Pentecost

A year ago by the world calendar, I had my last Sunday serving on staff at College Place Presbyterian.  

The next day, I left Walla Walla for a long road trip, a ton of fun (and sometimes terrifying) adventures, life lessons, deep friendships, a great camp experience with Harbor Covenant, a lot of time boating with great people in the Harbor, little trips around the Pacific Northwest, weddings of good friends, and then the adventures and lessons continued in Guatemala.  That last Sunday was an amazing day - leaving the church feeling so blessed and supported on my upcoming adventures.  It was also a hard day... leaving is always hard and I knew that the church and community would inevitably change during the 15 months I was gone.

By the church calendar, it will be a year since I left the church on June 12.  My last day at the church was Pentecost - the historic day that symbolizes and celebrates the birth of the new church with the marking of the Spirit coming in during a meeting of the apostles.  Every year, PC(USA) takes a Pentecost offering to support young adult and children's programs (like mine!).  This year's theme is So I Send You based upon John 20:21.  The YAVs were asked to write something about what this theme means to us as we are in various parts of the world for them to use for advertising.  This is what I wrote...

I had the wonderful and unique opportunity for my last Sunday before my YAV year to fall on Pentecost.  My church has a wonderful Pentecost tradition of sending off red and white balloons with notes quoting the power of God and inviting those who receive these balloons to join us in community by sending notes about themselves and their stories on the pieces of paper tied to the balloons.

As I watched the balloons being released from the hands of the children I have spent four years working with and flying into the air, I distinctly felt God calling me out to the world.  Just as the balloons floated into the air, with prayers blessing the people that encounter them, I felt myself free to leave knowing that there were prayers from people at home who loved me covering both myself and the people in Guatemala that I would come to know and love.

While I’ve been here in Guatemala, I have felt the powers of these prayers. I have felt loved by my friends back at home, reassured from occasional emails, and seen God working in me and the people with whom I live, work, and love.  I have learned more about myself in the last 5 months than I ever imagined, and I’m sure there is more to come.  

I, like the balloons, am a fragile being at the mercy of the will of God. Through my YAV year, I am learning to embrace that truth.  The truth that God’s will and God’s truths are the only solid things in my life that I can count on.  I am thrilled to see what else this year has to offer and feel incredibly blessed by the opportunity.

Thank you all for sending me a year ago (or in August if you live in Gig Harbor).
Thank you for your support through one of the most learning years of my life.
Thank you for your encouragement as I've faced unknown situations.
And most of all, thank you for your love!

Katharine