IC You

One component of a traditional home service is a "Reconnect" at the LCMS International Center, or IC. There are only 12 St. Louis-based individuals responsible for recruiting, deploying, training, supporting, and caring for 300+ missionaries and families living internationally. During the span of one full day in the building, the support staff gets to demonstrate hospitality toward the visiting missionaries and learn about their work, and the missionaries get to thank the support staff, vent concerns, and ask questions. My Reconnect was Thursday, September 16. 

My first appointment wasn't until 9:15 am, but I came in early to be part of a conversation about requesting in-person short-term teams at 7 am. Missionaries from around the world joined by Zoom, but I was at the same table as Erin and Anne, my two right hand colleagues from the Short-term unit. 

Schedule for the day. 

I could have used my sunglasses during chapel!

Anyone in the building is invited to missionaries' Reconnect presentations. 

Area guests are invited, too. Former LAC missionary kid Jo (age 3) was enthralled that there were two Erins!

And that was all before lunch (Bosnian, for the record). None of my afternoon appointments had much of an agenda, but I wound up filling my allotted time with each person or grouping nonetheless. 

I grew up ~10 min. from the "Purple Palace," but now, living 1,700+ miles away, I couldn't be more grateful for everyone who works there and all of the ways they give of themselves for the sake of the Church's work through me and so many others. There's currently a banner, a Ziploc bag of leftover swag, and 2 envelopes that need to be dropped off sitting in my parents' living room, so I'll definitely be popping in at least once more before I fly back to the DR!