Larkhall - August 13, 2015

1/20/16

   We reluctantly bade farewell to lovely Inveraray and headed our van towards our first of two trips to the town of Larkhall –the home of a former e-pal friend where her daughters and husband were  awaiting our arrival.
   As we drove through Larkhall, we stopped at a Subway (yep, just like back home).While eating our good ole American meal, we were able to connect with Sarah via Kate. Kate & her family had volunteered to put up Bobby & his family during our stay there, while Bob and I were staying with the Wadsworth's. Bobby had Kate's number, fortunately, so we called her to get Sarah's phone number and how to get to Sarah's home.  God had gone ahead of us, once again!

                                                      

   My excitement was building and I was having one of those 'moments' as we approached Ruth's home! Many times I had written her address on packages that I had sent to her, but this time, it wasn't just my package that was arriving there physically–it was me!! Yet, because Ruth had passed away in October of 2013 from cancer (post of 10/8/13), this 'moment' for me was a mixture of both happiness and sadness. 

farewell picture of Bob & I with Sarah, Stuart, Rachel, & Benny

   We had written each other about my dream of coming to Scotland not knowing if such a dream would ever be realized. But there they stood; Stuart (Ruth's husband), Sarah & Rachel (Ruth's twin daughters) and their gentle border collie–Benny, my dream fully realized but without my friend, Ruth. 

   I missed her so much. It just seemed incomplete to be with her family and to be in her home without her being present. We had shared so much over the years and I longed to reminisce with her about all of that. 

   But as we sat in her living room among her family, listening to them talk about their lives and their wife and mother, I began to realize that she was there in the faces and smiles (and, yes, tears) of her family.  

   Later on Sarah took me to the cemetery to visit her mum's grave where we spoke a tender prayer together, and during my last night there Rachel showed me the memory book she had made of her mum. It was comforting to me that Ruth and I were able to continue sharing with each other during these moments. 

Ruth, Stuart, Sarah, & Rachel

   During our initial visit in Ruth's cozy living room, I was asked about how our relationship started. I told them about the lady, Roberta, from the Scottish Baptist Union website who had put me in contact with Ruth. As it turned out, she was a friend of  Ruth's and right off recommended me to her. Thus a very satisfying and pleasant relationship ensued for the next 10 years. 

   In my next post, I will introduce you to some of the extraordinary people, who now I claim as dear friends, to which Sarah and her family introduced us.