One Month Left

I have reached a strange point today. It is July 14th, and on August 14th I am boarding a plane again. That's one month left in Rijeka, and it leaves me with so many mixed emotions. I have already said goodbye to a majority of my team and the students that have become my friends. Pete and Kali left three weeks ago, and the Kneeshaw family left a week ago. It has been easy to stay busy the last few weeks. I have seen many friends and I have an apartment to pack. I have greatly enjoyed swimming in the beautiful Adriatic, though at times I have been in some very questionable water. I have loved the extended coffees and visits brought on by the finishing of exams. God has also been using this relaxed time to show me a lot of what he has been teaching me through life this year. I could so easily get lost in all the activity and forget to say goodbye. Not that I want to be overwhelmed by emotion for the next month, but I want my heart to feel closure before I head home. But how do you really do that? I think it's impossible to feel completely ready to close one chapter of your life so that you can start the next. My prayer tonight as I am writing this is that God would prepare me for this, and give me wisdom on how to face it.

The women of the team during debriefing on Losinj (missing Petra).

The men of the team during debrief (missing Hrvoje).