls!

Through the farewell tour, I have realized how difficult separation can be. As a human being, I do not exist as an isolated entity, but as a network of threads, connecting myself to scores of other people. My family threads are multi-stranded, strong and unbreakable. Newer friendships might exist as a single strand, yet a separation stretch still occurs.

As we left America, my connections in the U.S. were stretched as the distance grew. A few of those strands might break, while the stronger relationships will just stretch with the miles. With our return to Moldova, our relationships here immediately refreshed as we were able to say hello. Last Sunday’s service was so fun as we saw our church friends again, even with a headache after three hours of Russian and Romanian!

Life is about relationships, and my lifelong ministry will always be about introducing my friends to the ultimate Friend. Jesus showed us his heart by living out his words, “Greater love has no one than this, than he lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus did not just die for the world. He died for his friends.

I pray that you may start this day with a new appreciation of your friends and family. Call them, email them, and write them notes of appreciation, enjoying each moment with them. And may you know the joy of God’s grace and mercy. For when we experience His love, we realize that nothing can separate us from that Friend. Go make a friend!

Your long-distance friend,
Andy Raatz

PS: I know that the separation from friends and family outside of Moldova is sometimes difficult, but it is for the purpose of introducing new Moldovan friends to a new relationship, Jesus Christ. I want to hear them say “hello” to a new friend, Jesus Christ.