It always begins with a nod or hello, the first impression is most important. Making friends in your late 30s or early 40s is not fun. In fact, you almost have to revert to a child-like attitude if you ever want to make a new friend.

My son runs into a playground, and within the first two minutes, he already has a game of tag going. How does he do it? No agenda, no doubt and no fear. His only purpose is to make this person his friend and to have fun; that’s how it begins.

As missionaries, I think we need to remove all agendas from the table, with our only mission being: I want to be your friend. I want to laugh with you, enjoy life with you, and just have fun. Then everything else follows: if we can laugh together, then we can cry together, and that’s exactly what we have experienced.

Our mission is to make authentic connections where religion does not define our relationship. But rather slowly growing our friendships to a place of trust where we can talk about Christ. Then that nod and hello suddenly becomes “I’m praying for you” and “I’m thankful we are friends.”

These are the friends we have made here in Croatia, friends who miss us when we are gone for two weeks and greet us with water balloons and confetti when we come home, friends who cry with us on those late nights, talking about God, family and the uncertainties of life.

A missionary doesn’t just plant seeds to see them grow but also grows along with the community they create in Christ. So as we head out on furlough, we share the news with our friends here in Croatia with tears in our eyes. It’s hard when your heart is in two places. We feel at home in Florida and Dubrovnik, and these next few months will be filled with many emotions. We will be on furlough from October to January, and we would love to connect with all who have been on this journey with us.

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