Good Bye and God Bless You, Kallevig Family

Last Thursday evening our family went to say hello and good bye to a family in our area. About 8-10 years ago I served on the steering team for our local Mothers of Preschoolers(MOPS) group. It was there that I met Kelly Jo. Even though Kelly Jo and her family live in the area, about 8 miles from us, we never saw each other again after I left the steering team. Life gets in the way and we just never connected in person. We had spoken on the phone a few times over the years. I remember one time was when she and he husband were in the process of adopting from overseas at about the same time we adopted our daughter. Another time we spoke was when I found out, about 6 months after Shannon and I knew we were eventually moving to Tanzania, that Kelly Jo and her husband were going to moving to the mission field of Zambia. Zambia is located on Tanzania's south border so we will, even 8,000 miles from "home", be virtual neighbors once again.

So, anyway, last Thursday we picked up pizza and stopped to see the Kallevig's in their sparsely furnished home. Nearly everything they own had either been shipped over to Zambia many months ago or sold on recent garage sales. It was fun for me to see Kelly Jo again and for the Shannon and Brian to get a chance to meet. I know Shannon and I enjoyed spending some time with people who truly understand our feelings about our upcoming work in Africa. We felt a definite connection with Brian and Kelly Jo and we talked about many things-international medical insurance, raising financial and prayer support and what to ship and when to ship and how to ship. We talked about prep such as MTI-missionary Training International, ECHO-Educational Concerns for Hunger Organizationand other things. Our 5 children and their 6 played well together while their 7th, a new baby, took turns sleeping in people's arms. After several hours together, knowing we could have easily visited all night long, we prayed together and said good bye joking that maybe in a few years we will vacation at each others African homes.

Please visit Brian and Kelly Jo's blog and say a prayer for them. This will be a tough week of good byes and last minute packing leading up to 30 hours in the air or in airports with their 7 children beginning on Friday.

Brian and Kelly Jo, thanks for taking the time to meet with us before you leave. We wish your family safe travel and true joy in serving God over in Zambia.