We've been "sent off"

Yesterday we had our section gathering. It was a bittersweet time. We were saying goodbye to Shane Farmer, Willow's pastor in charge of spiritual formation. He was instrumental in forging the section concept and led our section until recently. He has accepted the senior pastor position at a church in Colorado. Some people spoke about his impact on their lives, and we all said our formal goodbyes. We all wish him the best as He pursues another stage of God's call on his life. Another part of the gathering was devoted to "officially" sending the ten of us who are off to El Salvador. Shane prayed for us and over us as everyone joined in. It felt good to have the group affirm our mission, short and limited as it may be. I know I have struggled through some doubts about my worthiness and ability to serve. The encouragement from this small and seemingly insignificant ceremony means a lot to me. Hopefully we can reciprocate by encouraging others who, through our experiences, may more clearly feel God's nudging for them to serve in a similar way in the future.