Ending and Beginning
Friday, September 2 was Jess' last day of work at Aid Sudan. For four years she served as their Events Coordinator until we decided that it was time for her to be home with our 15-month old son. Her time at Aid Sudan has been incredibly impactful on both of our lives. I think we are both a bit more like Jesus because of the influence Aid Sudan family and our experiences with the South Sudanese. To me that's about as good as it gets.
Here are some of Jess' reflections on her time at Aid Sudan, from the Aid Sudan blog:
Nearly four years ago I walked into the Aid Sudan office for the first time. I was interviewing for the part-time Administrative Assistant & Events Coordinator role after bouncing between contract and temp work since moving to Houston the year before. I certainly had not found a place to land my feet since my husband and I packed up what few belongings we had as newlyweds and made the move from Nashville. While I knew very little of the people that Aid Sudan served and how God was going to use me to serve them, I knew even less of how He was going to change me in the process.
As months passed, I began to realize that God had not just chosen to bless me with a job that didn’t have a contracted end date, but with an entirely new family. Despite the part-time schedule, I began to know and become known by people that became some of my dearest friends. And the work day didn’t just consist of work, but of brainstorming sessions turned to laughing fits, the “fun zone,” plenty of creative birthday celebrations, as well as deep and life-altering prayer coupled with authentic concern for one another.
This was no ordinary job with ordinary people, but a place that breathed deeply the goodness of God with an unrelenting hope in His promises. Over time, I began to pray differently, approach relationships differently and walk more closely with God than I had in any other time in life.
As I’m approaching my four-year mark with Aid Sudan, I’m also approaching my last day on the team. God has changed the season in our lives to one that has me home raising our 15-month-old son. And despite the twinge in my heart, we’re trusting God’s guidance as he leads our family in a very new and different path. I’m so grateful for the blessing of having been a part of the Aid Sudan team and working alongside such lovers of God and of the southern Sudanese. My heart and spirit reflect the changes of sharing in their company.
