Today was a day that my family and I have looked forward to with a mixture of anticipation and dread for a couple of months now. It is the day that my daughter Faith would leave for Africa. She will spend the next twelve weeks mentoring High School girls in Swaziland, teaching an abstinence-based HIV/AIDS prevention study called "Cherish." The study seeks to help the girls understand God's view of beauty, how valuable they are in His eyes, and to understand the importance of guarding their hearts and their purity for their future spouse.
We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Faith is doing what the Lord wants her to do this summer. We have no doubt that God will watch over her. But we will miss her terribly. We already do.
As I write this, she is on her way to Amsterdam. She will arrive there about 2 am Monday morning (our time). Following a three hour layover, she will board a plane for Johannesburg, where she will arrive late Monday night. The following morning she will catch a Swazi Air flight into the Kingdom of Swaziland. Finally, after more than two full days of traveling, she will arrive at her home for the next 84 days.
From the time our children are born, we are in the process of preparing them to make their way in the world. While our natural instinct is to hold on to them at all costs, we know in our heart of hearts we have to let go of them. We give them a foundation upon which to build their lives, form their beliefs and formulate their worldview and then we empower them to launch forth on their own.
Journalist and author Hodding Carter II observed, "There are two lasting bequests we can give our children: One is roots, the other is wings."
We thought today would be hard. It was harder than we imagined. You would think we would be used to this by now. Two summers ago, she spent the summer in Zambia. Last summer she was in Eastern Europe. Now this summer in Swaziland. But, it's never easy to put your baby on a plane going halfway around the world. We are blessed to have an incredibly close relationship with both our children. The down side of that (if it can be said there is a down side to having a great relationship with your kids) is that you miss them like crazy when they are away from you.
I have a personal favor to ask of you - whether you are a regular reader of this blog or just happened across it today via a Google search or link love on another site. Please pray for my daughter Faith Riley as she ministers in Swaziland this summer. Swaziland has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world. Many of the girls she will work with have lost one or both parents to the virus. Many of them will be dead in a few years if something isn't done to stop the spread of the virus. One of the best ways to do that is for the upcoming generation of Swazi youth to practice abstinence.
You can keep up with Faith on her blog, "so much to learn" at www.faithinafrica.blogspot.com.
Oh, and pray for her mom and dad, too. We're basket cases today, but it will get better. Starting as soon as I get the text message from her that she is safely in Amsterdam! Thanks in advance for your prayers for her this summer.
UPDATE, Tuesday May 20: After a somewhat harrowing night in the Johanesburg airport (more on that in a later post), Faith arrived safely in Swaziland about 4 am EDT this morning. She says Swaziland is beautiful and she and Becca were headed to the grocery store.
I am sure praying for you guys Alan! I know that you & Fonda have invested a ton into Faith's life......what a blessing for her!! Way to go buddy - a daughter with a heart like hers in today's world - is a testimony to great parents & a great God!! I will be praying! Mike
Posted by: Mike Linch | Monday, May 19, 2008 at 10:37 AM
This is really awesome. An incredible example...of faith!
Posted by: Milan Ford | Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 11:56 AM