A Tiny Silver Bus

I got a phone call yesterday that one of our friends was moving to Iowa in just a couple of hours. This family came to Fredericksburg from a refugee camp in the Congo almost two years ago. There is Sebastian, the dad, Nantoori, the mom, David, the oldest son, Emmanuel, the 19 year old son, Nanziza, the 12 year old daughter and Irakoze, the 6 year old son.
Sebastian and David have worked very hard, but our town has a really high cost of living ( being so close to D.C.) and it is hard for newcomer families to get ahead. Emmanuel, Nanziza and Irakoze are in school, learning English, making friends. Nanziza was in the Sunday School Class I taught last year and is an amazing young lady. Irakoze played on his first soccer team, The Rush, this fall and I loved to watch him play.
Emmanuel is a senior in high school and went to Passport Camp with our FBC youth group this summer and he and Chelsea have become great friends. They went to the Homecoming Dance at FA a few weeks ago and had lots of fun together.
So, when I got a call that Sebastian and Emmanuel were leaving to go to Iowa, with the rest of the family following in a couple of months, I was stunned. Sebastian has a cousin in Des Moines, had gone there and found a job and it was time for a change.
I picked up Chelsea and went to their house after school to see them. Another friend, Thomas, translated Sebastian's words to me. That he loved the people in Fredericksburg, that he loved his friends, but he needed to go where he could support his family. And while I understand completely why he is going, my heart hurts to see my friends move away.
My heart was breaking as I watched Chelsea saying goodbye to her friend. And as her mom, I wanted to fix it, but I can't.
While we were there, another friend, Faraha, who lives here with her husband and five sons, said she too was going to Iowa...for a visit...and taking the youngest boy, Bosco. That didn't make any sense to me. Why would you ride three days on a bus, stay for five days and then come back. Seemed like an awful lot of traveling for a mom and baby. Later we were told that she was not coming back and the rest of her family was also going to Iowa. Her little boys have taken residence in my heart and I will miss them greatly. Bosco, the sweet baby, who mimics what I say in a funny southern accent. Alexi, who responds to Chelsea like no other, who is sweet and funny and started pre-school a couple of months ago. Manirakisa, who runs and hugs me whenever he sees me and also played soccer this season. Meshack, who lets me help him with his homework and loves to read to me. Wilson, the oldest son, who loves his brothers and takes care of them.
Seeing these friends board A Tiny Silver Bus and head off to a new life is hard. I pray that they will find a good life, meet new friends who will love them and the children as we have and traveling mercies as they begin a new journey.