Aunt Ruth

Ok so she's not really my aunt, she is my 3rd cousin. But she is 82 and calling her Aunt Ruth just seems right.

I met Aunt Ruth this weekend at my great grandmother's funeral. She is Granny Dot's neice. We were introduced especially because of our heart for missions. Aunt Ruth was a teacher for 38 years and when she retired she began traveling all over the world. I was amazed when she told me her last mission trip to Belize was 4 years ago. Her eyes watered as she told me stories about the orphan children she met and fell in love with. She visited a prison there and her heart broke for the women she met there who were overwhelmed with gratitude just from receiving new underwear. Aunt Ruth visited Israel just last year.

Aunt Ruth told me she had watched the Haiti earthquake coverage all morning and just cried. I told her how I wanted to go and she said she did too. Come with me! I told her. She said she has begun to fear traveling because she has heart problems.

We talked more over the weekend about teaching, since that's what I want to do. We both have a heart for middle schoolers [which I believe can only be from God]. She told me that she loves sports and would always spend Monday mornings with her students talking about the different games that happened over the last week. She said this gave her some credibility and common ground especially with her boys. She also said she made sure to go to at least one of their little league games each season.

I was so overwhelmed and inspired to meet such an amazing woman, a woman who takes risks even at 82 to glorify the Father. I started telling my family that I want to be Aunt Ruth when I grow up.