Talas

Standing on a hill top, with my back to the mighty Himilian mountains , I look out over the beautiful lake IsyKole. In my pocket , between my for finger and thumb , can feel the mustard seed embedded in a coin I carry .. I don't need to look at it to know what it looks like, nor what the inscription on the coin says .. It is a promise to me that If I have the faith the size of that mustard seed, I can say to the mountains behind me to move into the sea in front of me and they will have to obey...... So why am I standing in this location, at this time, over the grave of a young friend we helped last year?...
Many on our team are reading a book called "When Helping Hurts.".. Now I know that it is referring to when we deliver the wrong sort of aid, and bring harm rather them help, or create a dependency.. but I can't help but think of that same title in times like this.
You may remember the stories of Talas and Baski... both had brain tumors and both were given poor prognoses... We helped them both ... Last week, Baski Cooked a wonderful ploff for our team... Today we visited Talas's father for the one year remembrance of his life.
As much as it hurts to be there, We know that we have no regrets , we did what we could , and left the rest in Gods hands... I have come to realize that HELPING does not always change the outcome, but it does change how the outcome impacts those around us. Talas new that he was loved, and his family knows that they have friends that continue to stand with them.
Along with renting an apartment so Talas and his family could be together close to the hospital, we also kept in regular skype to phone contact with him. A couple days before we returned last spring, I was talking to Talas, and he said to me " JohnBeckey.. please come soon" I assured him that we were on our way our flights would leave in a couple days, and we would come to see him on our way home from the airport.. The morning we were leaving, I checked my email on the way out of the house, and there was notification from Acel that he had passed away....
some times it hurts....