Before we left India, the school presented a goodbye program for us. They said many kind things and gave us many gifts. Then we stood at the entrance to the church as the children and staff filed out to say goodbye one by one. I wrapped my arms around person after person, our tears flowing freely. I praised God for the work He had done in their lives, and I reminded myself that this goodbye was part of going to Papua New Guinea to serve the Ama. I remember one girl in particular, Rinku, squeezing me as tightly as she could, her body shaking with sobs. As her tears wetted my dress and mine flowed into her hair, I squeezed back.

Afterward, Rinku, whom we had recently sponsored to an Adventist boarding school, came to Orion. “Sir, thank you for saving me. You have no idea what it was like in my home. Thank you for saving me from that.”
“We didn’t know you would be able to come to see us off,” Orion replied.
“I wanted to see you before you leave. Why can’t you stay here in India?”
“God has asked us to go to Papua New Guinea,” Orion answered.
“Thank you for paying for my school. It is not good at my home,” Rinku said again, and then she hugged us both again.

Dear God, when we get to Heaven, please send someone from Ama to give Rinku a powerful hug and tell her “Thank you for saving me. You don’t know what it was like there.” Even so come, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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