ministry fair

every year, they have a ministry fair in the library lobby.

is it coincidence, then, that the first person i talked to was ed speyers?


i walked up to the wycliff bible translators table, and a man introduced himself as ed and asked who i was. i caught a glance at his nametag and the name stuck, and i couldn't shake it off. ed speyers... where had i heard that name before? to explain the confused look on my face i stumbled out that i knew his name from somewhere, that he might have known my dad. he asked who that was, and i replied '[my dad's name], from ebenezer.' at first ed said nothing, and then he said yes... ebenezer reformed, i've preached there a few times. my wife and i actually live near there... [my dad's name]? passed away a couple of years ago?

ah! yes. he did know who my dad was. mystery solved. i proceeded to ask about the brochures about the teacher program and literacy aspects of wycliff's program, but he stopped me.

"how is your family holding up?" he asked. again, caught off guard. so i explained how my mom was remarried and happy and there was more somewhat awkward conversation trying to explain exactly whose triplets i was talking about.

"i knew your dad," he said with eyes glistening, "he was a great man, and did a lot of wonderful things in his life. i'm good friends with todd [the pastor at ebenezer] and we've talked about your dad's impact." (paraphrased, more or less.)

i frankly didn't know what to say. ed came around the table to give me a hug. then he explained about wycliff's programs to me, but by then i was so distracted i didn't hear much, although the program sounds fantastic and i know it's reputable.


it was good to know that people still remember my dad, and are still moved by who he was and what he did for our community. and i'm guessing that ed speyers gained more out of the encounter than i had, knowing that dewey's daughter was going into ministry.


(oh! eric! i need a hug...)

edit::

eric had just walked up as i finished that entry up. of all chance meetings, i happened to run into him there. it's kind of funny, considering he's never in the library! crazy.

other than the emotional tugging of seeing ed speyers, the other information was pretty good. it's amazing how excited those people get when you tell them you want to go abroad. i think that the vast amount of need/opportunity that i witnessed there (wycliff alone needs 300 teachers right now to teach MKs!) confirmed that i'll be going abroad when i'm done with college. mmmmhm. give or take a year or two, considering where my relational/financial/familial situations are at (catch my drift?)

ideally, i would graduate from calvin, married or engaged, go abroad for a couple years with the husband doing peace corp or similar setup, come back to the states and go to grad school and then head out abroad again for an increasingly longer time on the field doing whatever it is i end up doing. i'm open to options and variations, though. that's just what i picture myself doing right now.


and that picture makes me very, very happy.


♥ betsy joy