Un Año Nuevo

This past year has been one of conflicting sentiments, but it ended on a high note. For new years, I traveled by bus first to Youngstown, OH, then to Greensburg, PA to visit with some of my favorite missionary families, the Faulls and the Rumbaughs. New years eve was spent playing games and fellowshipping with some of my favorite people, and was topped off by an incredible Mrs. Maggie worship session--her on piano, Dr. Don on guitar, me on the bongo, and everyone else singing along to our favorite English and Spanish worship songs. Throughout the celebration, I couldn't stop thinking of just how right the whole thing was. This was how things always ought to be. Nothing was strange about the situation; not the unfamiliar location, the novelty of snow... not even the varying degrees of life change among all those present left any doubt in my mind that this was the most perfect way to bring in the new year. I was elated.

I spent the following week in Greensburg, staying in the Rumbaugh's grandmother's house and passing the time casually and unconcerned by trivial worries of the prior year. Though Dr. Don and Amanda ended up leaving us only a day or two into the adventure, my time with Mrs. Suzanne and Amy were nonetheless wonderful. Even grandma Rumbaugh gained my affection with her dainty servant's heart. Once again, "home" has been redefined to mean more than a place--rather, it's the people involved. Though I had never been to the Faull's new house or Greensburg, Pennsylvania, I was home for the holidays.