September 19, 1988, Jon and I left St. Louis to fly to Nairobi, Kenya to begin our missionary journey together. Like many of you may have experienced, I left all my family behind, with no email, no internet, very expensive long-distance phone calls, and slow snail mail. 

September 22, 2025, our daughter, Bethany, and her husband, Elliot, and their daughter, Eden (almost 11 months old), will leave Springfield, MO to travel to Cape Town, South Africa to begin their missionary journey.  I’m thankful that today there is FaceTime, Wi-Fi, email and very inexpensive phone calls, along with a multitude of apps for staying connected.  I’m also thankful that I will be able to go with them and stay for the first two weeks.  Elliot’s mom, the other “nana” will also be traveling with us. 

I’ve known for several years that this day was coming.  Now that it is getting closer, it’s still hard to imagine they will be so far away, and not just around the corner like they have been the past five years (we live in the same neighborhood).  But I’m also thankful that, even with all the technology we have to stay connected, one thing that stays the same, no matter when missionaries left their homes to travel to the regions beyond, is that God is the same, and He is always with us. 

Psalm 91 reminds me of God’s care and protection over my loved ones.  He is a refuge, a fortress and has put His angels in charge of us. 

Psalm 121 reminds me that God is our helper, our keeper and sustainer.  We can look to Him when we need help.

Psalm 34 promises that God hears me and delivers me from all my fears.  God is also near to the brokenhearted. I know all of you have faced the pain of separation, whether leaving family behind in the states as you headed to your fields, or sending children back to the US as they left the nest.  I’m thankful, no matter the situation, God is near to us in difficult and uncertain times.

Psalm 46 tells us that God is our refuge and strength and is with us even during turbulent times that we may face.  I’m so glad that God gave us the Psalms and the promises contained therein, where we can turn during times of rejoicing, and during times of change in our lives when we need comfort and strength.  I’m thankful we have a God who loves us, no matter where we are, and cares for us and meets our needs.

-by Pam Konnerup