Dearest Friends, Thanks!

As I said in my last post, a couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to invite friends and family members to a dinner hosted by the executive board of ECMI-USA, the sending section of my organization. I was much more nervous probably than I should have been, but there was something about my "new" family (ECMI) meeting my "old" family (friends and parents) that stressed me out a little. I just so desperately wanted both parties to see in each other what I see in them. I had spoken so much to ECMI about the people in my life and how they had so pushed and molded me in my walk with Jesus, and I had spoken to my friends and family so much about all the new people I had met at the candidate orientation in February and the process of applying to become a missionary. All of a sudden they were all together in the same room...it felt almost like when you become very serious in a relationship and your parents and your significant other's parents meet for the first time. You want everything to go just perfectly and for everyone to mesh and understand each other!

Thankfully, everything I had been fretting about went so smoothly. Everyone seemed to get along and understand each other! Something I did not anticipate, however, was how it would make an impact on me.

Towards the end of the dinner, Ron Anderson, a missionary who has become more and more involved with ECMI since he and his wife Brenda began serving in Spain in the 70s, stood up and suddenly made a large announcement to the entire room. He practically "knighted" my parents and inducted them into the "Order of Missionary Parents." He honored them with kind and encouraging words, and explained how hard this was to be on them and how much credit they deserved for standing behind me and supporting me along the way. In almost the same breath, Ron and a few others honored all the people that had come to this dinner...the ones that are with me every day, serving in an incredible way...my friends (I am including my pastor, Roz in this "friends" category). He told them that they, too, had such an incredible responsibility and burden by being those closest to me. That they are the ones "holding the rope." That this was to be difficult for them as well, but that I would not be able to do it without them.

I had (ashamedly) never thought of things this way. I knew how important it was that I have people supporting me both in prayer and financially, but I had never stopped to think about how my parents and my friends were being affected by this. Of course, I knew that it would be difficult for them to give of their money and of their time in order to pray, but I had never thought about how this would change them and challenge them emotionally. And for this, I am sorry. 

Friends, all of you...no matter whether you are supporting me with your gifts and have known me for years or if you've ever even just read this blog a couple of times, I want to say Thank You. I could never do any of this without your help and support, and even once I've gone away to start my work in Germany, I will still need you by my side. I hope that you can forgive me for not thinking enough about your needs, and I pray that I will be a better servant to you in the future.

Again, I say thanks!

Blessings and love,

Alison

To Donate:

1. Send your checks made out to ECMI-USA with a separate note with my name, Alison Settle, on it to this address:            ECMI-USA
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