A Small World

I remember traveling down to SBU on that hot, August day in 1998. My first year of college was about to begin, and you would think that someone like me - a girl that had gone to many, many week-long church camps and conferences, one who went away for instrumental camps, etc. would be perfectly fine with being away from home. But I wasn't. When dad gave me a hug to say goodbye and kept his sunglasses on indoors, it made it all the more difficult knowing he was sad, too. I watched my family drive away, and there I was at my dorm, on my own. I did not know anyone on campus.

Welcome Week was a time period for entering freshmen and transfer students to get to know others and for upper classmen to show us around campus and help us become familiar with the surroundings before classes actually started. We were set up in small groups of about 20 or so, and we were led by one girl and one guy.

I found it to be so wonderful that the girl who led my group was from Rolla! And better yet, she went to church in St. James! Yay! Someone who knew where my hometown of Owensville was located! We discussed our common thread, and I just thought she was the sweetest thing. She truly made my first few days much brighter and kept my spirits up.

Her name is Cheryl. Would you believe...I now attend the church where she attended as a youth! How crazy is that? I will never forget how dumbfounded I felt when Josh and I first went to our Sunday school class, and we mentioned we were graduates of SBU. Peggy, our Sunday school teacher, said her daughter was a graduate from SBU as well, and I inquired what her name was.

"Cheryl Welsch."

"No way!" I think I said out loud. "She was my small group leader at Welcome Week!"

And now, we share more than just a common thread of knowing where each other's home towns are located! We share common friends. It's still amazing to me when I think about it!

She came to visit yesterday, and it was so fun to see her. Here we are at my friend Sarah H's house. Sarah H has become one of my best friends, and Cheryl was in her wedding 10 years ago!














Sarah H and her kids on the left, Cheryl with her little boy in the middle, and me with my kids on the right.

It's amazing where our path in life takes us. My Welcome Week leader at SBU...now her mom is my Sunday school teacher. It doesn't get much more amazing than that! :o)