Unbelievable

Unbelievable seem like the right word to describe a lot of how we feel just now.

It is almost unbelievable that we actually have left Latvia - just now we are for a one day visit in Copenhagen to see Maria, and it seems unreal that we are not going back to Latvia again. 6 years is a long time and Latvia has become home for us. Still we know it was the right time for us to leave and in peace with that, but it still feels unbelievable.

Unbelievable how hard it was to say goodbye to friends and colleagues. When I early Tuesday morning (the day we were leaving) sat and wrote a final e-mail to the people we had worked and ministered with, then I had to stop several time, overcome with emotions. I was afraid I would wake everybody else up with my sobbing!

We had spent the weekend and Monday on saying good bye to people - our leaders, friends from other churches, business contacts etc. and also some very good friends we knew we would not see for a long while. It was not fun. It did not become easier Tuesday.

Sarah and Aivis together with Josh took us to the airport. We were there early and after checking in we went up to Lido to have a cup of coffee and one last Latvian pastry (there are others than Danes that knows how to make good pastry!). Suddenly most of the office arrived and once more we sat round a table, enjoying coffee and whatever else Lido could offer, chatting away although I do not think I was the only one who picked up a slight tense atmosphere - we all knew what was on the agenda for this meeting!

When it was time to check in we all went down to the departure area, and then came the really hard bit. The final goodbye. There was so much I wanted to say to these good friends, but I just couldn't. What many people have dreamed of for years happened: the preacher had to shut up! We finished of in a circle praying. what a blessing to have a faith that is relevant in all situations, what a fellowship, that goes beyond time and place, because we are united in Christ.

When we were up in the air one of the stewards came and asked if we were the Andersens. We could confirm that and then he handed over a gift bag! It was "the girls" in the office that sent a last greeting, choclate and my favourite biscuits. Olesja, who used to work for Air Baltic and obviously used her contacts!

We used part of the time in the plane to look at pictures from the prayer conference and farewell meeting. It made us smile a lot, as we look at all these lovely people, and once in a while a tear also popped up.

Unbelievable is also the right word when we look back at our time in Latvia. At times it was unbelievable hard, we have been "beaten, but not crushed", but more than anything it has been ubelievably blessed. If we did not believe in grace before, we certainly do it now, because there is no way we ever could have deserved all the blessings we have received during these years.

Unbelievable is also the right word when we think about that in just 9 hours the plane to Manchester takes off. A new adventure awaits us. As when we left Denmark for Latvia, we also this time do not really know what is awaiting us - but that is what makes it an adventure! We look forward to for the first time in hour lives to live in a house, to having football on the telly every week, to be able to speak to people without the assistance of a translator, but when it comes to work, we do not know what to expect. We know it will be a huge difference from Latvia, but again, that is what makes it exciting. All we can do is to trust God. We have again and again challenged people in Latvia to push out where "we will be in trouble if God does not show up" and so we of course have to do the same. The good news: He has never let us down yet, and somehow we are pretty sure he won't do it now either!