Better Late than Never

Chicago was great...once I finally got there 23 hours later than I intended to. I was bummed to miss out on seeing friends from St. Louis who were in town for the Concordia University Chicago football game (pep band, really), but still enjoyed a relaxing few days' vacation before the impetus of my trip, the Beautiful Feet mission conference. Beautiful Feet is aimed at Concordia University students interested in serving both within their current vocations and post-graduation; this was my 2nd time representing the Office of International Mission at it. 

I stayed with my friends Mark & Ellen, friends I first met when their church sent a short-term team to the mission in El Paso, TX, where I coordinated servant events from 2009-2011; God hasn't stopped knitting us together since. They're the kind of people who exude the gift of hospitality. They also recently redid their bathroom and now have the Best. Shower. Ever. Turns out 114° is the perfect water temperature.

Fall! I loved the colors on this Sunday afternoon walk. Temps that felt more like winter to this Caribeña didn't put a damper on half marathon training or a trip to the Chicago Botanic Garden, either. 

We ate like fall, too (or like me anytime of year): our menu for the week included Spicy Pumpkin and Pesto Cheese Stuffed Shells, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing. 

We took the pumpkin bars to a get-together with the Chicago portion of the team I hosted in Peru in February 2020, even though I had just seen them at Mission Central. 

Yay, Dr. Jen! The one missing team member (she lives in Iowa) was just promoted to Senior VP of her medical group. 

The afternoon before the conference started, I took myself to the immersive Van Gogh exhibit that's been blowing up my Facebook ads. It's a ~30 min., animated video experience set to music that brings the artist's works to life in a historic building rich with architectural detail. I was surprised they allowed and even encouraged photo and video, but...

Time to get to work! Thursday afternoon, I met up with this crew that drove from St. Louis (and, Seward, NE, in the case of Chelsea, 2nd from right) and our display table was basically set up before exhibitor set-up was even supposed to start. 

We had information on various service/learning opportunities, giveaways, and five activities that students could do to get a stamp in their "Exhibitor Passports": design a Día de los Muertos lantern; find three landmarks on a city map of Bohumin, Czech Republic; write a card of encouragement to a missionary; practice using chopsticks; or make an Ethiopian coffee bean cross. 

I've known Iszy's family since she was 1. Even though I had missed her in the pep band on Saturday, I got ample time with her and her boyfriend Adrian, who both served as conference small group leaders.  

Speaking of small groups...each was assigned a different country where LCMS missionaries are serving. I found mine!

The chapel's sanctuary was lit only by Christmas lights and candles for the first plenary session followed by opening worship. I abandoned this view and the "old people" in the pews to join the students on the floor for Campus Pastor Jeff Leininger's introduction of the theme: "With His [Simeon's and Jesus's] Eyes."

The conference schedule featured three breakout session time slots during which students could choose from a slate of offerings. I drew on favorite books like Foreign to Familiar and The Culture Map to lead one on cross-cultural awareness and missions Saturday morning and was beyond pleased with both the number in attendance and their level of engagement. 

Given all the traveling I do, packing has become one of my spiritual gifts. I knew the remnants of our table would fit...and they did!

Walking around campus with Iszy and Chelsea during a block of free time before dinner and closing worship Saturday night, we found a fellow missionary! Juliette (center) and her family went through orientation with me in March 2018 and serve in St. Petersburg, Russia. 


Me, Iszy, and Chelsea. 

If you were wondering, both of my flights home were on time 100% of the way, so I'm hoping travel nightmares are out of my system for awhile and don't affect either of the ~2 week trips I have planned in December and January...

Until next time, blessings!