Please Don't Go

Monday, May 2nd marked the first day of the last week of school for U of A. Things are quickly coming to a close around here.

Monday nights are long, but good. The Rockhouse has our student leader meeting at 5:30 pm and then I'm part of a small group (or cords as we call them [Eccl 4: 12]) that meets at 8:30 and usually ends around 11pm.

Somewhere during this time, my big sister called. And I didn't hear her voicemail until 11:20. She said she was in Fayetteville on a date and wanted to crash on my couch. I excitedly called her back, and she said she would be at my apartment in about an hour.

Me and my big sister, Taryn. Isn't she adorable?

Around 12:30 am  there's a knock on the door and  a sister smoking a cigarette on my front porch. I haven't seen her since Easter weekend. But even then, I was only in Tahlequah for Saturday and so we really didn't get a time to chat.

She takes a quick shower and then tells me about her date, her life, her ex. She said she was feeling really awake and wanted to leave pretty soon. I was just happy to have her next to me for a little while.

Then she says, "I want you to do me a favor."
I look at her, smile and say, "What, hun?"
"Don't go. Please don't go to Palestine next year. Please"
"Oh, sweetie-"
"I know you have faith in God and all, but please don't go, it's not safe and it is just getting worse. "
"I know. It's okay" And I just look at her and say, "You don't have to worry about me."
"Missionaries die all the time. And it's just getting worse over there."
I tell her about how I know that I should go, about how I know I want to go. I tell her I want to be apart of lives changing.  And then I read her Luke 4:18-19, where Jesus reads from Isaiah and says,

The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
   because he has anointed me
   to proclaim Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim Freedom for the prisoners
   and Recovery of Sight for the blind,
to Set the oppressed Free,
    to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

I really believe this. This is why Jesus came, to give Hope. And I'll go where I need to, to be a part of this and see those that are oppressed set free and see people healed.

Not interested in what I was saying, she kissed me on the forehead and left.