Until the Next Time

I hate goodbyes. I've said a few in my lifetime, but they never get any easier.

I'm just getting to the end of the most amazing holiday. We went round Germany and we're currently in Prague for a couple of days as a family, but the main chunk of our holiday was spent in Chalet Ennstal. If you've never been on a Richmond Holiday, then I highly recommend it. Seriously... Book now! On our week, we were with a very varied group of people, however, by the end of the week it almost felt like we were family. By day three I was emerging at breakfast in pyjamas, wandering around barefoot, leaving the room constantly unlocked, and having no qualms about asking people particularly personal and difficult questions. I'd like to tell you just a little bit about some of the people I met...



I met a man who was absolutely hysterical, owned a bright and quirky cap, reminded me of Bilbo Baggins, had a surprisingly serious job, and stayed in a *hut* before getting to the chalet. I met this man's long suffering wife, who was very calm and collected, loved walking and cycling and time to herself, and has a back problem (please pray!). I met their daughter who was brave and fearless, rather mature for a 10 year-old, however still loved climbing under the table at meal times, and was happy to have a go at anything and everything.

I met a wonderful chef who had fantastic style, was very pretty and met her boyfriend in an unusual yet ingenious way. I met the chef's boyfriend who led worship for the week, had an entire conversation about organic carrots, somehow managed to direct us without a map, and has the astounding knack of cow-whispering.

I met a lovely lady who used to be a nurse, wore linen shorts to walk on a glacier, and had a startlingly contagious laugh. I met a group of girls who were so beautiful and comfortable with themselves, and prepared to get stuck in and serve the chalet through even the most menial tasks. I met a couple from New Zealand that are going to have the most gorgeous kids. I met several older men and women that have wonderful stories to tell and experiences to share of their lives with Christ. And last but not least, I met a handsome man who is studying theology at uni, has an astonishing amount of patience, is a very good driver, loves to drum on absolutely anything when the mood takes him, never loses at table tennis, is honest and approachable, has a wicked sense of humour and deserves a medal for putting up with us three 'youth' for the week!

I've never been this emotional about leaving a group of people that I've only known for a week, but I truly and dearly hope that I know them for many years to come. You never know when you're going to meet people that make such a deep impact on your life and effect you in such an unexpected way. Maybe we won't meet again in this life, and we won't write, and the years will go by and we'll wonder what happened to good old 'so and so'. But I know for a fact, that when my father calls me home, I'll see them all again there.
When we said 'goodbye', it wasn't as final as we all may have thought. Looking back, what we really meant was 'until the next time'.

I wish I could tell you all about the sights I saw, or the cable cars I rode, or the food I ate, or the lake I swam in, or the people I met, or the smiles we shared, or the *hut* we could not mention, or the roller coaster emotions that all of this made me feel. Instead, you're going to have to take my word for it... It was INSANE!