Cambodia.part 3
Today is Father’s Day.
I miss my dad. I miss my father-in-law. I miss my Uncle James.
I miss Larry. And Josiah. And Jared, John, Elias. And Mark. And Mark. And Malcolm. And I miss knowing Reid more. And I miss watching Handsome Boy be Handsome Dad.
And I miss Chris.
Not our son Chris – Big Chris. He was the son we didn’t know we needed until Kayle came along – then we had Big Chris and Little Chris.
It has become a great joy of my life to gather people into my heart. To watch them grow in their roles as followers of Christ. Sometimes it’s fun to watch. Sometimes it is heartbreaking and I wanna scream “what are you thinking? We taught you better!”
Chris has been fun to watch. Well, maybe I wanted to scream when he said “Cambodia” when they announced their move.
I got over it.
And I went to Cambodia – twice.
So many people see this big, quiet guy. Always smiling. Laid back, rolling with life in a semi-carefree way.
I see a warrior.
He cares deeply. He is fiercely protective of those God has entrusted to him. He cries over those he leads. He weeps for those who do not know Jesus. He laughs with Kings and Paupers alike – every man’s friend.
He is also a teacher. Quiet. Sometimes you don’t even know he is teaching you because you are crying with laughter. Sometimes a biblical truth is hidden in a joke that later makes you think – ouch, that might have hurt if delivered another way. He’s good at leading people where they are and explaining to them in ways they need to hear.
Chris taught my children, too. He rescued pre-teen Chris and Ashley from the house when he could sense mom as done with their childishness! There are shenanigans and snow-covered hills I do not need to know about. I am so proud of how he taught them to share Jesus – tell your experience with Jesus. No one can argue with what you have experienced personally.
The night before entering a refugee camp to serve in Greece, I was sitting on a boat FaceTiming Chris and Kayle and sharing my fears. “Mimi,” he smiled, “you are always as safe as God needs you to be.”
I wanted to feel safe. I wanted to be home. I wanted to not be confronted by the lost and the dirty and the broken and the impoverished and desperate. I wanted to be comfortable.
Chris has taught me so many times – God cares little for my comfort and all about my relationship with Him. If being “unsafe” draws me to God, God will let me squirm.
Chris has seen me squirm in Cambodia. Listening to stories of the trafficked and abused. Climbing structures in heat to see the beauty of his adopted country so that I see the beauty God created is not limited to America alone. He made the whole world. He loves the whole world.
He is raising two beautiful, confident daughters who see people first and a son who constantly breaks cultural barriers and opens doors for sharing the gospel. Chris faithfully supports his wife’s endeavors as teacher and mentor and creator and her weird movie choices too. Their family laughter is beautiful.
Thank you Chris for sharing your life with me. Thanks to parents for faithfully stewarding their son to Christ. Thanks for every funny text and heartfelt story you have shared with me in the past 10 years. Let’s do it some more!
To support the work of Chris and Kayle Hardrick, please visit:
Complicated Hope 
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