A Parting Gift

"I have a gift for you." 

She placed the dusty strand into my hand. 

A relic of hers that she gave to me as a gift at my parting. 

A gift purchased from the country and people I am going to.

A gift from the people I am leaving. 

To remind me to pray. 

To care. 

To still ask about them. 

This leaving to go to another country,

It's not a question of God finally calling me into missions. 

Rather, it's a question of where He is calling me to serve now.

And me going there means there will be a hole here. 

Means there won't be that light where I worked.

It is not more glamorous to go. 

Sometimes it is not God's will to go. 

It's about being faithful where He has called you.

To the people in your town. 

Or the people in another town. 

Or even the people in your house.

That dusty strand given as a parting gift,

Will be a reminder of my people. 

And the need of their salvation.