Five Parks ONE Family: Friends, Farewells and Favors

We have 9 days before we leave Baku. It is very surreal. In the last 7 1/2 years our family has changed a lot. We came as a family of 4 but leave a family of 5. We came monolingual and we leave bilingual. We came not knowing one Azerbaijani we leave not only knowing many Azerbaijanis but also loving them.
Over the years we have changed. We will probably be realizing for years how much we have actually changed.
We have been changed by a different culture, a different language and a different world view. We have also been changed by a Father who has us on a journey to know him more. We used to think we were on a journey to change the world one person at a time for Him. Now we realize that first and foremost the Father is changing us. Hopefully along the way, as God does his work in us, others lives are changed as well. The realization that the only thing we really have control of is how much of ourselves we will let him have. As we prepare to leave Azerbaijan it is very bittersweet for us. Bitter that we will miss many that we love and care for, sweet that we know that God is leading us on this journey.

Over the last couple months we have been little by little saying goodbye to the people ad places that we care so much about. Below are a few photos of some of the things we are saying goodbye to and some "favors" that we are taking along to help us keep Azerbaijan and her people in our hearts.