Almost eight years ago I said good-bye at the airport to a roommate, who was leaving Japan and preparing to resume her life in the U.S.A. ~ after she had served two years as a short-term missionary.
In a surprise twist, today we said good-bye again, when she ~ and her husband and their two children ~ flew out of that same airport in order to spend a year in the States reporting on their past five years of service in Japan.
We first met here in Japan a little over nine years ago after I was picked up at the airport and dropped off at my new home. She was my new roommate, there to welcome me, although neither of us held much hope for a friendship to develop.
Six and a half years ago I made a whirlwind trip to the U.S. to celebrate a joyous wedding ~ as she married one of our teammates!
Five years ago, I met their infant son, when they traveled to my hometown to spend a day with me ... one day after I returned to the States, and just days before they left to begin this term in Japan.
Four years ago we spent a couple days at her parents', just before I was preparing to leave the U.S. to return to Japan, and shortly after she had arrived back in the States to give birth to their second child.
A few months later, their family arrived back in Japan with their 5-week old daughter, and spent a couple weeks staying with me, before moving to another part of the country.
Two years ago, we met up again at her parents' in the U.S.A. for a church visit, American fast food, "Aunt Judith" time with two TCKs, and the necessary late-night Wal-mart trip to purchase a two-year shopping list!
Where will we meet next? How many other good-byes & hellos will we each have said between now and then?
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