In less than 24 hours, our good friends, Helen and Ian, Esme, Lewis and Charlie Newman, will be boarding a plane for Spain, the beginning of a new year-long adventure.
It'll be new for Emma and I and our girls who are staying on in the house, but we'll talk more about that later...
A few nights ago, Helen and Ian, Emma and I went out for a chinese meal together. We spent most of it 'remembering'... swapping stories, highs and lows (mostly highs, to be honest), moments that have lingered, memories that we've treasured from those three-and-a-half years. It would take me too long to recount them here, because there have been many... but a few of the ones that stick in my mind would be;
+ that first curry on our first night in the house, after an almighty wrestle to get it (the house, not the curry).
+ our first party, with boxes still piled in corners of almost every room... 120+ people, including neighbours who'd not met each other until that moment, and including the couple who turned up with an 'acacia' bottle of wine. They, of course, had no idea of the significance of the word 'acacia' (I'll explain this another time), which is probably why they looked so surprised when i yelled with delight. ;)
+ Helen taking her Mustard Seed vow as we stood and prayed in our community house prayer room, on the one year anniversary of our move-in. We opened the 'acacia' wine that night too.
+ Charlie's birth, in one of the rooms upstairs. Hearing that first baby-cry coming down the stairs... gathering, with the rest of the children, around Helen and baby-Charlie, and welcoming him to family.
+ our frequent 24-hours of prayer in the prayer room. They all stick in my mind for different reasons, and I know that they've been significant for many of our friends and visitors. And I hope that those we host this year will be too.
+ the day that Helen or Emma - I can't remember who it was - called from the kitchen to announce "we've joined our salt", meaning that they'd merged our two salt pots into one. I've often reflected on the prophetic significance of that moment...
+ Thursday night 'house meetings'. Every Thursday, we've tried to get the children packed off to bed a bit earlier so that Helen and Ian, Emma and I can eat and talk together about what's been going on in our lives, weeks, in the house, to sort out practical and financial stuff, and to resolve any lingering personal stuff. A few of these 'house meetings' stick in my mind... particularly the ones where we had to take a deep breath and risk confronting one another, express our hurts, confess our bad attitudes and failures... and then to listen carefully to one other's perspectives, and by the end receive one another's forgiveness. I am amazed by and profoundly grateful for the grace of God that we've experienced together. And I am delighted that we've reached the end of this three-and-a-half year adventure with committed, lifelong friendships, stronger marriages, and a deeper knowing of Jesus amongst us.
OK, this is getting too long already. It's not difficult... I could go on. But it's time to move on.
On Saturday, our wider community of 40-or-so family and friends gathered for a party - to hear Helen and Ian explain their hopes and dreams for Spain and the journey-so-far (which began at 24-7 prayer's IAM5 event, more than five years ago), to celebrate the start of this new adventure with them, and to pray for them.
We gathered around them and laid our hands on them. There's nothing spooky-spiritual or magic about this practice... it's an ancient one, and it's about family, belonging, identification. It means, "I'm with you", and prophetically, "God is with you". (If you've seen the film, 'Avatar', you might remember the moment where the Na'vi people lay their hands on Jake Sully as a sign of family and welcome? Beutiful) So, we laid hands on them, prayed for them, spoke words of blessing and encouragement over them all, and thanked God for them.
Helen, Ian... I encourage you to walk out your vow, day by day, in the new land. Be true to Christ, seek first the kingdom in all things and let Jesus build his church in your wake. Be kind to all people, welcome strangers and friends alike, seek the good in everyone, listen carefully. And take the Gospel of Jesus, the good news of salvation and reconciliation and peace with you wherever you go - live it and breath it, fill your prayers and your conversation with this good news. And God will be with you. And we will too.
Ian, do you remember that South African saying we learned a few years ago? Go well. "Go well, my friends." :)
To follow Helen and Ian, Esme, Lewis and Charlie's adventures in Spain over this coming year, click across to their Newmananas blog.
Here's a few pics from the party - I didn't take many, sorry.
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