That role was natural for Nathan, having spent a few years himself as a child in Africa. It was a point of pride that he was included in this 'club.' For me, it was a bit more stretching.
It didn't take a genius to see that these kids were attracted to each other like metal filings to a magnet. It was a relationship I couldn't explain. It didn't matter if they attended the same boarding school or if they grew up on different continents on opposite hemispheres... they clicked with each other in a way unlike almost any other subset on campus and they spent a LOT of time together.
I think until recently I attributed it solely to the shared experience of living in (what was to them) a foreign country, without a set of parents who could just drop in for parents' weekend. Add to that they also may not have gone to prom or taken driver's ed, or held a job before. They liked different kinds of sports like futbol and rugby and cooked funny smelling foods in our student center's kitchen.
But now, as I watch my own children grow up as MKs, I have a new level of understanding of that tight-knit group of missionary kids at Asbury. I hear Ellie frequently list all of her friends that she has in America, as if needing the reminder that she has friends. I hear the hurt and disappointment in Reni's voice when realizes that his best American buddies in Tirana (of whom he has two) will not be in Albania this summer for his birthday and it dawns on me that those missionary kids at Asbury are "Ellie and Reni" in 10-12 years. They are kids who didn't fully belong in the country where their family lived, who had only a handful of friends with whom they could speak and relate to fully. They were now living on a small residential campus and had four years to make up for lost time. Time when they didn't have friends with whom they could watch rugby matches, share birthday celebrations, pool parties or have sleepovers,
For our Ellie, having friends has been a bit of a challenge, even in America. You can imagine our delight when we met another family from the States, living in Albania whose daughter just clicked with Ellie. Just a few weeks apart in age, and sharing the common experience of adoption, they could play contentedly for hours. Unfortunately, after our move to the village, we lived nearly two hours away from them. Throw in my inability to drive here, busy schedules, a summer furlough, and well, just life, and visits were few and far between. Then last fall they announced they would be moving back to the States and my heart sunk. Ellie's one girl friend would be leaving.
Last month I sent a note to see if we could arrange a last sleepover (it would actually only be their second). Thankfully we found a night that would work and all was set.
I packed a bag with microwave popcorn, movies, a craft project, markers and paper, and special Fruit Loops cereal, Oh, and a bottle of melatonin, just in case. (As the chaperone I may have also thrown in a few treats for mom too.) It was going to be a fun night for both girls to remember.
We had met for dinner already so we were well into the night when we settled into the apartment. I let the girls choose a movie and snuggle up with blankets and popcorn. Ellie's friend kept telling me, "This feels like paradise!"
I thought to myself, How nice that a sleepover can still be simple!
Thankfully the melatonin was not needed. There was no drama and everyone was in bed by 10:30, happy to get to watch not one, but TWO movies.
Thanks, Jillian, for hanging out with Ellie! She won't ever forget you!
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